SCORPIO NEW MOON / TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE - SUNDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2013

Exact at 12.50pm GMT, 7.50am EST

This is a whopper of a week, there's no doubt about it! I must apologise for the length of this post but there really is no way around it as it is all important information! Not only is Mercury retrograde in Scorpio but we also have the 4^th exact Pluto Uranus square on Friday and to top it all off a New Moon/ Total Solar eclipse in intense and deeply emotional Scorpio, the sign of death and rebirth! This combination of energies could be profoundly unsettling as we gear up for a big emotional shift. The Solar Eclipse represent a major turning point and a much more far reaching and significant new beginning than your average New Moon! This particular New Moon/Solar Eclipse has the potential to place us on an entirely new path and its effects could be felt anywhere from six months to two years afterwards. Of course, such profound changes can be quite uncomfortable and destabilising as we are forced out of our comfort zones and into uncharted territory. This is a time of profound shifts and transformation, when we are forced to face our shadows, own up to the more vulnerable parts of ourselves and shed yet more dead skin. We are being offered a beautiful opportunity to recognise any emotional patterns that may still be holding us back from everything we want in life, which is very exciting but could also force us to confront some rather painful truths! It is hard to make that journey into the underworld and find what is hidden there, but the rewards and potential for growth are quite simply astounding if we are brave enough to take the plunge!

Scorpio is the sign of the month as not only are the Sun and Moon forming their monthly union in this deeply emotional, soulful sign but retrograde Mercury, Saturn and the North Node of the Moon are also surrounding the cosmic couple. There is absolutely nothing light or superficial about Scorpio. Quite the opposite in fact as she really likes to get to the heart of the matter, delving around in places we would really rather not go in order to discover what is hidden there. She asks us to be truly honest and reveal the parts of ourselves we generally find it hard to admit to, allowing ourselves to trust another enough to expose our vulnerabilities so that we can open ourselves up to true intimacy. Trust and emotional honesty are a big part of the Scorpio experience. It takes a lot to let go of the facade and expose our tender underbellies but when we are brave enough to do so we open ourselves up to a far deeper emotional connection than we would have had if we hadn't. It may not be pretty but life isn't pretty, but rather it is a precarious balance between the light and dark. Scorpio is an incredibly intuitive and insightful sign and really likes to probe beneath the surface and pinpoint the crux of any given issue or problem. She is also the sign of transformation, or death and rebirth, and like a snake shedding its skin or a phoenix rising from the ashes we experience the pain of things falling away, only to rise again, reborn, shiny and new. There is a strong sense of things passing away during this New Moon period and it is important to remember that it is paving the way for a new beginning of some kind.

Saturn is a very big part of the picture during this New Moon which definitely adds some weight to the picture. He asks us to be completely and utterly truthful with ourselves and our loved ones and to take responsibility for whatever that truth may be. This could be quite uncomfortable as what we find could be quite hard to take, but ultimately it will help us to understand what we need to do in order to move forward and grow. Saturn in Scorpio has quite a sobering influence as he forces us to face up to the cold, stark reality of things which could be quite tough but will only bring us closer to who and what we really and truly are. We all have things about us that we are not proud of and some not so pleasant aspects of who we are. We all have fears, vulnerabilities and destructive emotional patterns born out of childhood that hold us back from true happiness. Saturn has a tendency to make us very aware of how we reap what we have sown and this New Moon provides us with an amazing opportunity to gain some insight into what is holding us back from getting what we really and truly want in life. What we find may be a bit harsh and even depressing, but it will also help us to pinpoint what needs to change in order for us to move forward with integrity.

Just to add to the overall intensity of this New Moon weekend we have the fourth of seven exact Pluto and Uranus squares forming on Friday the 1^st of November. The energy of both the square and the Eclipse building at the same time is likely to be quite unsettling, that's for sure! Pluto and Uranus have been shaking up the structure of our lives both personally and collectively over the past couple of years, forcing us to step into the truth of who we are and let go of anything which is holding us back from our true potential. We are half way through the process now and much has changed since it all began, that's for sure! On a global level there has been much change and unrest as people have risen up against the injustices of the current social system, pinpointing what simply no long works any more. The rot has been slowly but surely exposed within our patriarchal systems such as the banks, governments and corporations and we have experienced the breakdown of outworn and outdated systems which have no place in the world we now live in. Pluto and Uranus formed a conjunction in the late sixties, which brought massive upheaval, social change and civil unrest, and this square represents the continuation of that process. Many things have fallen away in the past couple of years, both personally and collectively, and this fourth square will once again challenge us to step up to the plate and be true to ourselves so that we can move forward with integrity. This may involve us having to step outside of our comfort zones and anything which may be holding us back from achieving our truest potential at a soul level might have to be stripped away, such as relationships, limiting beliefs, jobs, living situations or outworn emotional patterns. It is important to look back to 2010 and contemplate what has changed since then. A cardinal T-square back then was a catalyst for some profound changes and this square may well highlight what we still need to change in order for us to step up and be counted!

Mercury is also a very big part of the picture at the moment as not only is he retrograde but he is also joining the Sun and Moon for this New Moon/Solar Eclipse. He is giving us a chance to look deep within and confront the not so pretty parts of ourselves, our fears and vulnerabilities. His retrospective action may mean that old patterns and reactions may be triggered in order for us to understand and release the strangle hold they have over our lives and relationships. While Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio we may have to deal with some dark or obsessive thinking, jealousy, rage, grief, guilt, possessiveness, control or fear; all the stuff that we might usually keep hidden from view but which can give us an enormous amount of insight into what holds us back from having healthy relationships. I feel that the greatest gift of this retrograde period is the possibility of old, buried stuff coming to light in order for us to gain insight into emotional patterns formed in childhood. Many of them are completely unconscious and Mercury retrograde in Scorpio has the ability to help us truly understand at a very deep level the hold certain experiences have had over us and how they effect our life and relationships. This is a beautiful gift so it is important to be open and aware during these few weeks. Anything that comes up during this time, such as strong emotional reactions, pain and discomfort should be examined under the microscope because it could be very revealing indeed!

During the New Moon Mercury is forming an exact conjunction with the North Node of the Moon in Scorpio which will give us an enormous amount of insight into our past and how it has had an impact on our future. The North Node's involvement in the picture brings a strong element of destiny to this New Moon and gives a sense that whatever happens during this time will help us move forward on our soul's journey. The North Node has been in Scorpio since August 29^th 2012 and has has been asking us to embrace the energy of Scorpio, shedding any dead weight and moving towards greater intimacy in our relationships by allowing ourselves to truly trust and be emotionally honest. We are collectively leaving the Taurus South Node behind and getting out of any comfortable ruts we may have been in as well as letting go of the misguided idea that we need to go it alone. Taurus is the essence of self sufficiency while Scorpio encourages us to join forces with another, merging our resources and skills to make a partnership that is “stronger than the sum of its parts”. Taurus holds onto her possessions for dear life while Scorpio asks us to let go, releasing ourselves from the shackles of the material world and embracing change. Whatever happens during this New Moon/Eclipse will have a big impact on the overall direction of our lives and help us move forward on our spiritual journeys.

There is so much going on this week that I could go on forever, but I have tried to just speak about the things that I feel are the most relevant and important. Chiron, the Wounded Healer, is playing an important role in events this week as not only is he forming a supportive aspect to the Sun and Moon in Scorpio but he is also aspecting the Pluto Uranus square. He is providing us with loving, healing support and guidance though any shifts, changes, and possible discomfort we might be experiencing during this profoundly transforming time. This is so beautiful! His presence will allow whatever feelings we might experience to flow freely and for us to view all that comes up in the light of true compassion and forgiveness. Mercury will have formed a supportive aspect to Chiron three times by the end of this retrograde period, firstly on the 8^th of October, secondly on Friday the 1^st of November and for one last time on the 21^st of November. The combination of Mercury and Chiron will enable us to communicate our emotions, insecurities and wounds freely and openly and also gain tremendous insights into their source. It is very likely that we will have some very beautiful, heartfelt and healing conversations around the days that these two aspect each other.

Phew! All I can say is that Friday is very significant indeed so we should keep an eye on whatever happens or comes up during the course of the day. Added to which, this New Moon/Solar Eclipse marks a major turning point in our lives which will become apparent with time. As Scorpio is such an “all or nothing” kind of sign that we are very likely to experience some very intense emotions rising up from the depths over the course of this month and especially over the course of this week. The energy of new beginnings and transformation is threefold with the Pluto Uranus square, the New Moon Solar Eclipse combined with the North Node and the fact that it is all happening under the umbrella of Scorpio, the sign of death and rebirth! This is intensity central, so if you have been feeling tense or unsettled then you now know why! I have found myself letting out some incredibly deep sighs in the past couple of days and I have had to remind myself to breathe! This is the perfect time to plunge down into the depths of our psyches and discover what is hidden there and while what we find may cause us considerable discomfort or even pain it is quite likely that we shall also find some hidden treasure lurking there too. It will certainly increase our self awareness and bring us closer to the truth of who we are and that is a beautiful thing. Facing our shadows and most importantly finding acceptance can cause them to dramatically lose the power they have over us. This period of time is an amazing opportunity to shed old skin, letting go of outworn patterns so that we can be born anew and move closer to our true destiny. What do they say : “The darkest hour is before dawn”? Don't forget to breathe!

Much love

Amy

xoxo

If you want to read more about Mercury retrograde in Scorpio: http://amybirdastrology.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/mercury-retrograde-in-scorpio-21.html

Or the Pluto Uranus Square : http://amybirdastrology.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/uranus-pluto-square-2012-until-2015.html