November MMXX | A.W. Clovenhopf

The themes of instability and adaptation continue through the month of November. Surprises at the full moon on October 31st may leave us shaking off a stupor on the first of November. Mercury’s direct movement on November 3rd is marred by connections to Saturn, as well as the moon’s angle to fuzzy Neptune. We may only be beginning to comprehend what we do not understand, and I would advise continuing to let things shake out until November 19th, when Mercury is out of its “shadow phase,” or the ground it had covered before moving retrograde. If we have been railing against a situation that has felt insurmountable, we could begin to see some progress in early November.

One of the big days to watch is November 12th, as Jupiter and Pluto make a conjunction in Capricorn. This is the finale to the yearlong dance between the two planets, which began in January of 2020. Events come to a head surrounding issues of power, control, authority, and fanaticism. Emotions will be heightened. Some will be called on to play a supportive role to struggling loved ones, some will be called to rouse their spirits and speak truth to power, some will see it best to keep their nose to the grindstone and win the war of constant self-improvement. For personal interpretation, it all depends on where these planets interact in your chart, but with change-maker alignments such as these, chances are we will see events playing out on the world stage as well.

Jupiter and Pluto haven’t been alone when making their conjunctions in Capricorn. The asteroid Pallas, the goddess of War and Healing, has been nearby each time. Grey-eyed Pallas Athena, born from the mind of Jupiter/Zeus has been attempting to help us with a strategy to fight the coronavirus. Sprung out from Zeus’ head wearing her protective armor of a steely-faced gorgon, we fashioned our masks in kind. As the goddess of weaving and pattern recognition, countries with strong contact-tracing programs that relied on data gathering and testing have so far fared better than countries with less organized, or no strategy.

In The Oresteia, Aeschylus writes of the tragedy when the King Agamemnon returns from war to be slain by his wife, Clytemnestra, as revenge for the sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia. Orestes, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra seeks his own reprisal and murders his mother. Inciting the wrath of the Furies, chthonic spirits of vengeance, Orestes is hounded by their cries. He begs Athena for an intervention. Athena creates a trial situation where a blood feud is prosecuted in a fair and public court. However, there’s a bit of a fly in the ointment. Athena breaks a tied jury by stating “No mother gave me birth. / I honor the male… / I cannot set more store by a woman’s death.” What seems fair at face value may be a cover up to enable the status quo. Look deeper into situations where you perceive an injustice, and prepare your arguments.

As Jupiter, Pluto, and Pallas all hold court, do we hear the call of the Furies, seeking retribution with their cries for Justice? Mars stands at attention and goes into direct motion on Friday, November 13th, at 15 degrees Aries. The middle degrees of any sign accentuate the qualities therein, and with Mars, the ruler of Aries, in its own sign, I would expect the triggering of conflict, or the boiling over of a longstanding issue. Not long after Mars goes direct, he opposes Venus, who is getting cozy at home in the sign of Libra. This suggests reconciliation will be possible, if we’re willing to work for it. At this time, listen to understand, not respond.

The new moon in Scorpio on November 14th carries these feelings forward for the following two weeks. New moons often show us a fresh start, but can look more like roots forming underground rather than visible sprouts. The sign of Scorpio would prefer to dig deep rather than risk exposure. With the Venus/Mars opposition still moving towards exactitude we may have inklings for new artistic endeavors. Scorpio is considered a mute sign, emphasizing the quietness of this time, almost as if we are afraid to share word on our projects so as to not spoil the magic of the creative process. Looking at trines to Neptune and the North Node as well as sextiles to Jupiter, this seems to be a promising time for personal creativity and connection, albeit behind closed doors.

On November 27th, we have Venus feeling electrified after her rendezvous with Uranus. This change of personality is enhanced by Mercury’s nod at Pluto at the same time, followed quickly by Mercury running into Capricorn mates Jupiter and Saturn as he quickly picks up speed moving through the chart in direct motion. Astrologically, it looks like a small feeling of relief, as we escape what has been a confining circumstance, or we are allowed some breathing room while we strategize through a difficult situation.

On November 30th, the Gemini Full Moon is darkened by a lunar eclipse. It is a penumbral eclipse, so without optical aids it will be difficult to recognize the shadow. This results in a feeling of unease, rather than the complete rug-pulling effect of a total eclipse. It can be that we find ourselves locked in a constant dialogue between heart and mind. Gemini loves to play devil’s advocate, but if we go too far it can become easy to get lost in the game and no longer know which values we wish to uphold.

With the Sun in Sagittarius, there may be a feeling of an overbearing or dogmatic authority of religious or philosophical nature. We have no shortage of what to say, but with Mercury, the guardian of this lunation in Scorpio, we may prefer to keep mum for now. Perhaps our minds are not made up; perhaps we are just lying in the shadows waiting for a chance to enact our plans. Scorpio is often attuned to psychic vibrations, so we may intuitively sense that it would be best to hold our tongue. Mercury is speeding towards Pallas Athena and Saturn while Neptune makes angles to the nodes suggesting clarity is forthcoming, once we allow ourselves to receive both intuitive and logical insight.

Horoscopic Perspective November 1-30

ARIES: If you start the month feeling like a caged tiger, try to keep it constructive. Your ruler moving direct after a Summer of retrograde motion means something new and helpful is coming to light, even if you’re on your last nerve. You’ve got energy to spare when you’re riled up for a cause you support, but make sure you aren’t inventing a new campaign because you’re bored.

TAURUS: The sign of your partnership, Scorpio, is getting a lot of attention this month. Are you working towards a new supportive role of someone special in your life? Hosting the planet Uranus in your sign can suggest you’ve been struggling to keep things on lock, and perhaps your partnerships have suffered from the feeling of instability. If so, this could be a chance to patch things up. Be honest about your feelings of gratitude, your partners will appreciate the recognition.

GEMINI: Your ruler, Mercury, is sometimes linked to Odin, as the wandering guide of souls with many names. Guided by the ravens Thought and Memory, the Mercurial soul must acknowledge both the current moment and perceptions past. This time of year, when the veil between worlds is particularly thin, perhaps you feel your calling as a shaman or psychopomp more strongly? With Mercury moving retrograde in Libra, you are being called to reconcile your relationship history with your direction. Looking for guidance from your ancestors may be helpful, or walking through a cemetery filled with cawing ravens is an acceptable substitute. With Mercury’s direct movement in Scorpio, fears of what lies beyond the veil may obstruct your clear sight in the day. Don’t let your telepathic skills block your reasonable judgement—the two animals must work together for the best guidance.

CANCER: You have been caught in the cardinal crush between your opposite sign, Capricorn, and its challengers Aries and Libra for what probably feels like decades. This month you may start to recognize the light at the end of the tunnel, or see rewards for your efforts at self-development. Although so much of this past year has been work oriented, focus on a new hobby or pastime is well in order. The lunar eclipse at the end of the month puts the bow on emotional states or habits that you are truly ready to leave behind.

LEO: With the emphasis on Scorpionic themes this month, you’re turned to the deepest house of your chart, the fourth, which rules the home, family, and psychological regeneration. Seeing a theme? Your normally jovial self may be entertaining the idea of not entertaining. If there was ever a year to cancel holidays, this is it, kitty cat! You’re in desperate need of time alone to heal and recover from what has been a tumultuous and draining time. With big things on the horizons for your partnerships, you need to make sure you’re able to give what you expect to receive.

VIRGO: November promises to be a busy time, as your leader, Mercury is moving through your solar third house, the house of local travel and social media. Perhaps there is a bit of a reconnection with your folks after some time away. Making new contacts and connections is important, but you may find, particularly during the latter part of the month, you’ve got some contacts you’d prefer to trim out of your life. There’s an emphasis on purging your friends list or some community obligations that have outlived their usefulness.

LIBRA: Venus travelling through your sign and opposing Mars suggests you’re coming into your power in meaningful ways. At the same time, Venus’ squares to Saturn towards the second half of the month suggest that power doesn’t come without restrictions and responsibilities. Around the 19th, you may start to perceive a change in direction approaching for the year 2021. Be attentive and flexible, good things are on the way if you’re open to it.

SCORPIO: Clear those browser histories and delete that finsta – don’t say your astrologer didn’t warn you! Mercury moving direct in your sign may reveal more of your private life than you’d like. It’s under the umbrella of pop-astrology to suggest Scorpio is into taboo subjects, but as Mercury opposes Uranus, data rights and online privacy issues may be a topic that comes up for you this month, so at least make sure you’re monitoring your bank accounts for any unusual activities.

SAGITTARIUS: With the new moon happening mid-month in your house of closure and endings, you’re preparing to start your birthday season with a clean slate. If you feel unprepared to let go of nouns you’ve outgrown, Jupiter in your sign of resources suggests you’ve got exciting opportunities ahead. Sometimes the most difficult part of success is realizing we’ve earned it and we deserve it. Allow yourself to prepare for that moment. Chances are, you’ve got some friends who see something in you that you may not have chosen to recognize in yourself. If you’re in doubt about your situation, get a zoom going with some of your horde to boost your spirits.

CAPRICORN: As Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter are all moving direct, it looks like some of the pressure from the past two years is finally beginning to abate. Or, perhaps a bit more fatalistically, you’ve done what you could and now it’s time to wait and see what comes of it. With your traditional ruler, Saturn, making angles to both Venus and Mercury it looks like it may be a struggle to make time for creative endeavors, but worth the effort. Skills honed for the past few months may finally be ready to make their debut – get that demo committed to tape, even if it’s difficult to find the time.

AQUARIUS: Earlier this year, Saturn made a foray into your sign, then retreated back into Capricorn. May and June were previews of what awaits you once you are fully prepared to embrace your power. This year has been a period of preparation, and this is the final month to tie up loose ends before you embark on a whole new journey when Saturn enters your sign again in December. Solidify what you can, outsource what you can, and make sure you take time to meditate and calm any anxious tendencies. Your ability has been demonstrated this past year, and the incoming opportunities will reflect the effort you’ve exerted.

PISCES: You seem at a crossroads, Pisces. For both the Scorpio new moon and the Gemini lunar eclipse, Neptune is in your sign and squaring the nodes. You’ve got a few choices to make. Around the middle of the month, new educational or spiritual ventures are worth pursuing, but by the end of the month, changes in your career or professional status are causing you to realize you may need more freedom to pursue events outside of your established social role. Let the former guide you through the latter – get some clarity around the 15th to help guide you into next month.