On October 25th, 2022 we will have a very potent New Moon at 1 degree followed by a Partial Solar,
South Node Eclipse in Scorpio at 2 degrees. Scorpio doesn’t mess around. It’s fixed water– the water that runs through our spine, our cells, our brains. And although it’s fixed, its ancient ruler is Mars, the planet that moves energy. The modern ruler of Scorpio is Pluto, the planet of transformation, death, the taboo, and the unconscious. There is sorcery and magic associated with Scorpio, and for that reason, it is associated with power.
What is Power? How is it wielded? Note that this eclipse is 6 days away from Samhain (Hallowe’en). On this day, in many cultures, it’s believed that the veil is the thinnest. People have been working with this powerful energy from time immemorial.
What’s interesting about this eclipse is that it’s conjunct Venus, also at 2 degrees. And 10 degrees away is Mercury in Libra, no longer retrograde. This is a stack of personal planets in the melee of this potent energy. Eclipses are doorways of time. This is a marker that changes things.
And there’s more: Pluto in Capricorn, at 26 degrees, also is squaring this eclipse. And Mars is trining it from Gemini at 25 degrees.
What does it all mean? We look to eclipses as big reveals and resets, and this is a South Node eclipse suggesting that there will be some personal purging and fated new beginnings. Did you know that trauma lives in your body? That no matter who you are in this world, you likely have some trauma living inside of you that wants to get out. It wants to be seen, it wants to be held, and it wants to leave the prison of your repression.
This eclipse wants you to move forward by releasing what cannot come with you. And because it’s in Scorpio, the stuff that you’re releasing is deep within. So deep, you might not even know it’s there.
Even if it’s not your fault, it’s your responsibility. - Terry Pratchett
Let October 25th be the day you set your trauma free. Easier said than done– I know. Some of my trauma is carried around as “my story” and “my narrative.” The emotional abuse that I have worked through has also made me vigilant, conscious, and observant. I have developed survival skills around this trauma. It has become my superpower.
But we now know that unprocessed trauma makes us sick. We calcify it in ourselves like mass that we can’t let go of. It becomes cancer, blockages, frayed nerves, or unexpressed anxiety. We treat others poorly because of our triggers. We need to have control over the uncontrollable, and when we don’t, we take it out on our loved ones. The trauma needs to GO.
Scorpio takes this finely tuned trauma and will help you process it. Scorpio is the bathroom of the zodiac, a place where you can clean out, purge your shadow self, and be clean. Shadow work requires us to admit the shadow is there, and it is part of us. Shadow work requires that we take responsibility for our shit. Literally and figuratively.
With Venus in this conjunction and helped by Mars in Gemini, we will be facing some big demons. There’s no other way to say it. Venus is the part of us that likes and dislikes, connects to others, and subjectively decides what is good and bad to us. Venus is our inner designer and party planner. So Venus has been part of the mechanism that has been protecting you from your trauma. Venus would rather have a nice time, than facing your darkness. Venus combined with Mercury, your data processor, have helped you make sense of the trauma and helped you build your resilience against it. Maybe you like something because it makes you feel safe. Maybe you feel safe in something that's toxic because your sense of safety is totally messed up?
This isn't a big bummer. You’re an organic, living breathing regenerative organism. You get to heal this. You get to admit where you feel vulnerable and powerless, thanks to Pluto, squaring this new moon, and release that from your body, which is the Moon’s domain. The trine for Mars wants you to move this out, and it’s there to support this.
Again: you might not even know what this trauma is. Humans are skilled in hiding and compartmentalizing the things that scare them. That is the whole point of Scorpio. We don’t like monsters, but they are still there. We can’t ignore them forever, and they are just something we made up to find our equilibrium (Libra Mercury.)
Scorpio isn’t going to be delicate or easy on us. Think of Scorpio like that nurse in the hospital who doesn’t have time for small talk, or kid gloves, but is there to change your bedpan, every day, without shaming you. Scorpio sees you, loves you, and it has some very deep work to do.
Since we have Venus, Sun, and Moon in Scorpio, we have to also talk about sex. Scorpio rules your sex organs, your sexuality, and your fine tuned kinks. Because hey, we’re talking about power here. We’re talking about trauma. We’re talking about fear, repression, and all the things we don’t want to admit are there. There is something fundamental and delicate to let go of. Whatever coping mechanism you used to get through that thing, needs to be retired, so you can trust more, and love more, and love yourself more.
Remember the princess and the pea? She was so sensitive that the pea affected her even from beneath all those pillows. That pea is trauma in this example. How will you let go of the pea?
The eclipse is a threshold, and this means that these themes are going to run through this eclipse season. I won’t lie, this one is heavy handed. It’s pinning us down with its fixedness so we can’t run away. But it loves us. It knows we need this.
Tool kit for Eclipse Season
Journal
Art supplies: create something with paint, or felt pens, or hot glue, or a computer app
Time in Nature
A meditation practice, or some pranayama
A furry friend
A soft landing place that feels safe and familiar. Scorpio likes what is predictable.
Today is a day to go within, investigate yourself. Prioritize alone time. Or time with a therapist/ guide that you trust that is NOT in your immediate circle.
Water time: I like warm baths, hot tubs or steam saunas for this energy, but you may live in the southern hemisphere and actual lakes or beaches will have warm water. An isolation tank might be an interesting option as well, but I’ve never actually tried this myself.
If there is something to throw yourself into (studying, researching, etc.) this might be an excellent way to spend your time.
Forgiveness practice. Who can you practice forgiving? What anger would you like to let go of? Can you find the part of yourself that can see the struggle and sadness of the person who wronged you? Can lay down your internal weapons and comfort yourself through the grief?
Please leave medicine journeys until after eclipse season-- or at least-- keep them very light and minimal if you are experienced with medicine. The veil is very thin right now.