New Moon in Scorpio. 11.13.23.
An orangey fiery bird is shown, wings outstretched, in a halo of orangey fiery flame against a night sky.
Happy New Moon in Scorpio, friends!
This is a wildly busy time of year for many of us—myself included—so I hope you’re all hanging in there and finding time for self-care amidst all that life may be asking of us right now.
Let’s get into how to work with the energy of this week’s Scorpio New Moon and what it’s all about. ♏️
Early yesterday morning, at 4:27am ET, we marked a New Moon at 20 degrees of Scorpio. And taking place right on top of one of Scorpio’s co-rulers Mars as it prepares for its cazimi later this week (read: meet-up with the Sun)—this New Moon offers an invitation to set intentions for the upcoming six-month chapter when it comes to what we want to do in the world, with an extra boost of go-time energy, heightened access to our deepest reservoirs of inner power, and the courage to get out of our own way and just DO THE THING.
Going a little deeper (which is what depth-loving Scorpio always wants to do): in astrology, Scorpio—as well as its other co-ruler Pluto—is associated with transformation and transmutation. With alchemy and magic. With power. With our shadow and the unconscious mind. 🦂
Scorpio is deeply linked with the cycle of death and rebirth (and before you freak out on me, not necessarily literal death; think: phoenix rising from the ashes, regeneration, out with the old to make way for the new, etc.). So, one of the questions this New Moon may be asking of us is in what ways are we ready to allow old versions of ourselves, outdated self-concepts, or old ways of being in the world to die so that we may be “reborn” in some way?
One core theme that’s classically associated with Scorpio is “death” of the ego/surrender to the Higher Self. Along these lines, in western esoteric teachings, (white) magic is understood to be the expression of the soul through the medium of form. Put differently, the real magic wand is getting the ego out of the driver’s seat and allowing Spirit, consciousness, Life, God (or whatever languaging you prefer) to work through you as an instrument for creation. As celebrated Sufi poet and spiritual teacher Hafiz put this: “I am the hole in the flute that the Christ’s breath moves through/ Listen to this music.” 🎼
But how does one actually do this in daily life? One of the core teachings of Scorpio as the Alchemist of the zodiac is that when we take our shadow energies and ego drives out of the dark and bring them into the light of conscious awareness, we release their hold on us—and we have the opportunity to transmute them into sources of power by raising them to a higher vibration.
With this New Moon happening not just in Scorpio but also right on top of Mars, I read this New Moon as inviting us to reflect on the shadow energies and ego tendencies we are ready to work on transmuting over the next six months to catalyze our next stage of growth. What’s being spotlighted now? What are we ready to transform from shadow into gift? 🔥
Here are some classic Martian examples to fuel that line of reflection, h/t theosophist and esoteric astrologer Alice Bailey in her teachings on Scorpio: the lower vibration drive to compete with/be better than others can be transmuted into competition with ourselves in service of growth and spiritual unfoldment. The drive to seek recognition and personal glory can be transmuted into the will to serve others as a “distributing agent of beneficent gifts.” And the drive to achieve material comfort, financial gain, and monetary wealth can be transmuted into the drive to seek spiritual wealth, including knowledge. You get the gist. (Side note: if you’re into this and want to satisfy the Scorpionic impulse to go even deeper, there’s plenty more where this came from in Bailey’s Twelve Labors of Hercules, which is an extremely cool esoteric astrological study of the myths.)
This has already gone way longer and deeper than I intended (sorry not sorry since we’re talking Scorpio 😆). But one last theme of note that rings through for me with this New Moon—since it’s both closely conjunct Mars and co-ruled by it—is the invitation to reflect on doing vs being. In the frenzy of modern life, it’s incredibly easy to get lost in the doing and to lose track of being. Many of us harbor shadow fear that we’re not enough if we’re not constantly doing. (This has been a big part of my own path, as someone who had to experience full-on burnout and health crisis to see it.) For many of us, this may also be part of what is being spotlighted now as a pattern that we’re ready to let go of.
I’m sending you all good wishes and many blessings in this New Moon week—and without further ado, scroll on down for the 8-card tarot spread/journal prompts I crafted to work with the New Moon in Scorpio energy at its highest vibrations. As always, take what resonates, and leave the rest. <3
XOXO,
Rebecca
A black and white drawing of one hand holding a thread surrounded by stars, connected to a crescent moon that is being held by the other hand.
New Moon in Scorpio tarot spread ♏️🦂📝
Here are the prompts for the 8-card tarot spread I crafted to work with this week’s New Moon in Scorpio energy at its highest vibration. (Why 8 cards? Scorpio is associated with the 8th house in astrology). As always, feel free to use any/all of these as journal prompts and to skip the cards.
What intentions do I want to set for the upcoming six-month chapter when it comes to what I want to do in the world?
Where am I feeling called to exercise courage, get out of my own way, and just do the the thing?
What is the battle plan I’m ready to devise for the next 6 months to make it happen?
What shadow work am I being invited to do now? (Maybe: How am I being shown I have work to do when it comes to transmuting desire/ego/desire for power/drive for personal glory/competitiveness into the will to service, to sharing my gifts, and to spiritual unfoldment?)
What intentions do I want to set for that transmutation work over the next 6 months?
What outdated self concepts, old versions of myself, or limiting beliefs are ready to die because they’re no longer serving my growth? In what ways am I being invited to rebirth now?
What shadow fears do I harbor that I won’t be enough if I’m not constantly doing?
What intentions do I want to set for the next 6 months to create the conditions to support me in being vs. getting lost in doing?
Much love to you all in this New Moon in Scorpio week, and feel free to holler with any questions this edition of Practical Woo sparked for you. <3
