NOVEMBER THEME: Winds of Change

by Simone Butler

It's late October, and the hot Santa Ana winds once again have blanketed my deck with pine needles, sent the patio cushions sprawling and tumbled the backyard fence that separates me from my neighbor here in northern Escondido. These devilish winds signal fire season. The memory of last fall's devastation is all too fresh--but so far we've been lucky.

Welcome to Scorpio's domain, presided over by the African goddess Oya. Mother of transformation, she conjures fierce winds that sweep away the old. Diva of the cemetery, Oya knows that something must die for something new to be born. Can you feel the inner stirrings of an old phase of life passing away? This is the Scorpionic impulse behind Halloween, when we instinctively honor death and the Underworld by dressing up as ghosts and goblins, dark lords and ladies. Many cultures, from ancient Britain to modern-day Mexico, believe that in late October and early November, the souls of the departed walk the earth once more, seeking communion with us.

This year, the already-intense Scorpio energy is amplified by an exact opposition between Saturn (the old, stubborn and rigid) and Uranus (progressive change) on Election Day. The last opposition of these two heavyweights occurred in 1965-67, a period of social unrest marked by the civil rights movement, antiwar demonstrations, U.S. and Soviet spacewalks, and China's Cultural Revolution. Now, in an uncanny manifestation of this transit, traditionalist John McCain (Saturn) faces off against change agent Barack Obama (Uranus).

Will Scorpio's winds of change favor the progressive candidate? Astrologically, the chances are good (Obama has his lucky Jupiter return just prior to Inauguration Day). Yet no matter who is elected to office, the erosion of unsustainable economic and political systems will continue. Pluto (death and rebirth) enters Capricorn (the status quo) on November 26 for 16 years, and those who have been playing a reckless, high-stakes poker game with our taxes are bound to lose. Saturn will continue to oppose Uranus off and on through May 2010, fomenting social breakdown and breakthrough.

On November 13, the Sixth Day of the Mayan Calendar dawns. This is expected to be an unparalleled time of enlightenment. At the last Sixth Day, from 1952-1972, beatniks and flower children shook off their shackles and embraced a new consciousness. This time, we'll take the process to the next level. The chaos that will reign through the two-year period of the Sixth Day and Night is necessary for the creation of an enlightened world. The Golden Age can only emerge out of a series of transformative pulses, including periods of destruction. The very process that breaks down the world economic and political hierarchy also paves the way for a new world to flower.

The October 28 Scorpio New Moon triggers our descent into the Underworld, the dark terrain of the unconscious mind and the sacred feminine. Now we tap into our deepest feelings and instincts to release the old and prepare for change. This happens just four days before Neptune (the spirit realm) turns direct on November 1, the Day of the Dead. The symbolism could not be more apt; we are likely to experience heightened awareness of our own "dark side" or that of others--or revealing messages from the Other Side.

At this New Moon (4:14 p.m. Pacific time on Oct. 28), make a shrine to graveyard goddess and Scorpio queen Oya with red foods like plums, grapes, pomegranates and red wine. Oya embodies the fiery passion that lies buried in your root chakra, site of the coiled serpent of Kundalini power. When this chakra is in balance, you feel secure, alert and alive. To activate this positive energy, hold a red gemstone in your hand and center yourself in a seated position. Feel your spine taking root in the earth. Breathe the sensual, feminine earth energies up your spine and let them merge with the protective, loving masculine energies coming down from above. Affirm your power to weather any storm. Give thanks for the winds of change, and rise up cleansed and renewed.

Archive of Past Monthly Essays

Home :: Biography :: This Month :: Articles ::
Consultations :: Resources :: Mailing List