The New Moon in  Scorpio officially begins today at  7:50AM ET, offering us an opportunity to re-set  intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle.  Around the 10th, on the First Quarter Moon, we can expect a challenge to those goals, with appropriate adjustments made. At the time of the Full Moon on the 17th, we can expect illumination on the success or failure of our goals for the cycle. If we succeeded, we can consciously release our success into our reality; if we failed, we let go of whatever did not work. After the Third Quarter Moon on the 25th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin another New Moon on December 2nd.

As noted in past posts, Scorpio is concerned with using knowledge to fulfill ambitions of power and control. It can build all the way to Heaven and all the way down to Hell.  It needs to be recognized for having depth and substance. Scorpionic depths and heights apply especially in  matters of sex, death and (other peoples’) money. Scorpio can challenge us to face the nitty-gritty consequences of our basest instincts, fears and passions; really,  we simply can not look away. Have you noticed, for example,  how many headlines we’ve seen all year about rape, abortion and contraception? We’ve had patriarchal Saturn in Scorpio for a year now. Is it a coincidence that these are hot topics?

In the horoscope for the New Moon, we find a tight cluster of planets in Scorpio: Sun, Moon, Saturn and Mercury retrograde. The North Node, a point suggesting the potential for maximum growth, is also in the mix. This suggests more of the serious focus on matters of life and death, much of which may be a REview and REconsideration of past actions. This focus is well-supported by purgative and perfecting alignments from “action hero” Mars in Virgo and “resistance is futile” Pluto  in Capricorn.  Yes, the release of what no longer serves may require uncomfortable adjustments, but really — when are you going to be willing to give up what you do not want?

Also in the New Moon horoscope: Venus (social expression, women, money, aesthetics) is running wild in gamboling/gambling and opinionated Sagittarius, suggesting we’ll see outrageous and/or righteous expressions in the headlines. Also running wild: expansive Jupiter (reward, growth) in Cancer, suggesting what’s driving much of the action during this cycle concerns home, nurturing and emotional security. And then of course, we have the never-ending, revolutionary Uranus-Pluto square. Never a dull moment in the cosmos these days…

This New Moon occurs at 12 degrees of Scorpio, a degree we saw highlighted back in February 2013. That’s the degree on which stern Saturn turned retrograde, and I’d argue that anyone who has a planet or angle at 12 Scorpio has been feeling the pressure to streamline and release all through 2013.  And given that this New Moon is also a solar eclipse, I’d also argue to anyone with 12 Scorpio prominent that if you’ve been resisting the pressure to release up until now, events will likely conspire to force the issue soon — all in the interest of personal growth, of course.  This also applies to people with planets or angles around 12 Taurus, Leo and Aquarius — though it may be argued that the 12 Scorpio crowd is feeling it more intensely than the rest. If you’re one of those people and you’d like clues to what this eclipse might bring, look back to events that happened after November 3, 1994, when we had an eclipse at 11 Scorpio. What was released in the weeks after that?

The Sabian Symbol for 12 Scorpio is “an embassy ball,” which Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee notes is an “exclusive gathering of the elite, gathered mostly for their mutual benefit. When positive, integrity and excellence shine; when not so positive, elitism, disdain and specious superiority show forth”. Look for stories of elite gatherings to make headlines for better or for worse. Back in February we noted an elite gathering electing a new Pope and certain elite members of the Supreme Court poised to trash the Voting Rights Act.

In your own personal world, as you focus on projects of ambition and structure during this New Moon cycle, consider “having a ball regardless of social barriers; make the social rounds”…and see where it takes you. Certainly with Mercury retrograde until November 10th, making the social rounds and RE-connecting with people from the past makes perfect sense. As does having a ball. Even if you’re feeling squeezed or frustrated.

 Now about this solar eclipse…

Eclipses act as “bottlenecks” of energy. Light flowing from the Sun or Moon is temporarily interrupted, focusing attention on the interrupted point and allowing something new and possible fragile to enter the picture and grow. And here I would be thinking of Michael, the kindhearted policeman in the storybook Make Way for Ducklings, who stopped the flow of traffic on Beacon Street so Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their brood of eight could safely make their way to the Boston Public Garden.

Of course while traffic is stopped, it’s also backing up…and when it flows again, it’s possible that some drivers may hit the gas a little too hard — and wham! — there’s a sudden release of the bottlenecked energy.  If you have a planet or point at the degree of an exceptionally potent eclipse, you may feel the effects of the release of the bottleneck for months afterward — sometimes even years. Examples: back in 2011 we had an eclipse at 11 Gemini. How fascinating that a release of heretofore bottled up information dramatically altered the fortunes of Rupert Murdoch, Rebekah Brooks and (former) Congressman Anthony Weiner, who all have a major point or planet at 11 degrees of Virgo, Pisces, Gemini and/or Sagittarius. Might they have been feeling a bit “eclipsed”?

FYI, we had a lunar eclipse on October 18th, which I did not have time to cover. That eclipse happened at 26 degrees of Aries/Libra — and would more personally affect those born around the 16th-18th of April, July, October and January.

To find out where 12 Scorpio  and 26 Aries/Libra is in your horoscope, make an appointment for a personal consultation. You’ll be so glad you did. And consider gifting someone special with a consultation for Hannukah — happening on November 28th. Who wouldn’t love a present that’s all about them?

We’ve got a lot to cover this week. Sending this off now — stay tuned for Monday’s forecast…