November is the month of darkness. It begins with celebrations of the dead–a time when we’re allowed to open ourselves up to grief and sink into the hard things about being a human. At the end of October, a New Moon eclipse in Scorpio welcomed the new astrological season. Now, as we move through Scorpio and into Sagittarius, we’re shadowed by the energy of that eclipse. Another eclipse at the Full Moon in Taurus on the 8th will build on the themes of the previous one and push us to reflect on what we’ve encountered during these powerful lunations. This season is intense, and the energy is direct. 

There’s a different kind of heaviness to November this year. This heaviness might feel more like a comforting hug, a cat purring on your chest. For some, it may feel uncomfortable, more like a super soundproofed room. The astrology asks us to face that heaviness with an open heart and radical acceptance. It asks us to go deep—talking about our grief and heartache—while setting strong boundaries with ourselves and others to avoid emotional exhaustion. There’s a balance needed in the next few weeks between allowing a profound inner peace and patiently letting in waves of emotion that might feel too big to handle. 

Where the New Moon in Scorpio might have felt chaotic and overwhelming, the Full Moon in Taurus promises to open up some space to reflect on what that the eclipse brought up. Think back to October 25th, and see if you can remember how you were feeling and what was affecting you at that time. This Full Moon is an extremely potent time for protective magic. If you are moving through difficult times, use this Moon for self-care and indulgence. It’s a time to practice being in your body and processing whatever emotions came up during the New Moon in a somatic way, through sensory experiences like hot baths, massages, grounding meditations, and breathwork. 

November also starts off with a notable opposition between the Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Scorpio and Uranus in Taurus until the 11th. Because Uranus has been and will continue to be in Taurus for some time, it’s the aspects that other planets make (like this opposition) that have an impact on our day-to-day experience of its energy. Uranus in Taurus takes us out of our collective comfort zone; it requires us to work through reorganization around wealth, pleasure, and our sense of stability. 

Tensions between the material and immaterial worlds are highlighted now. That could manifest as a conflict between the physical comforts you want or think you need and your deeper values. It’s a season for exploring the relationship between your deepest self and how you express that through your material needs. Uranus in Taurus has been shifting and reorganizing how we think of materialism (including wealth, the environment, and our bodies). This month, those themes are facing us head-on, and we will need to confront the truth about the role we’re playing in the shifts that still need to happen. 

Together, the Sun, Mercury, and Venus connect to the way we show up in intimate relationships. The Sun illuminates the energy of the sign it is in, making that energy visible or more easily felt. Mercury makes it easier to communicate through or about the themes of the sign it’s in. Venus asks us to look at which aspects of a sign we need to integrate or set boundaries around, so we can achieve our deepest desires. 

In Scorpio, these three planets draw our connection to themes like sexuality, power, uncertainty, psychological challenges, and anger—the feeling we get when our boundaries are crossed. It’s a good time to reflect on what you need in your romantic and intimate life and to tune into what your body craves. Uranus in Taurus is disrupting and adjusting how we experience being in our bodies. Scorpio teaches us about intensity, power dynamics, and intimacy. It always wants to push us to experience the depths of our animal psyches, including our obsessions and desires, what we truly lust after. This could be sexual, but it could also be about how you show up in your career or with your friends. Do you feel like you need to be better than others? Do you feel the need to control what other people do? 

The desire for power is a heightened survival mechanism, it’s rooted in our bodies. Connecting to those egotistical drives this month—your competitiveness, your jealousy, your bitterness, your rage—will help you strengthen your relationship with yourself and make it easier to express your truth to other people while acknowledging that they themselves are sovereign, complex creatures, too. 

On the 15th, Venus moves into Sagittarius, followed by Mercury on the 17th. Finally, on the 21st, the Sun moves into the sign along with the New Moon on the 23rd. The focus shifts from the internal to the external, from feeling to doing. Sagittarius stretches its hand out and calls us to experience the world and move away from navel-gazing introspection. As the month ends, our trio of planets opposes Mars in Gemini, adding another layer of extraverted energy: it’s time to take what you’ve discovered within yourself and take action. Motivation and momentum will come more easily. Go at whatever pace feels most nourishing and remember that even mundane activities like taking a shower or tidying a room can teach you as much about living as a whirlwind backpacking trip, if you let them. 

Keagan (she/her) is a writer, tarot reader, and astrologer. Find her on Instagram @moonsingemini to book a reading. Subscribe to her monthly tarotscope newsletter here.