Deadly Nightshade ~ November 13th-19th, 2017

He used to call me DN

That stood for deadly nightshade

This week the Sun makes its way into the final ten degrees of Scorpio, the land of deadly nightshade. Without benefit of warmth or light, this final stretch of Scorpio is a journey through the charnel grounds of the zodiac, where all dead matters find their ceremonious release.

Cause I was filled with poison,

but blessed with beauty and rage

This is a week filled with poison, but blessed with beauty and rage. Haunted by the shrillest notes of grief and rapture, your emotions will condense into the darkest kinds of clouds: a storm of sublimity and fury.

This is ultraviolence

These are the conditions under which buried pain emerges, making you yearn for release. Though the heaviness of the past may seem overwhelming, in these deathly environs your taste for the darkness becomes starkly accentuated.

Yo soy la princesa,

comprende mis white lines

This part of Scorpio is a languid season in hell, where all you can do is claw towards the light at the end of the tunnel. The concurrent transit of Venus through Scorpio, will cast a shadow upon your intimate relationships. 

And with Jupiter also traveling through Scorpio, your desire for knowledge may tempt you to succumb to destructive cults and demonic pacts. The pulse quickens in revulsion and fury as you reach for the wisdom of exiled madmen.

cause I’m your jazz singer

and you’re my cult leader

This is the area of the zodiac where all taboos and forbidden desires reside. Though the rarified enjoyments of mystery and magic are certainly offered, here also resides obsession, murder and mayhem. Wild curiosity turns into sadistic pleasure as you gaze directly into the abyss, unblinking eyes fixated upon visions of humanity, utterly lost to corruption, addiction, and abuse.

I can hear violins, violins

Give me all of that ultraviolence.

Lest you shun the idea of embracing death, darkness and pain, remember that there is great purpose in doing so. This is the time to show love to all that has been exiled in shadow. Finding the courage and compassion to embrace fear, grief, guilt, and rage is where the transmutational power of Scorpio really lies.

He hit me (and it felt like a kiss)

Poised between darkness and the resurrection of the light, this week can be one of the most magnificently beautiful weeks of the year.

Monday/Tuesday: Give Me All of That 

The week begins with a conjunction between Venus and Jupiter in Scorpio, a robust blend of beneficial energy. In general, this is an aspect that can be considered positive, for many doors will open wide, welcoming the golden light of good fortune. You may feel the buoyancy of being in the flow, finding it easy to experience many dreams come true. Relish the grace and expansiveness. However, because Venus and Jupiter are conjunct Scorpio, there may be a heightened attraction towards the darker sides of desire, where you become more vulnerable to seduction, decadence and overindulgence.

Wednesday/Thursday: Violence, Violins

The middle of the week offers a light caressing breeze. Venus in Scorpio’s sharper edges will be greatly softened by an exact trine to Neptune in Pisces, an influence that calls you to drink deeply from the wells of compassion. Raw wounds and unresolved conflicts may find much needed comfort and healing.  

Friday/Saturday/Sunday: Raised Me Up

On Saturday, there will be a New Moon in Scorpio, beginning a crescendo of healing and renewal. All New Moons refresh your emotional and creative energy. But in Scorpio, the Moon’s gentle cycle of generation is compounded by a much deeper transmutational tide.

Now is the time when new leaves can finally be turned over. Your innate alchemical power will become activated, allowing you to push through many layers of conditioning, fear and trauma. Knowing what gifts this New Moon in Scorpio can offer, observe the transformation in your own life…where fear turns into courage, rage into compassion, violence into violins.

The weekend concludes with a square between Mars in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn. Under the best of circumstances, this is considered to be a very tense aspect, one that tests strength and resolve. It may manifest as an inner conflict, one that stems from a frustrating dilemma that has no easy answers or compromises. But this transit may also manifest through people who are driven to use coercive and manipulative tactics to tempt you into squandering your energies.

Though the strain and stress may feel acute, this square between Mars and Pluto can be channeled very positively into work that requires depth of feeling or intensity of focus. Like when you’re on a mountain hike, it may be challenging to maintain momentum, but the rewards will be well worth the effort. After everything that has been dredged up and released this week, finish strong over the weekend by remaining engaged in meaningful work. Whether you are studying, writing, painting, building, or teaching, let your love, will and desire come into alignment.

Next week, the Sun will move into Sagittarius, lightening the atmosphere with the eternal flame of the spirit! But until then, enjoy the time you have to release and relinquish your burdens.