November 2021's New Moon In Scorpio All About Embracing the Darkness Within
Every year, Scorpio season — which runs between October 23 and November 21 — sets the stage for cultivating more intimate relationships and stepping into your power. The fixed water sign is co-ruled by both assertive Mars, which rules sex, energy, and action, and transformative Pluto, which oversees rebirth, death, power, and control — a dynamic duo if there ever was one. The Scorpion is also the ruler of the eighth house of emotional bonds and sexual intimacy. In other words, its vibe and its terrain is deep, sensual, and incredibly intense. And you can expect its annual new moon — this year, exact on Thursday, November 4 at 5:14 p.m. ET/2:14 p.m. PT — to take on that feeling as well.
Here are all the details and how you can best navigate the Scorpio new moon.
Alex Sandoval
What New Moons Mean
First, a few new moon basics: As the astrological "counterpoint" to full moons, new moons happen when the moon is not illuminated by the sun from our perspective on Earth. Hosted by a deep, dark, blank-slate sky, you might imagine that the new moon is offering up a vision board on which you can scribble your intentions.
New moons traditionally present a chance to get clear on long-term dreams, goals, and big-picture projects. And in order to lock them in, you can practice a ritual like opening up to a therapist or loved one, journaling, lighting a candle, or doing a visualization practice.
Think of it as your monthly — and very rarely, twice monthly — astrological nudge to pinpoint something you want to accomplish, then design your ultimate action plan for getting there. (Related: How to Manifest Something You Really Want)
New moons also serve as the first page of a whole new chapter in your life that will reach a culmination point when there's a corresponding full moon in the same sign — in this case, on May 16, 2022 when there's a full moon — and lunar eclipse — in Scorpio. Pro-tip: Write down what you've been reflecting on around the new moon, and then circle back six months down the road when the corresponding full moon is happening. You can note how far you've come and quite possibly notice that you've hit a culmination point.
Themes of the November 2021 Scorpio New Moon
People whose birth chart features Scorpio placements tend to be razor-focused and deeply feeling, uniquely comfortable with the heavy underbelly of life, power and control issues, and the natural cycle of death and rebirth. They can be intense, magnetic, eerily in tune with their intuition and their sexuality, psychic, self-possessed, and controlling. One of the four fixed signs (the others being Taurus, Leo, and Aquarius), Scorp people often dig their heels in, especially around emotional attachments. And this new moon, ruled by the Scorpion, offers a prime opportunity to connect with your most intimate desires and the shadow side of life. By doing so, you might find it's easier to celebrate whatever makes you unique and to kick off a deeply fulfilling new chapter.
Regardless of its aspects to other planets, Scorpio new moons generally ask you to grapple with heavy, deep-rooted feelings and burn down whatever is toxic in order to claim your power. That might sound like a lot, and it is. This year, it might even be more so, because it opposes game-changer Uranus, the planet of rebellion and breakthroughs, in Taurus, the fixed earth sign.
Although the opposition occurs in fixed signs that pretty much despise diverting from whatever's tried-and-true, Uranus' appetite for stunning, out-of-the-blue shakeups is the prevailing force here. The face-off between an emotional new moon and the bulls-eye planet will push you to face your inner truth and individuality in order to move in a different direction. Whether this means literally moving in with your S.O. or redefining what success means to you, the status quo simply won't stand now.
Uranus has a way of inspiring exciting breakthroughs but also laying the groundwork for gasp-worthy, unexpected incidents or even accidents, so it might be best to be especially alert, aware, and cautious in the couple of days ahead of and following the new moon. (See: What Your Venus Sign Means In Astrology)
At the same time, messenger Mercury will be moving toward a friendly sextile to sweet, relationship-oriented Venus, blending communication with pleasure and creativity, so you can expect heartwarming, harmonious interactions with friends and loved ones in the days around the new moon and particularly on November 6.
Who the Scorpio New Moon Will Affect the Most
If you were born when the sun was in the sign of the Scorpion — annually from approximately October 23 to November 21 — or with your personal planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars) in Scorpio (something you can learn from your natal chart), you'll feel this new moon more than most.
If you want to get even more specific, check to see if you have a personal planet that falls within five degrees of the new moon (12 degrees Scorpio). If so, you could feel a burning desire to 86 any relationships, patterns, behaviors, or crutches that aren't in line with your passionate new vision and to boldly kick off a whole new era of life.
Similarly, if your rising sign/ascendant falls in a fellow fixed sign — Taurus (fixed earth), Leo (fixed fire), Aquarius (fixed air) — you'll be inspired to set intentions related to relationships and security, as the new moon will affect your fourth house of home life (Leo), tenth house of career (Aquarius), or seventh house of partnership (Taurus). It's also worth checking your natal chart to see if any of your personal planets fall in a fixed sign and between 7-17 degrees, as in that case, you'll feel this new moon more than others. (Related: What Does Chiron Mean In Astrology?)
The Thrilling Takeaway
Every month, no matter what sign a new moon falls in, they're astrological moments primed for gaining clarity. Thanks to its passionate, bold — and okay, maybe a bit whiplash-inducing — tone, the energy around November's new moon could feel a little daunting. You might feel your anxiety tick up and as though you're just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Doing your best to be mindful and open to whatever the moment brings — a valuable lesson that Scorpio and the other fixed signs are always learning — can make the experience more illuminating than irritating.
As one of the most deeply feeling and dynamic signs of the zodiac, Scorpio has no problem swimming in the deep end of emotion and getting cozy with the darker side of life. The fixed water sign also has the tendency to hold onto anything that makes them comfortable, even at the expense of moving forward. (Related: How to Explore Your Dark Side Through Shadow Work)
This lunar moment highlights a push-pull we've all felt between sticking with what we know versus exploring uncharted territory in an effort to be true to ourselves. The Sabian symbol (a system, shared by a clairvoyant named Elsie Wheeler, that illustrates the meaning of each degree of the zodiac) for the exact spot in Scorpio where the new moon occurs is "An Inventor Performs A Laboratory Experiment." It characterizes this lunar event as an opportunity to get curious and bridge the gap between what you know intuitively and intellectually. Then, by remaining open and true to yourself, the end result could prove positively game-changing.
Maressa Brown is a writer and astrologer with more than 15 years of experience. In addition to being Shape's resident astrologer, she contributes to InStyle, Parents, Astrology.com, and more. Follow her Instagram and Twitter at @MaressaSylvie.
