Happy New Moon in Scorpio, Samhain and Diwali! This is one of the most significant turning points of the year, as we reach the zero-point that is the simultaneous beginning and ending of an annual cycle. Here’s what you need to know to navigate this powerful time:
SAMHAIN/WITCHES’ NEW YEAR
The period from October 31-November 2 encompasses the celebrations of Samhain, All Hallow’s Eve, Halloween, Dia de Los Muertos, and more. These holidays all occur at the approximate midpoint between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice, which in the Pagan Wheel of the Year, marks the essential beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
It is at this time, and at the times that the other seven ‘spokes’ on the Wheel of the Year, that it is said that the veils are thin. The veils are known to be the thinnest, however, at this time, as Samhain represents the Witches’ New Year—a ‘zero-point’ portal that represents the simultaneous closing of old cycles, and the welcoming in of the new.
Here is a brief summary of the history and essentials of these holidays:
“Samhain (pronounced Sow-an) has its roots as a Gaelic festival celebrating the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was celebrated on November 1, though the festivities traditionally began the night before. The Celtics would hold a huge bonfire in hopes of winning favor of the gods for a bountiful harvest the next year; and they believed it was a time when the veils thinned and the 'normal order of the Universe (was) suspended' (Samhain Wikipedia).
“Like Beltane, Samhain was a liminal or threshold festival, when the boundary between this world and the Otherworld thinned, meaning the Aos Sí (the 'spirits' or 'fairies') could more easily come into the world. Most scholars see the Aos Sí as remnants of pagan gods. At Samhain, they were appeased with offerings of food and drink, to ensure the people and their livestock survived the winter. The souls of dead kin were also thought to revisit their homes seeking hospitality, and a place was set at the table for them during a Samhain meal. Mumming and guising were part of the festival from at least the early modern era, whereby people went door-to-door in costume reciting verses in exchange for food. The costumes may have been a way of imitating, and disguising oneself from, the Aos Sí. Divination was also a big part of the festival and often involved nuts and apples. In the late 19th century John Rhys and James Frazer suggested it was the 'Celtic New Year' but that is disputed (Samhain Wikipedia).
“According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Beltane) was a time when the 'doorways' to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; while Beltane was a summer festival for the living, Samhain 'was essentially a festival for the dead' (Samhain Wikipedia).
“In 609, Pope Boniface IV endorsed 13 May as a Catholic holy day commemorating all Christian martyrs. J. Hennig argues that by 800, there is evidence that churches in Ireland, Northumbria (England) and Bavaria (Germany) were holding a feast commemorating all saints on 1 November, which became All Saints' Day. Alcuin of Northumbria commended his friend Arno of Salzburg, Bavaria for holding the feast on this date. James Frazer suggests this date was a Celtic idea (being the date of Samhain), while Ronald Hutton suggests it was a Germanic idea, writing that the Irish church commemorated all saints on 20 April. Some manuscripts of the Irish Martyrology of Tallaght and Martyrology of Óengus, which date to this time, have a commemoration of all saints 'of Europe' on 20 April, but a commemoration of all saints of the world on 1 November. Some have suggested that Alcuin could have used his influence with Charlemagne to introduce an Irish-Northumbrian Feast of All Saints to the Frankish Empire. In 835, the 1 November date was officially adopted in the Frankish Empire, at the behest of Pope Gregory IV... (Samhain Wikipedia.)
“In the 11th century, 2 November became established as All Souls' Day. This created the three-day observance known as Allhallowtide: All Hallows' Eve (31 October), All Hallows' Day (1 November), and All Souls' Day (2 November)... (Samhain Wikipedia.)
“It is widely believed that many of the modern secular customs of All Hallows' Eve (Halloween) were influenced by the festival of Samhain. Other scholars argue that Samhain's influence has been exaggerated, and that All Hallows' also influenced Samhain itself.... (Samhain Wikipedia.)
“The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated from 31st October through 2nd of November inclusive, though other days, such as 6th November, may be included depending on the locality. It originated, in part, in Mexico, where it is mostly observed, but also in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. Although associated with the Western Christian Allhallowtide observances of All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed (Day of the Dead Wikipedia.)
“Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and Aztec marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased. The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de muerto with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras litarerarias (Day of the Dead Wikipedia.)
Marking the midpoint between the equinox and solstice, the three day period inclusive of the final day of October and the first two days of November really does represent the earnest beginning of winter in many parts of the U.S., Canada and Europe. It's metaphorically a time when we connect with the Spirit World to gather guidance about what is in our path for the long winter months ahead.
Spend this time connecting with your ancestors—giving gratitude, and gathering guidance and blessings for your year ahead. This Samhain coinciding with the powerful Scorpio New Moon and a portal-opening Grand Water Trine between Mercury in Scorpio, Mars in Cancer, and Neptune (Retrograde) in Pisces has this being a rarely powerful time to connect with the Other Side. Here are some good ideas on ways to connect:
Light a candle and speak what you want to speak to your ancestors
Write letters to your ancestors—do you hear or feel anything while (or after) you’re penning them?
Set a place for your ancestors at the dinner table
Call all of your ancestors (pets that have passed, too) into the room with you. See what you feel/hear from them
Thank your ancestors for all that they have passed down to you, and for looking after and guiding you
Ask your ancestors for guidance on your journey ahead
Ask your ancestors to help you understand an aspect of you (or your life) better
Write a note to your ancestors and leave it under your pillow—and see what guidance comes to you in your dreams!
If you’d like some guided assistance in connecting with your ancestors, e-mail me at youareadivinehuman@gmail.com to purchase my Healing Your Feminine/Mother Wounds and Healing Your Masculine/Father Wounds masterclasses for just $33 USD apiece. In both, you will take astral journeys to connect with your ancestors going centuries back.
NEW MOON IN SCORPIO
Happy New Moon in Scorpio! This New Moon at 9 ½ degrees of Scorpio became exact at 8:47 AM New York time (12:47 GMT) yesterday, on Friday, November 1, 2024.
The sign of Scorpio holds a special place in my Heart. As someone with a Scorpio sun and a predominantly Scorpio chart, it is my favorite sign. I love the depth, the passion, and the life-or-death feeling of intensity that Scorpio represents. And this year’s Scorpio New Moon occurred shortly after my birthday!
Scorpio is the shaman's sign; it is the negotiation between the darkest darks and the brightest lights. It is an oscillation between hell and Heaven. This of course has tremendous spiritual value, as every time you plunge into the depths of pain and suffering, you bring back with you invaluable wisdom for the journey ahead.
I didn't come into this position as a healer and a spiritual teacher just by reading some books; it's been this hell-to-Heaven and back again shaman's journey for me, which still continues (this year has been a hell of a ride for me, as were the last two…)
Scorpio is the sign of death and transformation, as depicted in the Death card in the tarot. If you live in a cold part of the world, you can look outside now and see the dead leaves on the ground as winter approaches.
Of course, the trees are only lightening their load in order to prepare for the upcoming deep freeze, while giving space for brand new growth to emerge the following spring. Thus is Scorpio: it's all about letting go of what is dying or dead, in order to allow for new growth to occur.
Scorpio is the fixed water sign, the eighth sign of the Zodiac, and the ruler of the Eighth House—the House of Sex. This house rules over sex, taboos, death, taxes, and wills/legacies. It is ruled by Pluto, the planet of death, destruction and transformation. As a fixed sign, it is stubborn and loyal. As a water sign, it is deeply emotional.
Scorpio suns (like myself) are known for having an air of mystery and intrigue about them (this can also apply to Scorpio Risings). Scorpio suns, moons, and Risings are generally naturally psychic and intuitive. If you are close with any Scorpio suns in your life, you probably already know that they don’t let many people get very close to them. Scorpios can often be secretive, and sometimes even paranoid about letting others know too much about them.
Scorpio is of course associated with the scorpion. Its glyph is an ‘M’ with the tail pointed outward, like a scorpion’s stinger. The ‘M’s tail is also a phallic symbol. Scorpio rules over the genitals and sex in general--but especially the aspects of sex that have to do with power exchanges, taboos, and deeply-rooted psychological aspects (aka Freudian psychology). Scorpio suns, Risings, Venuses, and Mars’s tend to be very sexual people.
As the most deeply emotional of all the Zodiac signs, Scorpio invites us to really honor the depth of all our emotions--especially the uncomfortable ones, like rage, fear, and grief. It asks for us to acknowledge the presence of shame and guilt within. It encourages us to honor the depth of the 'man' part of the HU-man—as in the physical, emotional, dense self.
We have been having this feeling during this most recent Scorpio season that there's something deeper that has yet to be fully explored-- like there's a totally new level of rawness beneath the surface that has yet to come fully up. Scorpio, being the sign of death, rebirth, and transformation, is bringing this up now.
The depth and intensity of the Scorpio energy scares many away, because it can be very uncomfortable. However, for those brave enough to explore the depths of one's own consciousness and emotional body, the reward is karmic transmutation, which is one of the very reasons you came to this planet--and one of the most important facets of the Ascension journey!
With Chiron sextiling Jupiter, the portal is open for us to step up to a whole new level of completeness as far as our roles as healers, teachers and Service Workers go. The portal into this deeper level of completeness is the journey of navigating our emotional triggers. These triggers point directly to our core wounds—and as we face our core wounds head on, we step into the next level of mastery as far as teachers and healers.
Remember, you are both a teacher and a student at the same time, always.
And with Mercury being in Scorpio as well, these triggers are certainly coming up. We are feeling the need right now to be really honest and direct with our thoughts, feelings and emotions. With fiery Mars exalted in the final degree of emotionally-reactive Cancer opposing an exalted Pluto in the final degree of stubborn, hardened Capricorn, expect a lot of explosive, emotional arguments around this time—especially around family and romantic partners.
ARGUMENTS & VIOLENCE
With Mars in emotional Cancer—which gets easily triggered—opposing Pluto, coinciding with Mercury opposing the Retrograde Uranus, and all of the intense Scorpio energy about to boot, arguments are very easy to come by at this time—especially with family and romantic partners.
The key to surviving the next two weeks around the people whom you often get triggered by is to—as best you can—allow the emotional trigger to pass before responding (not easy sometimes, I know!) Take a breath, take a walk, etc…
Expect the days leading up to, and after, Tuesday’s United States presidential election to be really emotional and contentious—perhaps more than ever in U.S. history. Violence and social unrest are very possible.
Expect to see some sort of escalation in the Middle East next week, with this (bluntly) awful Mars-Pluto opposition.
Of course, everything happens for a reason. Explosive arguments in relationships can be a wonderful portal to harness the Scorpio energy and have deep healing, clearing and expansive discussions. The beautiful Grand Water Trine between Mercury in Scorpio, Mars in Cancer, and Neptune (Retrograde) in Pisces absolutely supports this.
And whatever violence that does occur on the World Stage amplifies the counterforce of peace and love on this planet. Remember—we can always reverse engineer this, and use every day to spread the light of peace and love to the world! In the spirit of Samhain—remember, you can ask your ancestors to help you with this!
This Mars-Pluto opposition is also having us feel lustful!
SEX, LUST & DATING
This is the sexiest lunation of the year! Scorpio (and its ruler Pluto) rule over sex. Venus is also in flirty Sagittarius, being opposed (and activated) by Jupiter in Pisces.
Now is the time to understand who you are better as a sexual being. If you are in a relationship, make sure to open up this portal and explore with your partner!
Sex is our nature. We are made from sex. All of nature is made from sex. The desire to procreate drives us to succeed and actualize. This Scorpio season is about embracing sex as the sacred essence of life.
This is a time to look within and examine whatever blocks, traumas, or reservations you have around sex. Psychotherapy, hypnosis, and some energy healing techniques can be helpful in healing sexual blocks.
If you are single and looking to mingle, now is a great time to meet a new partner. With Mercury in Scorpio sextiling Pluto, first dates will be much deeper than usual! Be open and honest about revealing your true, real, raw self during this time. It will click immediately with the right partner—and if the spark isn’t there, move on quickly!
RADICAL SELF-HONESTY
During this time, you won’t be able to help but to be totally honest with yourself about what really matters to you.
If the job/career you’re in is draining you, it’s really going to weigh on you at this time. If the romantic relationship you’re in just isn’t working anymore, you’re going to feel that intensely now. If the living situation you’re in is not tenable, you will feel an intense call to move away from it at this time.
Honesty with the self is key at this time. You should be feeling free to be you. Mercury opposing Uranus is giving us this intense burst of freedom-oriented energy at this time!
Here are some journaling prompts to help you get really honest with yourself during this important time:
What is working for me right now? Which parts of my life feel like they are flowing in harmony right now?
What isn’t working for me right now? Which parts of my life feel like I am constantly frustrated, or hitting a wall?
Which real desires of mine am I regularly experiencing?
Which real desires of mine am I denying or avoiding?
For the desires of mine that I am denying or avoiding, is there fear there?
What fears of mine still linger?
If there was one fear that I could bust through now that I know would allow me to really take a big leap forward, what would that be?
Are the people that I spend the most time with encouraging my evolution, or dragging it down? Are there changes that I need to make in my relationships? Are there difficult conversations I might need to have with others?
Is my living environment giving me life, or weighing me down? Are there changes that I need to make in my living situation?
Which emotions or traumas within me do I habitually push down? What are some practices or healing modalities that could assist me in alchemizing or processing these?
AN ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE TIME
The creative Grand Water Trine between Mercury, Mars and Neptune (Retrograde) connects with two really harmonious and creative Minor Grand Trines: Mars-Uranus (Retrograde)-Neptune (Retrograde), and Mercury-Pluto (Retrograde)-Neptune (Retrograde).
This is the most expressive and creative lunation of the whole year! It is so imperative to express your creative energy at this time—because if you don’t, you’ll likely find that energy coming out in angry, emotionally-reactive ways, or by obsessing over sex.
If you are an artist, tap into the creative inspiration that is really readily available from the astral realms right now! Ask Spirit for guidance or inspiration in any form you desire—be it visually, verbal instructions, gut feelings, etc.
Intend to express the emotional intensity you are feeling at this time through your art. And if you don’t feel like you are an artist per se, you can still casually express yourself creatively in an infinite number of ways: e.g. drawing, photography, cooking, Instagram posts, etc.
TRUSTING YOUR INTUITION
With the beautiful Grand Water Trine between Mercury in Scorpio (Scorpio is the sign of knowingness), Mars in Cancer (Cancer is the sign of gut feelings), and the Retrograde Neptune in Pisces (Neptune is the planet of intuition), coinciding with Samhain, this is absolutely the easiest time of all of 2024 to access your inner knowingness.
Trust what you feel at this time. Trust the intuitive ‘hits’ that come to you spontaneously. Trust what your gut is telling you. Trust what your dreams are telling you. Trust the psychic information that comes to you through others that just feels right.
With Mercury in Scorpio, this is a really great time to journal on what you are receiving at this time—both so you remember it, and so you can better make sense of it.
If you need some help from a master in accessing your intuition, e-mail me at youareadivinehuman@gmail.com to purchase my Refining Your Intuition masterclass for just $33 USD.
DEVELOPING MEDIUMSHIP ABILITIES
In the wake of this powerful Scorpio and Samhain portal, this is the absolute best time of the year to explore and refine mediumship skills. Remember that mediumship is a skill—though yes, some are naturally more gifted at it than others.
But it can be learned by all.
If you’d like to get started on your mediumship journey, e-mail me at youareadivinehuman@gmail.com to purchase my Intro to Mediumship masterclass for just $33 USD. And consider enrolling in my 15-week Comprehensive Tarot Reading Course, beginning November 10! E-mail me for a free consultation on that.
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FORECAST
This is simply a forecast based on my psychic receiving and the macro astrology, so please don’t be mean to me if you don’t like what I am about to say. But Kamala Harris will be elected the 47th president of the United States—though by a razor-thin margin in the Electoral College (winning by one state, essentially).
Wishing you a Happy New Moon in Scorpio, a Blessed Samhain, a Happy Diwali, a Happy Allhallowtide, and a Happy Dia de los Muertos!
With Love,
Matthew John
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