Cosmic Forecast November 2023
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Illustration by Jess Stanley
November takes us on an underworld journey to help us find deeper meaning and a greater sense of connection. The energy this month is like a slow-moving subterranean river. Its timescale is more like a waterfall wearing away a cliff face, less like the rush of the workweek. November reminds us that we are part of cycles that are much, much longer than our own lifetimes. The experiences we have are tied to a lineage of events and, in many ways, the path we’re on is a type of inheritance.
This month is a good time to zoom way out on your life, to see your worries and priorities within the context of years and decades. We’re also being invited to do some ego work, shifting our focus from individual success and achievement towards collective nourishment; to experience a profound sense of common humanity, rather than blind selflessness. It’s not about altruism or self-sacrifice—which can reinforce egoic narratives about being a saviour, a martyr, or a “good person.” The call is to really contemplate what it means to be one precious yet small part of a vast universe, an endlessly complex ecosystem, a single member of a network of kin.
We’re entering the part of the astrological year that’s ruled by the outer planets–Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. November begins in Scorpio season, which is ruled by Pluto, and ends in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter. When we move from the series of signs ruled by the personal heavenly bodies (the Sun, Mercury, Venus, the Moon, and Mars) the energetic shift gives us the opportunity to get in touch with something greater than ourselves. It’s a time to think about your legacy, the next generation, your ancestors, and the needs of the earth.
The overall astrological mood of November is quiet. Some might experience this as stagnancy, a test of patience. Others will be able to treat this month as a bit of a hermitage, allowing the silence and slowness to make space for an inner unfolding. Meditation, long conversations, hypnotic tasks like cleaning or cooking, going for solo walks, automatic writing, pulling tarot cards, and candle gazing can help you process the energy of the month.
The month opens with oppositions between the Sun, Mars, and Venus in Scorpio and Uranus and Jupiter in Taurus. This continues until the 11th when Mercury breaks away from the pack. Then, Jupiter’s retrograde motion takes it out of the stack on the 12th, leaving the Sun and Mars in opposition with Uranus for the rest of the month. It’s not always easy when the Sun opposes a planet, especially Jupiter and Uranus–which, in their own ways, incite big shifts, unexpected changes, major expansion, and confusion. The Sun in opposition puts its full illuminating force onto these themes; it reveals the parts of our lives where we need to make big changes, and it makes us more aware of instability and the necessity of staying adaptive.
While Mars and Jupiter oppose one another, we’re invited to explode our notion of linear growth and our assumptions about our “path to success.” Jupiter is the planet of fortune and fate. We hope that good luck takes us upwards on a steadily climbing stair. Similarly, Mars rules our drive and determination. Many of us are motivated by the idea that we can (or should) experience one win after the next. This opposition teaches us that achievements are simply experiences and that we do not have to achieve anything in order to have a really wonderful, fulfilling life.
There’s also an opposition between Venus in Virgo and Neptune in Pisces that lasts until the 12th. There’s a dreamy beauty to this transit. With the planet of opulence and abundance in the sign of service and mundane tasks, we’re invited to take more pleasure in what we already have and the routine nuts and bolts of everyday life. In conversation with Neptune in its home sign, Venus in Virgo is challenged to give itself over to impracticality and whimsy. Can you make a magical practice out of walking to the bus? What about enchanting your household’s clothes with a protection incantation as you do the laundry? Why not take a look at your bank account with a cup of chai filled with the spices of prosperity like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger?
On November 4th, Saturn ends its retrograde in Pisces. However, for most of the month, it will stay completely stationary before finally continuing forward in the sky on the 27th. This transit creates a unique container for us. Saturn in Pisces reminds us that there are few hard boundaries in nature. Survival relies on permeability. We must allow experiences to wash over us, and we must share ourselves with the world to feel truly connected. Saturn gives us the tools to create safety around doing so.
Over the last week of the month, the focus shifts towards Sagittarius. By then, Mercury, Mars, and the Sun will be in the sign. The Jupiterian themes intensify. We’ll be called to take that contemplative mood we’ve cultivated in Scorpio season and turn outwards. It may be easier to take more aligned, soul-centred action after spending time in reflection. Sagittarius season is a time to learn from the world. Continue to look outside of yourself for inspiration. Seek out new experiences and play the role of the student. On the other side of November, you’ll meet a wiser self who may have a stronger sense of conviction and confidence—a grace that comes from acceptance and broadened horizons.
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.
Jess (She/Her) is a multidisciplinary artist and illustrator based in Vancouver BC. Her main area of focus is the connection we share with the world around us, from environmental protection to the supernatural and spooky. She’s inspired by folklore and mythology and the way it weaves through our existence. One of her main goals is to make art accessible for all and to prove that anyone can be creative, regardless of skill level or age. She enjoys engaging with the community and bringing awareness to important issues such as the climate emergency and water protection. Follow her on Instagram @jessstanley.art and www.jessstanley.ca.
