No mud, no lotus. We’re bereft of ancient wisdom In our contemporary culture of instant gratification, mollification, and outrage. Scorpio is the alchemist, reminding us that depth requires discomfort, the shedding of skin. Yoga is a practice of sustained effort. We hold poses, whether in recline or upright, past our comfort zone. We hold still, the arms outstretched, the knees bent in Warrior II, the pressure fortifying our muscles with each extended breath as we shift subtly to accommodate. The same holds true for life. We build our strength through will, ferocity, determination, and pliability.

Eclipses are supercharged New and Full Moons. They occur in proximity to the Nodes, the storied indicators of destiny, hence their reputation for bringing life-changing information and change. A series of Eclipses unfold like dominoes in a particular set of signs over the course of 18 or 24 months. Each set runs on a 19-year cycle, the length of time it takes the North Node to cycle around the Zodiac. The current set, in the Taurus-Scorpio Axis, began last November 19th and continues on for another year, completing with the October 28th Eclipse in 2023. This current Eclipse is followed two weeks later by a Lunar Eclipse in Taurus on November 8th, upgrading our sense of security and our attachment to the material world.

We can reach back to the years 2002-2004 for parallel themes in our lives. We’re older, of course, wiser, and the world’s landscapes have shifted. Scorpio is a lesson in entanglement. To be alive is to be entangled. Some are chosen, others inherited. But that, too, is part of the learning. Not everything is within our control. Much, in fact, is not.

This specific New Moon Solar Eclipse in Scorpio is conjunct with Venus, the planet of love, finances, and values. What is the state of ours?

New Moons equate to New Beginnings. Desire may run hot and high, and yet we may also feel the call to purge. Scorpio is known to dwell in extremes. All or nothing. We want what we want without question. We need it, too. Will we be ruthless in our machinations or dig deeper and draw our destiny towards us?

What happens when we hold still in a pose for any significant length of time? Do we let go or further our resolve? In other words, how do we relate to stillness and discomfort? What is it that we’re trying to draw from the experience?

In Astrology, Scorpio is tethered to the sexual and reproductive organs. Many mis-identify Scorpios as sex-crazed. But celibacy is just as, if not more, likely. There’s a containment here, an ability to sustain desire without needing to immediately satisfy its pangs. Tantric Yoga espouses the same. The Kundalini energy rises, like a flame, from our core. Fertile and creative sacral fire.

So the question in front of us is: how do we maintain this burning ember? How do we nourish desire and fortitude and resilience and regeneration? How do we discern between positional power and sacred empowerment?

These are complex themes. But they’re crucial in such complex times.