Scorpio 2026: Depth and Release
We've already had a taste of Scorpio's depths. Venus stationed retrograde in Scorpio on 3 October and has been quietly dredging up the things we'd rather not look at. Now the volume goes up. The Sun enters Scorpio on 23 October, lands exactly on Venus, and Mercury turns retrograde in Scorpio a day later.
Scorpio is a fixed water sign. It's the sign of depth, truth, and the cycle of death and rebirth. It doesn't do surface level. It digs, it feels, and it reminds us that we are always in some stage of letting something end so something truer can begin.
Scorpio carries a deep resilience, and a healthy wariness too. It knows that once something is transformed, nothing can be quite the same, and that we may need to release things we thought mattered, for the sake of the truth. That can make Scorpio seem ruthless. It also holds fierce loyalty and an unflinching willingness to talk about what most of us would rather look away from.
This year, Scorpio season is the second half of a story that began in Libra season: Venus retrograde, with Mercury retrograde joining her. Both turn direct within hours of each other on 13/14 November, which is unusual and worth marking.
The question underneath the season
The message of this season is quite clear: we can't shy away from the depths, and we also shouldn't be swallowed by them.
So it's worth asking why we do shadow work. Is it only to understand ourselves better? Or is it also so we can show up more honestly, more fairly, with more heart, for the people around us and the world we share?
Neither answer is wrong. Looking inward is not self-indulgence, especially if you're in the middle of something hard. But this season gently asks what we do with what we find. Do the inner work, then let it change how we treat others.
A month of two halves
The first half (23 Oct – early Nov) is the dredging. Venus and Mercury retrograde stir up old material, and it helps to bring a little psychological curiosity to it. Think of a good therapist, a trusted friend, a journal. The Taurus Full Moon on 26 October is the peak, and it is hard to hide from the truth under this one, even if it isn't fully clear yet. In early November the energy shifts and clarity creeps in, even if it's still not comfortable.
The second half (from the New Moon on 9 November) is the release. Jupiter and Mars come up to the Leo South Node and then to each other. The question becomes: what ego-driven ventures and old ways of seeking recognition can go, so that we can be more authentic and meet others with an open heart and no hidden agenda?
♏Key Astrologcial Hightlights - Deep Dive
🌅 The reckoning (23 – 28 October)
☀️Sun conjunct Venus Rx (23 Oct, 0°45 Scorpio)
This is the cazimi, the midpoint of Venus's retrograde cycle, when she sits in the heart of the Sun. Venus is at her most hidden and most powerful. In the myth of Inanna's descent, this is the moment Inanna, stripped of everything at the seven gates, comes face to face with her sister Ereshkigal, queen of the underworld. Ereshkigal fixes the eye of death upon her, and Inanna hangs lifeless for three days.
The cazimi is the turning point. Whatever this Venus cycle has been showing you about your values, relationships, worth and what you want, the deepest truth of it is illuminated now. There is no going back to who you were before the descent.
But the myth doesn't end there. It's two small beings who bring Inanna back. They don't fix Ereshkigal's pain. They sit with it and feel it with her. Presence, not solutions, is what makes the return possible. Hold onto that image this season.
📝Mercury stations retrograde (24 Oct, 20° Scorpio)
Mercury has been in his shadow since 4 October and stays retrograde until 13 November, in Scorpio the whole time. This is a review of the psyche. Information will be revisited collectively, and personally, it's a good time to look at where Scorpio sits in your chart, because that area of life is asking for a deeper understanding now.
This isn't about pushing ahead. It's about sifting: what thought patterns, old conditioning or unspoken stories are ready to be looked at, and which of them is still true for you?
🌸Venus Rx returns to Libra (25/26 Oct)
Venus slips back into Libra and the question changes from what's hidden? to how do we make this fair? What have you learned about your values, your relationships and your sense of worth, and how could the balance shift toward something that works for everyone, including you? You won't get the full picture yet, since both Venus and Mercury are still retrograde, but start noticing what feels a little off-centre.
🌕Full Moon in Taurus (26 Oct, 2° Taurus)
This Full Moon sits opposite the Sun and Venus Rx in the last degrees of Libra / early Scorpio, conjunct Chiron Rx in late Aries, and square Pluto in Aquarius, Scorpio's modern ruler. Venus, ruler of this Moon, is retrograde. It's the peak of everything that has been coming up.
Collectively, expect continuing conversations about power, secrets, accountability, the wounded masculine, and what justice might actually look like, particularly for those who have been silenced or overlooked.
Personally, the themes of the last few weeks culminate: the hidden dynamics, old beliefs and patterns you've unearthed. The Taurus question is practical. How do I structure my life differently, so I'm not reopening the same wound or falling into the same hole? It may be very material or very bodily, a pattern that has been stuck for a long time. Even if it hurts, honour what needs to go.
Sun square Pluto (27 Oct, 3°) and Venus Rx opposite Chiron Rx (28 Oct, 28° Aries)
A hard couple of days following the Full Moon. Pluto asks where we're holding on tightly or trying to control, and Venus opposite Chiron touches an old wound around worth and belonging. Go gently, and take the work in small doses.
🌊 The tides turn (1 – 4 November)
🙌Venus Rx sextile Jupiter (4 Nov, 24°43)
Here the mood begins to lift. There is real opportunity for justice, collective and personal, for people who have been blocked by those in power. If you've felt powerless, it's a chance to take your power back. And if you've been wondering whether you misused yours, this is an opening to make amends.
☀️Mercury cazimi (4 Nov, 12° Scorpio)
The midpoint of this Mercury retrograde, and a moment of clarity. If you need to get something sorted during this retrograde, this is the day to do it. If it can't wait until after, sign on this day. Sometimes (not always) a theme of this retrograde suddenly makes sense.
🔥 The ego and the South Node (9 – 16 November)
🌑New Moon in Scorpio (9 Nov, 16° Scorpio)
A New Moon for quiet intention rather than loud declaration. It sets the tone for the second half of the season. What parts of the ego, and which projects driven by the need to be seen, can be released, so we can be authentic to ourselves and open-hearted toward others?
💏Venus Rx sextile Mars (10 Nov, 23°08)
The dance of Venus and Mars, the feminine and masculine. It's easy to talk about the wounded masculine out in the world. Here the invitation is more personal, because we all carry masculine energy within us. Where do you carry it in its wounded form: control, withholding, pushing through, shutting down, proving yourself?
And what would its healthy form look like: clear boundaries, steady action, protection, accountability without shame? I hope this gives us a chance to imagine a world with heart-led leaders, and to lead with our own hearts.
❤️🔥Jupiter conjunct the South Node in Leo (12 Nov, 25°32 Leo)
A big one, and the first of three hits: the others are 22 February and 23 April 2027. So don't be surprised if this first hit offers only the first clues about which inflated ego item on your shelf has expired. It's a good moment to look at where Leo sits in your chart, what needs tending, which gifts are worth keeping, and which are outdated and ready to go.
💨Mercury and Venus station direct (13/14 Nov)
Mercury turns direct at 5°02 Scorpio and Venus at 22°52 Libra, within hours of each other. That's very unusual, and I suspect it will be a day when something true finally comes out. Let it land gently, and wait a few days before making big decisions, because both planets are still in their shadows.
Mars conjunct the South Node (14 Nov) and Mars conjunct Jupiter (16 Nov, 25°53 Leo) A bit of a fight from the ego, perhaps. Notice it, and let it go.
🗓️ Key Virgo Season Transits
(NZDT. Some dates fall a day either side depending on your time zone.)
23 Oct — Sun enters Scorpio (0°)
Depth, truth and transformation take centre stage.
23 Oct — Sun conjunct Venus Rx, Venus cazimi (Scorpio 0°45)
The midpoint of the Venus retrograde, where the deepest truth of this cycle is illuminated.
24 Oct — Mercury stations retrograde (Scorpio 20°59)
A deep review of the psyche begins and continues until 13 November.
25/26 Oct — Venus Rx re-enters Libra
The question turns to fairness, balance and what our values now ask of us.
26 Oct — Full Moon in Taurus (2°)
Opposite the Sun and Venus Rx, conjunct Chiron Rx and square Pluto, it is the peak of what has surfaced this season.
27 Oct — Sun square Pluto (Scorpio 3°)
Control, power and holding on are brought into focus.
28 Oct — Venus Rx opposite Chiron Rx (28°14)
An old wound around worth and belonging may be touched.
1/2 Nov — Last Quarter Moon in Leo (Sun Scorpio 9°26)
A moment to reassess before the next beginning.
4 Nov — Venus Rx sextile Jupiter (24°43)
Opportunity for justice, power reclaimed, and amends where they're needed.
4 Nov — Mercury cazimi (Scorpio 12°11)
A moment of clarity, and the best day to sort what can't wait until after the retrograde.
9 Nov — New Moon in Scorpio (16°)
Quiet intentions about letting go of ego and meeting others openly.
10 Nov — Venus Rx sextile Mars (23°08)
The feminine and masculine within us find a way to cooperate.
12 Nov — Jupiter conjunct South Node (Leo 25°32)
The first of three hits, revealing which ego-driven pieces have expired.
13/14 Nov — Mercury stations direct (Scorpio 5°02)
Thinking begins to move forward again, with what has been revisited.
13/14 Nov — Venus stations direct (Libra 22°52)
Values and relationships move forward in a new light.
14 Nov — Mars conjunct South Node (Leo 25°12)
The ego may put up a bit of a fight, so let it go.
16 Nov — Mars conjunct Jupiter (Leo 25°53)
A burst of energy to act on what you've decided to release.
17 Nov — First Quarter Moon in Aquarius (Sun Scorpio 25°09)
A point of action and decision.
18 Nov — Sun square Jupiter (Leo 26°03)
A tendency to overreach, so check for inflated promises.
19 Nov — Sun square Mars (Leo 27°24)
Tempers and impatience run higher, so take care.
22 Nov — Sun enters Sagittarius
The season lifts toward the bigger picture. Mercury's shadow lasts until 30 November and Venus's until 15 December.
🌊Working With This Season
Scorpio season can feel like deep water, and there's a difference between going into the depths and drowning in them.
When you notice yourself flooded, try this: use a feelings wheel (google it).
Start in the centre with a basic emotion (sad, angry, afraid, happy, and so on) and move outward to the more specific word: sad → lonely → abandoned, or angry → betrayed → resentful.
Finding a more precise name tends to calm the nervous system and bring the thinking part of the brain back online. You can then look at what's there with some distance, rather than being carried off by it.
Then add one body check: feel your feet on the floor, take a slow breath out, and notice what you can see around you. Then go back in, if you'd like to.
A few journal prompts for the season:
What has this Venus retrograde shown me about what I value that I can't unsee?
Which pattern keeps reopening the same wound, and what small change would give it a different ending?
Where is Scorpio in my chart, and what is asking for a slower look?
What am I feeling right now, in the most specific word I can find?
Where can I use what I've learned for someone beyond myself, even in a small way?
Where do I carry the wounded masculine in myself? What would a healthy version of that energy look like in my life?
What way of being recognised has run its course? Which gifts are worth keeping?
More guidance throughout the season on the Podcast and on Instagram. I'll be sharing live updates as these transits unfold.
Let’s Stay Connected
If you’re feeling this season's energy and want more support this season for the new beginning it offers, I offer 1:1 sessions using astrology as a mirror so you can move forward in a way that feels aligned, grounded, and true to you.
And if you'd rather explore it in company, The Season Circle is meeting Thursday 22 October at 7:30pm NZT → [Book your spot here]
✨ Book via my website: www.sandrajungen.com
✨ Follow me on Instagram: @sandra.jungen.mbs
With love,
Sandra x
"Know yourself → Trust yourself → Thrive."
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