As we begin to make new strides in our post-pandemic lives, we’re supercharged by the Solar Eclipse in Scorpio on October 25 and things are moving FAST. Scorpio is symbolized by the Phoenix, representing strength and the will to be born anew. As such, this Scorpio Solar Eclipse is all about resilience: the beauty and the power of transformation, death, and rebirth—big endings and big fresh starts.

Whatever’s on your mind/plate right now, the Scorpio Sun is not content with small-scale change. In fact, it wouldn’t be surprising if you find yourself driven to extremes with this Water sign-heavy Eclipse forcing long-buried emotions, desires, and secrets to the surface.

Think of this Scorpio Eclipse as a much-needed emotional facelift—an opportunity to give yourself a makeover in a dramatic, show-stopping way. No matter what area of life you decide needs massive changes now, making the smartest investments possible will be paramount for long-term success—as long as your “remodeling” efforts are focused on changing from the inside out and not the outside in.

Sun-Moon-Venus in Scorpio: Love v. Intimacy

Whenever the Taurus/Scorpio axis is the focus, Love and Money are the dominant themes. With this 2022 Eclipse series, we’re prompted to examine the connection (or disconnection) between how we honor our own emotions (Taurus) v. those of others (Scorpio) and how to achieve a balance that leads to true intimacy (even if it involves the occasional power struggle).

Venus in Scorpio draws our attention to the complications and contradictions surrounding Love (Moon/Venus) v. Intimacy (Scorpio) at this eclipse. And with Mars in Gemini until January 12, reconciling our craving for deep connection with the impetus to stick to our quickest romantic “fix” could easily become quite the quandary this Fall.

Venus’ influence stimulates our desire for romance, drives us to build connections and invigorates our (pro)creative desires, while the influence of Scorpio inspires us to deepen existing relationships by pushing yourself to be more vulnerable and, in doing so, transcend relationship patterns that prevent intimacy and keep you stuck in the safety of the superficial.

With the concept of vulnerability in mind, however, it must be said that the sign placement of the Moon and Venus in Scorpio is, well, less than ideal. In astrology, the Moon represents the nurturing principle, which conflicts with the inherently self-directed motivations of Scorpio. Venus, too, is in its Detriment in Scorpio, as Venus’ charm, humor and light-heartedness are drowned out by Scorpio’s overly serious, goal-oriented approach to Love. So, when the Moon and Venus align in Scorpio, it’s not that we completely lose the ability to love and nurture—it’s that Love (Venus) and Nurturance (Moon) are seen as transactional. 

In a post-pandemic world where we can have almost anything delivered to our doorsteps in an hour or less, talk to (and look at) our phones more than we do each other, work in virtual offices and communicate almost entirely via messages while clocking each other’s response times and “love” has become inextricable with the twisted world of defeating dating apps and bizarre sagas played out on reality TV, is it really surprising that most of us have whittled down our notions of compatibility to little more than oddly-specific demands like “must love dogs” (seriously)?

The fact is that many if not most of us have become so used to getting whatever we want when we want it, the question that comes to everybody’s mind is, naturally: “Is this worth my time?”

As a result, it’s as if we seem to be forcing intimacy and skipping the love part entirely, compelled to merge with a mate based primarily on circumstantial factors and surface-level parameters. But is it possible to conjure instant intimacy because of the newfound need for speed and efficiency, or to experience real love in a relationship based on strict age limits and adherence to specified timelines? In other words, are we deliberating mistaking intimacy for love to meet our Life Goals more expediently?

Though love can be light and breezy, that doesn’t mean it’s easy; and while intimacy is familiar, it isn’t guaranteed. So is sticking with the status quo better than risking the time and energy it takes to form a real connection that may not live up to our expectations, or just easier? Are we really willing to eschew every aspect of traditional courtship/romance all because “it takes too long”? And if so, what does that say about what we’ve come to value in the context of romantic relationship?

Can we really experience true love (much less intimacy) without putting in at least a little work?

For those already in long-term partnerships, this eclipse may involve the decision to break free if things have become emotionally stale and stagnant—or to do some serious CPR on bonds who’ve gotten the Love part down but may have forgotten the Intimacy part somewhere along the way. For those who feel loveless (or in and out of love), you may feel compelled to experiment with different dating strategies.

Whether this means devising ways to increase your powers of desirability, coming up with novel or creative ways to get closer to someone new, redefining your relationship “dealbreakers,” or making the conscious decision to spend more time with yourself, the point is to recognize your vulnerable spots around Love and Intimacy (we all have them) and expose them courageously to the light so they can ultimately heal.

Mars Retrograde in Gemini: Commitment & the Art of Sticking to It 

The only problem? As juicy as this Solar Eclipse is when it comes to pursuing something entirely new, Scorpio is ruled by planet Mars—so Mars’ Retrograde in Gemini on October 30 will inevitably bring stumbling blocks over the next 2-3 months when it comes to achieving our ambitious love and relationship goals.

In short, Mars Retrograde in Gemini messes with our ability to stick to our commitments. So, on the one hand, we’re ready to take on the world (Scorpio); on the other, we may not be able to focus long enough on any one singular goal long enough to fulfill the ambition this eclipse is about to inspire (Gemini). Alternatively, you could find yourself drowning in the demands of your day-to-day (Mars in Gemini) to the point where you just can’t seem to find the time to “go deep” (Solar Eclipse in Scorpio).

That said, whatever happens now, it’s likely that any acute sense of stress or distress is simply the product of wanting to change too much too fast—or on too large a scale. So, no matter what your situation, put down your stopwatch, pause your Fitbit, breathe deeply, and take a break from the need for instant gratification, as overthinking the concept of “time left” to accomplish X, Y or Z is the quickest way to self-sabotage in the months to follow.

And though you might find yourself craving an entirely new life with tons of new goals with “no time left” to achieve them in? Take a chill pill and remember that haste makes waste and Rome was not built in a day. So don’t be afraid to put in the time and effort, as this Solar Eclipse in Scorpio is all about learning to LEAN IN.