Yoga Meets Astrology: Scorpio Season

Scorpio season kicked off this year with an eclipse on the Scorpio-Taurus axis on October 26, accentuating the Scorpio energy that was already in the air. Following two weeks later was the Taurus eclipse on November 8. Eclipses typically occur in pairs every 6 months each year. And they usually fall on an axis of opposing signs. I.e., Taurus is directly across Scorpio in the zodiac and therefore they create an axis. Opposing signs are very similar to each other yet usually express themselves in opposing ways, which causes them to appear like opposites at first glance. The last time we had eclipses with these two signs was in May of this year with a Taurus new moon eclipse and a Scorpio full moon eclipse two weeks later.

But wait… what does all of this even mean? And how does this tie into yoga?

Let’s break it down into digestible chunks.

When we say Scorpio season, we’re referring to where the sun is located within the constellations. Commonly referred to as Sun signs in mundane astrology. We are in early November, and therefore, it is automatically considered Scorpio season. By mid-November we will enter into Sagittarius season and all of your Sag friends will be having their birthdays before mid-January.

What does Scorpio symbolize?

Scorpio is a water sign, most commonly known for its attributes of death, rebirth, shadow work, and transformation - and quite fittingly, falls during the late autumn and early winter seasons… which one might say is also considered a time of death, transformation, reflection, and shadows as the world becomes more dormant and we find ourselves retreating inward.

See the connection there?

Scorpio also symbolizes our inner psyche, deeper desires, and things we may tend to keep hidden… sometimes even from our conscious minds. So when Scorpio season comes around, it’s a time to allow reflection, stillness, and shadow work… a time to embrace the darker parts within us, and rather than shun them away, develop acceptance. Scorpio season is also a great time to reflect on what to release and let go before transformation can occur.

What does Taurus symbolize?

Taurus, an earth sign, is most commonly known for… well, it’s love of earth! And all earthly beauty and pleasures. And I’m sure most have heard how stubborn Taurus can be. But let’s reframe that a little bit, because like with everything in life, there’s more depth there.

Being an earth sign, Taureans are grounded and steady, finding their joy in life by being in life. But sometimes this can also lead to too much attachment to things in life. Which is also why they are Scorpio’s opposing sign - while Scorpio encourages releasing and letting go in order to transform, Taurus could learn a thing or two about letting go when the time asks for it. Conversely, Taurus teaches Scorpio to enjoy the earthly matters and be present in the moment when Scorpio can become too caught up in their own inner workings.

Now what about eclipses?

Eclipses are six-month-long periods of reflection and redirection. Very, very simply put. When we enter an eclipse season, we usually feel that underlying energy two weeks prior to the first eclipse and it lasts six months after the second eclipse.

So we’re kind of in it for the long haul.

But that’s kind of a great thing. Here’s why. When an eclipse occurs, look to where that sign falls in your birth chart. What house is it in? This is the area of life that the eclipse is asking you to reflect on and know that shifts will occur within this area of your life during the eclipse season. If it falls in your first house, the house of self, then during the eclipse season you may notice themes popping up in your life where you’re asking questions like…

Who am I? How do I speak to myself? How do I treat myself? Does that work for me?

If it doesn’t, expect some shifts to occur... For your betterment.

To see your personal birth chart and find out what area of life this eclipse season is affecting for you, click here. (You'll need your birth time and location for a more accurate chart drawing.)

Okay now bring it back to yoga…

Whether you follow astrology or not, you probably still feel the shifts that occur in the changes in season and the time of year. And each zodiac sign corresponds with different body parts. Scorpio corresponds with pelvic health, the womb, and the reproductive system.

So when we find ourselves becoming more dormant, ready for hibernation as the winter approaches, a place to rest before reemerging in Spring … think, the womb. Kind of like the human body’s cave - a place of birth, of growth, and integration.

See the connection there?

So during Scorpio season, pay a little more attention to this space in your body, nourish it a little extra. Bring mind, body and sky in connection on your mat. Here are some asanas you can incorporate into your yoga practice during this season:

Bridge Pose

Bridge pose asks you to engage your core, strengthen through the thighs and glutes, and activates the pelvic floor. See how long you can hold this pose, or, incorporate some dynamic movement. When you push up into bridge, hold at the top for a couple breaths and then as you exhale, lower your spine back down to your mat, vertebrae by vertebrae. Continue for a few rounds and feel as your pelvic floor activates, creating strength and control.

Cat-Cow Pose

Cat-Cow is an oscillation between an arched spine and a rounded spine with the core pulled towards your spine and, you guessed it, the pelvic floor also activated. You move between these two poses in one breath: cow on the inhale, cat on the exhale. To create more fluidity in the body, play around with how you move from one pose to the other - perhaps shifting back into your hips or rolling your back from one side to the other as you move from one pose to the next.

Dancer Pose

Dancer pose is a standing and balancing pose that you may not necessarily correlate with your pelvic floor. However, as you lean forward in Dancer, a lot of that stability and balance is coming from the core and pelvic floor engagement. As you settle into Dancer, bring your awareness to your pelvic floor space. Feel into the strength there.

As you tap into your inner Scorpio this season (and we all have Scorpio energy, whether our birthday falls into that sign or not), honor that same energy on your mat, connecting mind and body with nature.

At Sol Luna Yoga, Reflect and Ascend are great classes to tap into the stillness within. And to practice more of these asanas specifically, attending Spark, Blaze, or Melt will encourage more pelvic floor engagement.