This Week’s Focus

From Libra to Scorpio: Welcoming Change
Issue 42 Volume 8 20 October 2025

Once your intelligence is turned inward, you will understand that life is not something you do — it’s something you allow. ~ Sadhguru

Image Credit: Norma Dominguez

Dear wonderful neighbour and fellow traveller;

The phrase as above, so below is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure associated with ancient Egyptian and Greek wisdom traditions. It originates from the Emerald Tablet, a Hermetic text whose earliest known version appears in Arabic writings from the late eighth or early ninth century. The modern paraphrase is based on a Latin translation of the tablet’s second verse, which states “That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above“.

As we leave Libra and move into Scorpio, it’s a good time to reacquaint ourselves with the Cosmic Man a profound archetype found across the world in various religious, philosophical, and mythological traditions, symbolising the totality and interconnectedness of all existence. A human being is a conscious reflection of the Cosmic Man, capable of experiencing transcendence, self-awareness, and sensitivity to the deeper realities of existence. Scorpio is where this possibility gains momentum — and where it can stall.

In Vedic astrology, the Cosmic Man embodies the twelve signs of the zodiac and represents the journey of the human soul, from consciousness (Aries) to Consciousness (Pisces). Fortunately for us, it is not up to us whether we embark on this journey: our destiny is set — if we are here as a human, we eventually experience our interconnectedness with all existence, in this life or a future one. As with any contract, though, it’s what’s in the fine print that really matters.

God is a rather compassionate fellow and He certainly enjoys a good yarn, so He gave us free will to write our own story. Good, bad, ugly — it’s completely up to us! Yet, God is also very wise. He knew that if He simply opened the gates to His kingdom, we would party like there is no tomorrow. So he did two things to keep us honest: he created the law of karma and he hid the key to his kingdom in a most unlikely place. Scorpio rules both these.

Karma at its root is Sanskrit for ‘action’. In practical terms, it means if you ridicule the new barista for serving you a macchiato instead of a cortado, you have created a ripple in the Cosmos that will eventually find its way back to you. Wise folks have referred to this as ‘you reap what you sow’ or, as my Finnish ancestors would have told their children, metsä vastaa niinkuin sinne huudetaan (shout into the forest and it will answer back). I’d even guess that apple-loving fellow Sir Isaac must have known about karma when he formulated his Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Scorpio is the 8th sign and the 8th sign embraces the law of karma. Scorpio means you may fool someone once and even twice, but in the end, it will be you holding the bag of consequences, the sting of the scorpion. Eventually, we begin to understand that what we do, and what we think, creates the melody of our life. If we are very wise, then we begin to associate change with karma, both our individual karma and the collective karma of which our individual karma is a subset.

In time, with the help of amazing grace or just good luck, we come to understand that change is an opportunity because it is only through change that transformation can occur. Change may come gently or jolt us into hyper awareness. Either way, we make contact with the unseen aspects of our self, what Jung refers to as the shadow mind, that part of us that is usually unconscious. Change brings this shadow mind into our awareness — if we have the courage to look beyond the familiar.

For this reason, Scorpio is the sign that relates to the mystical, the unseen, the ethereal realms. Esoteric arts like astrology, numerology, and tarot cards are ruled by Scorpio and one’s 8th house. This is why you typically find a strong 8th house in the charts of highly intuitive people and those who work with the occult sciences. It is through the mystical that we find where God hid the keys to His kingdom.

There is an old story that tells how God wanted to hide the keys to His kingdom in a not so obvious place. After all, we humans need to work for what we receive or we don’t respect it. A wise archangel suggested the deepest part of the ocean, but God answered that one day, humans would go there. “What about the Moon?” the archangel asked. ‘“The Moon, too, shall know the steps of humans,” God replied. Then God suddenly beamed. “I know! I shall put the keys to my kingdom in a place they will rarely look! The human heart!”

Scorpio holds the keys to God’s kingdom. It is discovered only when we intentionally comb the depths of our own being, but this takes courage — immense courage, for the spiritual journey at its core is a peeling away of layers of who we are not, layers we believe are paramount to our survival. For countless lifetimes, we have invested heavily in our conditioned mind. It has become the castle walls we hide behind with the slightest provocation, be it an unkind word from a friend, a humiliating situation, or simply an unfulfilled desire that keeps us up at night, not realising we seek it from a feeling of incompleteness and separation.

Yogis and mystics “live” in the 8th house for they have combed the depths of their inner world and discovered the keys to God’s kingdom where they reside not as an individual, but as the whole. We, too, can find the key and every human being on Earth will eventually discover the key — this IS our destiny — to know and experience our interconnectedness with all life. Scorpio is the sign that points the way.

This month, do what you can to fire up the courage to face your trials and tribulations like a warrior, not with clenched fist, but with one-pointed determination. Scorpio is ruled by the warrior planet, Mars, and through Nov 4th, Mars will be in Scorpio giving you an edge. During this time, Mars will be with the Sun and, together, you can experience great progress when you stand firm in the face of challenge and leave the comfort and security of the castle. The battle is not within the walls, but outside where you are vulnerable. It’s the battle that most be fought, but one you are already destined to win.

By the way, in case you are wondering, the difference between a macchiato, (Italian origin) and a cortado (Spanish origin) primarily relates to the espresso-to-milk ratio. A cortado is made with equal parts espresso and steamed milk which noticeably softens the espresso intensity. A macchiato is espresso with just a small amount of steamed milk added on top maintaining most of the espresso’s unmodified intensity. Both are like little lattes.

Now that you now, please don’t give that new barista a hard time. 😁

🤗

Warm thoughts and many blessings,

David 🙏🏻
astrologyofjoy.com

Halloween Special! Do you have the courage to open the door to your 8th House? Don’t worry. It’s not a house of horrors; it’s just your karmic past saying, “Feed me!” This month, let’s look deeply at your 8th house, your hidden fears and what you can do to slay your inner demons. Knowledge is power!! Online special £49/hr.

Astrology Monday

Weekly Planning Forecast

This Week’s Focus

Libra and the masculine and feminine balance
Issue 41 Volume 8 13 October 2025

You’ve probably heard the quote, “Music soothes the savage beast.” Actually, the original phrase was from a play by English playwright William Congreve in 1697 and goes, “Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” And what might the savage breast be? An untamed heart… The feminine (symbolised by music) has the power to soothe an unruly and inflexible masculine.

This gives deeper meaning to the sign of Libra, the sign of relationship. Libra is a masculine sign (Air) ruled by a feminine planet (Venus) — a situation many men experience in their relationships, though they may be unaware. Indeed, most men probably say they take the lead in their relationship. The truth, however, is more likely that women let the man think he takes the lead in the relationship. Such are the ways of love… and the wisdom of the feminine. 🤭😄

Image: Union of Souls (1896) by Max Švabinský

Dear wonderful neighbour and fellow traveller;

Libra is symbolised by the scales and is the sign of balance, specifically, between the masculine and feminine. As an air sign, Libra expresses itself through masculine qualities like leadership, personal will, planning, and action. Ruled by Venus, Libra seeks to do this through the guidance of the feminine, e.g., art, beauty, diplomacy, emotions, and romance. This is why many individuals with strong Libra influences often become powerful advocates for the arts or humanitarian and ecological causes.

In order to fully embrace the next sign, Scorpio, the masculine and feminine nature must be in balance. As in the natural world, human beings typically seek this balance in a biologically opposite mate, a definite aspect of Libra. However, this outward expression of Libra can only be a support, never a resolution. The masculine/feminine balance is only achieved from within and is a cornerstone of the mystical experience symbolised by Scorpio which we will discuss next week.

Another way of understanding this is that the evolving soul in Virgo takes on a worldly identity through education and career in order to resolve its lack of fulfilment. When the world in this way fails to satisfy the soul’s restlessness, the soul expands its identity to include the partner symbolised by Libra. This, too, eventually fails to live up to its billing, a fortunate circumstance for now the soul has no choice but to turn within where it begins the journey back to its authentic nature (Consciousness). Thus, Libra denotes an important step in the evolution of the soul towards its ultimate fulfilment.

As Sadhguru says, “The only way out is in.” 🤗

Warm thoughts and many blessings,

David 🙏🏻
astrologyofjoy.com

Astrology Monday

Weekly Planning Forecast

This Week’s Focus

Crash Course: Libra, Womb Energy, and Sexual Relations
Issue 40 Volume 8 06 October 2025

There is more respect in the East for women and for their role in society. Here in the West, the woman is not fully appreciated. Her contribution is underrated and misunderstood. In fact, this is one of the reasons she seeks fulfilment and recognition in other spheres, because Western society has become oblivious of her unique and vital role. Abused by neglect and disregard, she seeks other avenues where she may be appreciated, recognised and rewarded. — Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927 — 2001), Living with Siva (2001)

Dear wonderful neighbour and fellow traveller;

What follows is a crash course on a profound topic that can help you transform your life. This topic is complex, but the message is simple: everything is energy and the wise ones know how to use energy for the good of all… we can too. 😉

Astrophysicists, religious pundits, and yogis agree that in the beginning, there was an incomprehensible ‘explosion’ of energy which ultimately created the Cosmos and everything in it. Science calls this the ‘Big Bang’, religion speaks of the ‘word of God’, and yoga refers to the ‘primordial AUM’. In essence, who we think we are, including our body, mind, and spirit, is energy and as the first law of thermodynamics states, energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

The Astrology of Joy newsletter I offer each week is unapologetically geared towards women in large part because most of you reading this are female. Nevertheless, what is discussed is applicable to both men and women, even this month’s chat about wombs and womb energy. A man who understands and respects the feminine energy in all its forms is better able to support the pure expression of the feminine and not a ‘masculinised’ version which has run rough shod over the feminine quality for decades — ironically, in large part by women. The feminine is an absolutely vital aspect of Life and when it is regularly undercut by a ‘poverty of consciousness’, the beauty, compassion, and joy of life struggles to express itself in its purity.

As we noted last week, a woman’s womb is a powerful storehouse of spiritual energy. Though its primary purpose is to conceive and nurture life, the energy in reserve required to support this purpose profoundly influences the nature of a woman, e.g., to be caring, compassionate, and nurturing — qualities required to be a mother, a role a woman inherently imbibes, even if only in principle. This same energy easily allows a woman to transcend the normal physical experience and perceive other dimensions of reality and more readily than a man (generally speaking).

Why would she not? The simple answer is because of a poverty of consciousness that prevents her from realising and experiencing the innate power of her womb energy. In a masculinised world that puts so much emphasis on the sexual experience, indiscriminate sex is arguably the greatest threat to her experiencing the majesty and miracle of her own being. This is not a moral issue; it’s an energetic one.

Most women do not understand the greatness of the feminine quality that manifests within them (nor men, for that matter, but that’s for another issue). In India not long ago, Sadhguru made it a point to admonish women for allowing their bodies to become objectified by men. He was not addressing any woman in particular, but women as a whole. There are many layers to this, of course, but the point is that spiritual beings like Sadhguru experience the importance of the feminine not only in the world but in ourselves. Between any two objects in this world, including between us humans, there is an energetic exchange. The more intimate and physical that exchange, the greater the energetic bond created. This is not labelling anything as right or wrong; rather, it is a reminder that everything we do and everything we think has consequences. Remember? Energy is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. Just like in law, ignorance is not an excuse. The consequences of energy exchange will be experienced.

One of the great pitfalls of liberal ideology in recent times, is the belief that self-discipline has little or no value in a person’s life, that “if it feels good, it must be right”. Spiritual beings from all traditions have for centuries cautioned us against such beliefs, and this is especially true for promiscuity. Sadhguru warns both men and women of the energetic price paid for promiscuity that can affect our lives in unimaginable ways. Likewise, many gurus such as the well-respected yogi Sivaya Subramuniyaswami and founder of Hinduism Today magazine speak of a cord or tube of energy created between two people who have intercourse that lasts for up to twelve years. Sadhguru elaborates and tells us this “body memory” creates insecurity and is one of the primary agents for discord.

This energy tube is actually an ingenious protective mechanism nature has created in the chance that a child is born from the coming together of a man and woman. This tube influences the emotional minds of both at a profound level and creates a bond between them. This is why it is harder to separate from a sexual partner than a partner where sex had not occurred. Again, do not think of this in terms of morals or you will miss the point. Morals are human inspired; energy interaction is not. There is no judgement being handed down; rather, there are simply natural laws that have consequences. Let go of a brick over your bare toe, and gravity will remind you natural laws have consequences. 🤭

Not surprisingly, modern science is coming to the same conclusions. Cardiologist Dr. Paul Pearsall in his bestselling book The Heart’s Code writes:

From a cardio-energetic point of view, it may not be possible to engage in “casual” sex. Every mechanistic act of genital juxtaposition and mutual pelvic gymnastics may also be a vital-fluid, connective-energy exchange. What we mechanistically refer to as a climax is really a powerful end to the build-up to an energetic bond. Whenever we “make love,” and whether or not we combine cells to make a new life, we are creating new cellular memories within and between two life systems. We are engaging in an energetic event that, because of the principle of nonlocality and the fact that elements once in contact are forever connected, becomes a permanent cellular memory of and for each lover. If our intent is to avoid energetic commitment, no sex is “safe” sex.

Self-realised spiritual master Gurumay Chidvilasananda warned us many years ago in a public programme that we take on the karma of those with whom we are intimate. Don Juan, Carlos Castaneda’s shaman guru, said that our past sexual experiences are a major obstacle on the spiritual path and advised his students to ‘recapitulate’ all past experiences as a means of not only taking back your energy from your sexual partners, but returning the energy you took from them.

Note: A simple form of recapitulation is to hold the memory of an encounter with someone from the past, breathe in with the intention of “taking back your energy” and breathe out with the intention of giving back to them what you took. Do this with focused intent and you will find it is an amazing process. This need not be done for just sexual partners, but for any past interaction with another.

Modern society through marketing spaces, the entertainment industry, and powerful organisations with agendas have intentionally promoted the idea of sex without consequences for at least 100 years. As spiritual beings, however, we understand that nothing is free. There are no morals to this story. This is not about being prudish or sentencing everyone to celibacy. It is simply asking you to pause, be conscious, and be discriminating in your actions. Ask yourself if what you are about to do is going to take you where you want to go. If so, then great! If not, why go on?

Without a doubt, every woman has available to her by virtue of being born a woman a powerful ally within her that can help her open the door to both spiritual dimensions and the halls of worldly success. Perhaps there was a time when women felt powerless because of their position in society, but in modern times, women are empowered to live their lives according to their own ideas. The more women come into this realisation, the better the feminine will express itself as it should. Men also have a responsibility and must pull their weight. Together, both men and women can make the world a better place, as we should.

Warm thoughts and many blessings,

David 🙏🏻 🤗
astrologyofjoy.com

Bibliography:

– Living with Shiva, by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

– The Sorcerer’s Crossing: A Woman’s Journey, by Taisha Abelar

– Various YouTube videos of Sadhguru speaking on the subject like this one here

– The Heart’s Code, by Paul Pearsall

– Integral Yoga Blog, a very nice discussion with references

– The Art of Dreaming, by Carlos Castaneda

Astrology Monday:
Just the facts, please!
An American icon from 60s television, hard-boiled detective Joe Friday always insists on “just the facts”.

This week’s no-nonsense forecast:

Worldly fulfilment
Mars/Mercury in Scorpio
Scorpio is Mars’s second home. Scorpio is more mystical and psychological than worldly. Still, Scorpio is a great guide to any endeavour. The sting of the Scorpio scorpion tells us when we are off track.

With Mercury in Scorpio today through 28 October, an enemy to Mars, we can feel that our efforts do not amount to much. Be watchful of becoming overwhelmed with options. Pick a few and throw yourself into those. Continue the ones that work.

Saturn retrograde in Pisces
This combination causes fear and concern because our imagination can get away from us. However, Saturn’s retrograde status helps us recognise previous fear-inspired choices so we can create a better plan to resolve current issues. If struggling, rethink your game plan.

Spiritual fulfilment
Mars/Mercury in Scorpio
Scorpio is where the will of Mars makes great gains in shining a light into the dark corners of the unconscious. This is why Scorpio is also the sign of mysticism and mystical experience. With Mercury, don’t rationalise away mystical experience. Keep things simple.

Ongoing

Solar Eclipse (effects through October)
Material connection and abundance get a boost from learning where you are not embracing your natural talents and abilities. Being false stems from the fear of losing control. Step back, look at your life objectively, then have courage to be who you always knew you were. This eclipse is extremely beneficial if you allow it to reveal where you deceive yourself.

Uranus in Gemini!
Uranus is in Gemini thru 8 November, giving us a preview of the next seven years beginning 26 April, 2026. Uranus is your authentic nature yearning to be freed. If you are struggling, it simply means you are not honouring your authenticity. You are living a lie and Uranus wants to put an end to your falsehoods and pretence. Let it show you the way.

Jupiter in Cancer
Jupiter in Cancer is an opportunity to find fulfilment through service, creativity, and abundance. Keep your Jupiter pointed high. Jupiter can become distracted and very ordinary through material goals. Nothing wrong with these as long as they don’t take the lead.

Astrology Monday

Weekly Planning Forecast

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If you want success, the foremost thing is to ensure that you are not the obstacle to it. — Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, yogi, mystic, humanitarian, NYT bestselling author