Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.
Already a member?
Log in
It’s Halloween and Scorpio season — widely considered by astrologers to be the “spookiest” sign of the zodiac. Why? Well, Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, which governs transformation, rebirth, deep secrets and the underworld. And that’s not all that’s happening in the skies either. Welcome to this year’s celestial line-up, which is being dubbed the El Niño of Halloween.
According to Dr Michael Lennox, an LA-based astrologer and psychologist, this year’s celestial line-up and the forces it brings have powerful consequences for all star signs. And AstroTok can’t get enough of it.
Not only are we in a double whammy retrograde with both Mercury, the ruling planet of communication, and Venus, the planet of love, going backwards in the sky (which spells double trouble for travel plans, communication mix-ups, and getting back with exes), but we are also in the midst of “unprecedented” planetary geometry: A rare web of sextiles and trines.
“The two-year grand sextile is reflecting a world that is changing at a revolutionary pace,” says Lennox about the electrifying, fast-paced cosmic atmosphere. “It started in 2025, and although it peaked in July, we are still in the thick of it,” Lennox says. “In many ways, we ain’t seen nothing yet,” he tells me.
Apparently, this means everything that happens right now is “extra intense”. “This is the most difficult year of change that anybody has ever lived through in living memory. Everything else that happens astrologically is much bigger and deeper and more powerful.”
It may all sound a bit space-y – literally – but astrology is enjoying renewed popularity among Gen Z who spend a lot of time looking to the stars to make sense of an increasingly complicated world. I’m open to the principal too; I’ve seen psychics and read Tarot cards – so why not an astrologer?
The good news is it’s not all doom and gloom in the cosmos for Halloween. There is also plenty of opportunity for magic and manifestation, says Lennox – who goes under the social media handle of redrobeastrology and presents wacky daily astrological weather reports at crack of dawn, wearing a red bathrobe.
While we have missed the spooky full Moon in Taurus on 26 October, Halloween night itself on 31 October features a waning gibbous Moon in Cancer, which Lennox claims is a powerful time for rituals.
“The Moon in Cancer is auspicious in treating Halloween as that magic day to do rituals,” he says. “Cancer is the archetype of the mother and home and tradition, the ideal time for magic in private sacred space,” he tells me.
Mercury is also in Scorpio, the zodiac sign often described as having an innate “sixth sense”, which means that our intuition and psychic ability will be at maximum potential, according to Lennox.
“But, there is a fork in the road,” he adds. “The Sun in Scorpio forms a 150-degree inconjunct to both Saturn and Neptune around this time,” he explains, and “it’s like an exit off a highway”, offering us the chance “to let go of outcomes” and “let go of disbelief”.
That’s me told.
Also worth noting is Venus has also been opposing Chiron, the Wounded Healer, over the last two months, which Lennox says forces us to heal the emotional blocks that stop us from receiving abundance, making it “a good time” to do rituals, as “the heart is being healed”.
.jpg)
Sounds like it’s a bumpy ride this Halloween. And we have to wait for 13 November for the Mercury and Venus retrogrades to both turn direct. Until then, we’re not to rush into any new ventures and would do well to batten down the hatches.
This Halloween, I’ll be heading out in a Traitor’s cloak, and as a Libra, I’ll be making damn sure I don’t cast any love spells to bring an ex back. I don’t want any Venus retrograde bad luck energy.
So, what rituals should you be doing to harness this wild Halloween ride? Here’s Lennox’s advice according to your star sign…
Aries
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, the warrior archetype and is ruled by Mars, the planet of war. “For this sign, it’s about fire magic,” says Lennox. That includes protective rituals around a bonfire – or even a candle. “You could write out something you want to get rid of and burn it – even negative self-talk,” he adds.
Taurus
The zodiac sign ruled by Venus has a deep love for beauty, sensuality and the finer things in life, is widely considered the most earthy sign of the zodiac. “It makes it the perfect time to work with crystals,” says Lennox. For those who are superstitious, don’t buy new ones as Venus is retrograde; just get out the old ones, and focus on the abundance you’d like to attract.
Gemini
The air sign, widely known as the master communicator of the zodiac, is ruled by Mercury—the planet of thought, language, and the intellect. “Gemini is all about words. So this is incredibly good for channelling automatic writing,” says Lennox, describing the practice in which you set an intention to connect to your higher self and let your hand write spontaneously on paper or a screen without conscious control, filtering, or editing. “Just see what comes out,” he says.
Cancer
“It’s all about Moon magic and working with the cycles,” says Lennox, this is about connecting to spirits of your ancestors – particularly mothers, and “feeling them guiding you in this life”. Perhaps this could include building an ancestor altar and placing photos of deceased loved ones, family trinkets, and white candles on a table to welcome their spirits as your guests for a family Halloween.
Leo
“For Leo’s, it’s all about ceremony – and as big and bold” as possible,” says Lennox. Leo thrives on outlandish costumes and presentation, so they could use their Halloween costume as a spell, by repeating self-empowering affirmations in front of the mirror. “Leo’s recognise they are the magic. It’s not shadowy, spooky magic, it’s radiating from their hearts.”
Virgo
The Virgo archetype is associated with the healer – healing hands, body work, and herbal remedies – and particularly on Halloween “potion making”. “Absolutely anything that takes parts to make a whole,” says Lennox. “It’s not the idea of witchcraft, but the practice of the spell, the potion, the herb, the recipe – and it’s about healing the body.”
This is the most difficult year of change that anybody has ever lived through in living memory and that makes everything else that happens astrologically much bigger and deeper and more powerful”
Dr Michael Lennox
Libra
It’s all about enchantment. “Halloween is good for aura readings, love magic, spells and potions to draw things closer,” says Lennox. However while preparing for the next major love affair is fine, manifesting it to appear right now isn’t ideal. Venus is retrograde, and any new love union might be regretted. Libra is fine tuned at Halloween to energies, and they’ll know subconsciously who to talk to, or not, at the Halloween party.
Scorpio
“Scorpio is comfortable in the darkest of the dark.” But he points out, that “if you know death, then you also know rebirth”. And this is the trick; Scorpios need to engage in transformative rituals that bring real change. “But don’t make any revenge love potions,” he strongly advises. “It could backfire.”
Sagitarrius
Sagittarius rules travel and movement; it’s the time for prophecy, divination, oracles. “Sagittarius, known as the Seeker, understands how to channel information into their awareness, but they need the tools to do it,” says Lennox. That is why it’s a good idea they have their rune stones and tarot cards ready and waiting to make the most of the Halloween magic.
Capricorn
The Earth sign Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the planet of discipline, structure, and responsibility, and Lennox says not for them New Age manifesting and self-empowerment rituals. Instead, “they will follow Halloween customs to the rule book – the spooky rituals such as trick-or-treating,” says Lennox. Keeping it practical, Capricorns will ensure that Halloween isn’t a dying tradition.
Aquarius
Expect to receive “flashes of profound insight and vision,” says Lennox. It’s all about expressing uniqueness, individuality, and nonconformity. That doesn’t just mean their Halloween costumes, but altered states of consciousness too, pay attention to dreams; this is the best way to travel to other realms this Halloween.
Pisces
Again, anything to do with the dream world is potent – either asleep, or awake. “It’s a good time to practice deep trance-like meditation,” says Lennox. As the ultimate intuitive water sign, Pisces could also make a talented natural medium for connecting deeply with intuition, and Halloween is the perfect time to gather friends around a table.
It’s a bumpy ride this Halloween. The Mercury and Venus retrogrades both turn direct on 13 November. Until then, it is widely believed in astrological circles, not to rush into new ventures or romantic partnerships. What’s left to do? Batten down the hatches, and do a little bit of magic on Halloween. I’ll be heading out in a Traitor’s cloak, and as a Libra, I’ll be making damn sure I don’t cast any love spells to bring an ex back. I don’t want any Venus retrograde bad luck. I’m just going to socialise and possibly throw in a bit of aura reading.
