2026 Scorpio Full Moon
FULL MOON IN SCORPIO 11°20’
This Scorpio Full Moon that kicks off May is yet another intense 2026 lunation likely to expose some deep-seated feelings, fears, &/or secrets for the greater good. Dwell if you dare, but true liberation in life often requires moving through the painful purging of toxicity.
We’ve been feeling the frustration rise from within as the threat to our autonomy increases day by day, exacerbated by out-of-touch “leaders” creating a wider gap in meaningful, positive human connection. This may have been especially true last month with so much of the cosmos in the Mars-ruled Aries.
Scorpio is also ruled by Mars (God of War) along with Pluto (God of the Underworld), so its power is submerged in the depths & fears that one must be brave enough to overcome.
And with this Scorpio Full Moon squaring off to Pluto in the Fixed Air sign of Aquarius, there may be something brewing beneath the surface that refuses to be contained any longer & needs to see the light to be discussed & talked through for the greater good.
Comic by Ignacio Di Meglio inspired by Critical Role’s Campaign 1, episode 43.
While Scorpio & Aquarius share a common goal to seek the truth at all costs, there is an initial tension before coming together harmoniously since their strengths come from exaggerating different elements.
Scorpio will dwell on darker emotions & opt for revenge while Aquarius will want to disassociate from feelings (quite literally putting them in a vessel outside from them) to do what it thinks is right on paper for the most amount of people.
And here is the challenge presented for us in murky waters:
finding the common ground & not losing the plot in the process.
Read on for an expansion of the planetary energies influencing this Full Moon, as well as more prompts, tarot cards, & more recommendations to make the best out of the current cosmos.
Scene from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie when an enraged Katniss has to be reminded who the real enemy is while fighting the for her life.
Notable Nuances
(For fellow astro/data-nerds)
We know from above that the co-rulers of this full moon are Mars & Pluto, & knowing where those two planets are will give us more details as to how this particular Scorpio Full Moon with a T-Square to Pluto will be.
For this one, Mars is in Aries + Pluto in Aquarius. Both energies unapologetically demand autonomy of one's unique self & mission & aren't afraid to stir the pot (or start a revolution) over it.
Since Mars is also right at home in Aries where it has no qualms about starting a fight (or war), the planetary influences at play here can lead to some regrettably inhumane results. Pluto in Aquarius is the outlet of this T-square, calling upon cooler heads & those who clean up their act, detach from ego, & truly have humanity’s best interest to prevail. The key is collaboration, which is a higher octave Aquarian ideal.
Also in Aries are Saturn (Daddy responsible), nebulous Neptune, & Chiron, the wounded healer, conjunct Mercury.
Both Mars & the Moon affect our physical reactions.
The Moon & Mercury rule memory.
Chiron & Pluto deal with our psyche & the deepest wounds from which we can reclaim our power to heal ourselves & others with.
Traditional ruler Mars is also moving away from Saturn, which has been frustratingly restricting its desire for action. Mars making its way towards a square off with expansive & optimistic Jupiter in Cancer at this point. Jupiter is still in its exaltation in Cancer, making us consider the defense of our emotional roots, but Mars is bringing the heat.
Aside from the (wide) square to the luminaries, modern ruler Pluto is making a sextile to Neptune in Aries & trining both Uranus & Venus in Gemini, inviting actions towards activism & connection through differing insights.
ASTROLOGY 101
Since I gave a preview for the Cardinal signs during in the previous post over Aggro April, I want to give the Fixed signs their limelight & a little astro 101.
The fixed signs all tend to seek comfort & stability from their element & similarly then stubbornly fixate on them when things go wrong. They experience the excess & extremes of each element.
The Moon, who stores & cyclically brings up feelings that have especially left a physical imprint on us is strongly uncomfortable in Scorpio since Scorpio tends to fixate & act on the most intense & psychologically damaging feelings.
Grudge, anyone? Natives who have this placement (or an 8H/12H Moon &/or a Moon aspecting Pluto) tend to naturally psychically pick up on the most hidden &/or dark energies.
As appropriate for the Scorpio Full Moon, I will include some of the shadow sides to each Fixed sign.
♉ Taurus (currently where the Sun is) fixates & exaggerates on everything to do in the Earthly realm including being physically present & seeking to indulge in one's primary senses (sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste), which requires the acquisition & maintenance of physical security (home, work, currency, assets). This can lead to overconsumption, overmaterialism, greed, & laziness.
♏ Scorpio (currently where the Moon is) fixates & exaggerates on the heart’s experiences & emotions.
Like all water signs, Scorpio has a connection to memory that is felt, but not seen. And like all water signs, Scorpio seeks control of its environment in order to not be manipulated itself. Take this to the extremes & you get emotional obsession & a psychic radar on the most hidden things.
♒ Aquarius (currently where Scorpio's modern ruling planet, Pluto, is): fixation & exaggeration of mental connection.
When you gather a bunch of people connected in common thought, that is an impressive, unstoppable force. Aquarius wants to make it so that all ideas are welcome & explored, so it’s associated with everything including social networks, divination, quantum physics, & conspiracy theories. Aquarian energy is pure “power to the people” where will is involved, but the danger here is when feelings are completely discarded to the point the initial goal of human connection is lost.
♌ Aaand saving “the best” for last, let’s talk about Leo, who fixates & exaggerates one's passions, inner light, joys, & creative expression.
Leo is all about “the glory days,” & loves the stage, seeking the limelight however it can such as through leadership, entertainment, & of course, drama. The shadow side to Leo is that Leo definitely does NOT recognize (or wants to see) its own shadow, being ruled by the biggest luminary in which everything else revolves around & all. Because the biggest light casts the biggest shadow. Leos have DEEP insecurities when someone else threatens to cast a bigger light because to them, it feels as if their life source is getting siphoned off &/or extinguished. So they flare up in retaliation & make a scene, casting all sorts of fireballs & all of a sudden everyone is taking on AOE damage & no one is having fun anymore. And it’s a subsequently bad time for anyone else who brings up the crash out to the Leo. So if you’re dealing with a Leo, good luck to you. (I say that lovingly as a Leo south node.)
Turning this back towards the original subject, Scorpio & Aquarius both have a genius that comes from considering patterns (both seen & unseen), & together, they can come up with a strategy for success & stability in the far future for all beings. I’m sure Taurus & Leo can happily get on board with a pleasant, secure future in which they can slow down & play.
Keep all this in mind as the Moon’s nodes will shift into the Leo-Aquarius axis during Leo season (late July/mid August depending on true or mean node), which is where the nodes will remain for the next 18 months.
This means that the Scorpio lunation story that began on November 20, 2025 & will complete its cycle this upcoming November 9th will involve tension between what needs to be shed in Leo traits as we collectively move towards Aquarius. (Hint: it's giving a demand of “Power to the People” especially with Mercury & Venus being in Rx with Mars slowing down towards Rx at the end of the year as well.)
If you want to learn more about the signs, be sure to sign up to receive my Cosmic Correspondences below! All subscribers receive my free Astrology 101 guide & no other fluff. You can also continue to follow me on my IG & book a session with me for a more personal intensive.
SUGGESTION
Consider what was going on for you during the Scorpio New Moon that occurred on November 20, 2025.
This Scorpio full moon is the climax of that story, illuminating what has proved to be toxic in our lives & needs purging over the next 6 months in order to be cleansed.
Future check-ins:
See what comes up later this month on May 26th as both rulers of Scorpio will square off with each other.
During the 1st quarter moon on August 19, 2026 at 27°07’ of Scorpio, see what recurring themes come up that need addressing.
The goal is to meet, make peace with, & integrate your shadows by the November 9th New Moon at 16°53’ of Scorpio.
Since this Scorpio full moon occurs on May 1st which coincides with Beltane/Samhain (Northern vs Southern hemisphere) & International Worker's Day/Labor Day, any element can be invoked for purposes of release.
With Pluto being seen in between both luminaries in the sign of Aquarius, incorporate the element of air.
Let the simmering emotions come to a full boil so you can alchemize its waters into a cleansing steam.
And since a Scorpio full moon occurs when the Sun is in the opposite sign of Taurus, I do suggest a sort of physical detox that is supportive of your personal vessel. Sweat it out!
This is also a great lunation to use divination & psychic tools for shadow work.
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES
Shadow Work
Psychic/shadow work using any element with the intent of revealing the main thing that's ready to release.
Divination of choice (tarot, oracle, runes, scrying, etc.)
Automatic writing
Once you’re aware of what you want to release, write it out on a piece of paper & physically burn that piece of paper.
If you want a stronger sympathetic link/seal to your commitment, mark it some way with some of your bodily fluid such as licking an envelope to seal said letter before burning it, or licking your fingers & rubbing them against the candle you’re using to burn said letter. (Your choice on this one, but Taurus/Scorpio does deal with this in the body.)
Play a song that takes you back to a memory that is more tender.
Write to that version of yourself from where you’re currently at now that you're further removed from the previously activating situation. I suggest incorporating words of affirmation/encouragement that you made it (or are still making it) through.🎵 My song of choice: Labor by Paris Paloma, especially the Cacophony version.
Ground It In
Go to a Hot Yoga class
Consume a simple detox tea using plant allies your body welcomes (ex: dandelion)
Take an Epsom salt bath
Go to a sauna &/or jetted tub
Sound bath
As a reminder, while you may consider these recommendations to be more potent & aligned nearer to the actual moment of any event, these recommendations can be done at any time as intention & heart transcends linear time (as we typically tend to think of it).
For example, I spent the afternoon of the Scorpio Full Moon reflecting on what I wanted to release while taking a much-needed Epsom salt bath. I wrote a letter, lit a smudge stick, & used it to burn the letter over a fire-safe bowl above the bath. As it burned, I put a reiki video on over energetic release & soaked in the bath some more, rinsed off, then flushed the burned contents down a toilet. Then I made myself some simple soup that my family used to make often.
Mystic Messages x Cards to Contemplate
The tarot card & imagery I feel most appropriate for this lunation is the 6 of Swords, specifically from The Shadows We Cast Tarot by Nicky Ferrada.
The 6 of Swords suggests a release of burdens & suffering in order to be guided (with T.L.C. because of the numerology of 6) to a better unknown future. It’s also associated with Aquarius (Aquarius Mercury), so there’s a literal air of detachment in order to move forward.
I specifically love the imagery from this deck for this since you can see how water & air interact. The deck itself also provides a gentler entry for shadow work to land through its soft & cute fantasy imagery.
“The truth you seek was always there hiding in your shadow waiting to be remembered. May these cards be your guide into remembrance.” - The Shadows We Cast Tarot by Nicky Ferrada.
Dig up what keeps you anchored in turbulent waters so you can move on into smoother, clearer waters.
I would also recommend reflecting upon the Fool’s journey through the Major Arcana, particularly when the Fool encounters Scorpio in the guise of Death.
Following Death comes a new day & a chance for alchemy, balance, & renewal through Temperance.
HOWEVER, if one doesn’t learn their lesson & embrace Temperance, they will continue to be chained in self-sabotage, as represented by the Devil card. This refusal to untether oneself to one’s vices inevitably causes a Tower moment, which is a Major Arcana card because it’s such a common human experience.
Image of the Death, Temperance, The Devil, & The Tower Tarot cards taken from Ascend Get Lifted site’s guide.
Following this fall from the Tower of false security (a lesson we’ve all likely faced while Uranus was in Taurus from 2018 to last month), it’s time for another chance at rebirth with the Star (typically illustrated as the water-bearing Aquarius).
I emphasize this journey now because the Fixed signs tend to hold on the tightest to their current experience, so the shifts in the lunar nodes into the Leo-Aquarius axis during this upcoming Leo season will impact them the most.
IN SHORT
This is a Martian-ruled Full Moon that is offering you a chance to level up to your next highest form by ultimately facing yourself.
Pay attention to this lunation & how it lands in your body & psyche.
Accept the invitation illuminated by this Scorpio full moon to get curious about what is causing you the most inflammation that is within your control.
Investigate its roots, then identify what needs to be done in a sustainable fashion in order to truly heal any resulting wounds.
Don’t be afraid to lean into the information &/or support of loved ones to help identify any patterns & blind spots!
Give yourself & others grace. We’re all in this together.
Scene from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End when Frieren battles a shadow clone of herself. Image originally from a Reddit post by ZeronicX, but to prevent spoilers, I will reference & credit vs linking said post directly. I HIGHLY suggest reading or watching Frieren because I consider Frieren to be a FANTASTIC Aquarian archetype.
Author's note: I originally had this typed up & ready to publish on May 1st, but the cosmos humbled me once again. This lunation was occurring along my 2H, 5H, & 11H (add in 4H & 10H given my 0° IC/MC along the Taurus/Scorpio axis). It had been storming off & on since 11pm CT the previous night & all throughout the day. Entirely appropriate for this Full Moon in Scorpio. What I did NOT consider was how the weather may have affected my ability to publish on time (talk about a literal square to Aquarius which is associated with the internet). By the time I was done inserting rest & my own rituals into the Venus-ruled day, my WIFi crapped out mid-publishing & the original version of this blog got all sorts of corrupted. Womp womp. So I apologize yet again for the late post(s) & thank you for your patience as I’m STILL in hopefully the final stretch of having to find creative solutions for my work away from home.
Until next time!
