Friday, October 31, 2025

HOW TO MASTER THE STARS • THE SEASON OF THE WITCH • NOVEMBER 2025

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๐Ÿ”ฎIntroduction

November opens like a sacred portal—an in-between realm where the veil between seen and unseen grows thin and the stars speak in whispers of destiny. This is a month woven with mystery, its rhythms attuned to the pulse of the cosmos itself. Each movement of the heavens seems deliberate now, as though the universe were composing a symphony of transformation meant for your soul alone.

As the Sun completes its journey through Libra (Tula), the realm of balance and refinement, it prepares to cross the threshold into Scorpio (Vrischika), the sign of depth, power, and transmutation. Here, light plunges into shadow, revealing the hidden chambers of the psyche where truth waits to be reclaimed. The great outer planets move slowly, anchoring us in karmic lessons that demand patience, integrity, and profound inner focus.

The Moon becomes our guide through this passage. Its Full phase on November 5th strikes like lightning across the heart—illuminating what has been denied or forgotten. By the Third Quarter on November 12th, the cosmos invites release, asking us to shed illusions and step lighter into our next becoming. As the New Moon approaches, silence ripens into potential; the universe holds its breath, and in that stillness, the first whispers of new creation begin to form. See below.

This is a month for sacred surrender—for aligning the self with the deeper cosmic tides that shape both the heavens and the human spirit.


๐ŸŒ™ November 2025: Horoscopes and Star-Mastery

Aries (Mesha) ♈๐Ÿ‘ป

My courageous Ram, November is not about the visible battlefield; it is about the hidden resources and profound debts—both spiritual and material—that shape your future. The Sun's transit illuminates the deepest chamber of your chart, forcing an honest inventory of what you owe and what is truly yours. With your ruling planet, Mars, in a challenging position early in the month, a subtle aggression or intense passion will color your most intimate partnerships. Do not use this fire to dominate; use it to purify.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a stark, financial spotlight. It will reveal the true cost of your current security structure. This is a moment for radical honesty about value. Where have you compromised your worth for a paycheck? The Third Quarter on the 12th demands you cut ties with an old habit that sabotages your professional ascent. Your transformation is not an event, but a steady, deliberate emergence. The key to November is mastering the art of the shared resource. Your true prosperity is locked in the integrity of your agreements. Trust the process of release, for the coming New Moon promises a profound energetic rebirth, readying you to step into a power you’ve only imagined.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Practice of Shared Breath: Before beginning a conversation about money or intimacy, sit for five minutes. Visualize a column of golden light ascending from your sacral chakra and descending from your crown. See the breath entering your lungs as pure life-force and leaving as warm, non-judgmental acceptance. Repeat the affirmation: "My worth is internal; my abundance is shared." Pragmatically, review three joint financial documents (loans, contracts, shared accounts). The emotional clarity you cultivate will reveal a practical truth you previously overlooked. Use the Full Moon's illumination to identify one financial liability to actively reduce or eliminate before the New Moon.


Taurus (Vrishabha) ♉๐Ÿง›

Sweet Bull, November is the month of the Sacred Other for you. The focus shifts entirely to your partnerships—romantic, business, and collaborative. The Sun, transiting your house of commitment, asks you to gaze deeply into the mirror held up by your partners. What reflections do you deny? This month, you are called to an extreme level of diplomacy and balance, often feeling the tension between your need for stability and the urgent need for relationship evolution.

The Full Moon on the 5th is the most potent celestial event for you, landing directly in your own sign. Expect a deeply personal revelation about your identity and physical self. This is not a gentle light; it is a flash of brilliant recognition. What you discover will be the catalyst for a monumental change in a key relationship. The Third Quarter on the 12this the time to release the fear of being alone, which can manifest as clinging to outdated arrangements. The retrograde energies of major planets suggest that foundational relationships are being recalibrated. Do not fear the discomfort of rearrangement; the cosmic architect is simply shoring up the walls of your most important alliances. Your steadfast nature is a gift, but this month, allow it to bend, not break, to welcome in a more authentic connection.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Alignment of Two Paths: Find a quiet space and light a single candle. Let the flame represent your partner or a significant relationship goal. Focus on the unwavering light, a symbol of commitment. Now, place your hand over your heart and repeat: "I honor my stability, and I welcome the sacred growth in connection." Your practical work this month lies in proactive communication. Schedule three non-reactive, non-judgmental check-ins with your primary partner to discuss future vision. The energy of the Full Moon is perfectly suited for a visible change—a new hairstyle, wardrobe edit, or physical challenge—to integrate your renewed sense of self before the energy of the New Moon guides your next partnership move.


Gemini (Mithuna) ♊๐Ÿ•ธ️

My quick-witted Twins, November forces you to descend from the airy realm of thought and ground yourself in the practicalities of daily life, service, and wellness. The planetary focus shifts your attention to the rhythm and structure of your weeks. Are your habits supporting your highest vision, or merely serving as comfortable cages? This transit is the cosmic call for a health audit—physical, mental, and logistical. It is a subtle but powerful time, where small adjustments yield monumental results.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a quiet, yet potent, inner moment, illuminating secrets and deep subconscious patterns that impact your physical well-being. Pay attention to your dreams and intuition; the answers to chronic, nagging issues will surface now. The Third Quarter on the 12th compels you to declutter your work environment and release a toxic, daily interaction that drains your energy. With your ruling planet, Mercury, playing a complex role, miscommunications regarding professional details or health protocols are possible. Triple-check appointments, dosages, and contractual fine print. This is your month to master the magnificent mundanity of being well. When you treat your daily life as a sacred ritual, the profound spiritual realizations you seek will simply follow. Prepare your routine for the clean slate promised by the coming New Moon.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Ritual of Focused Work: Choose a small, daily chore (washing a bowl, organizing a single drawer). Dedicate five minutes to completing it with absolute, meditative focus, ignoring all distractions. As you work, repeat the mantra: "I am present in the service of my well-being." Your practical mission is to implement one significant health change: commit to a ten-minute walk, a new water intake goal, or an earlier bedtime. The Full Moon's revelations may involve a professional secret or a deep desire to change your job. Use the energy leading up to the New Moon to research a new skill or certification that aligns with the sense of service you feel called to embody.


Cancer (Karka) ♋⚰️

My sensitive Moonchild, November is a delightful, yet deeply charged, chapter focused on creative output, true joy, and romantic expression. The cosmos encourages you to shed the heavy cloak of domestic obligation and step into the sunlight of your own making. The Sun illuminates your House of Self-Expression, demanding that you honor the things that make your heart sing. This is a powerful invitation to play, to romance, and to bring the beauty of your inner world out into the physical realm.

However, your ruler, the Moon, brings the intense energy of the Full Moon on the 5th into your house of aspirations, friendships, and collective community. A long-held dream or a dynamic within a friend group will reach its absolute peak and demand a resolution. Is this vision still aligned with the person you are becoming? The Third Quarter on the 12th requires a deliberate release of a creative blockage or an old story about what you are capable of producing. Jupiter’s slow, deliberate movement in your sign continues to expand your sense of self, but the planetary retrogrades emphasize that this growth must be rooted in authentic joy, not external validation. This month, your power lies in your unapologetic self-love and your willingness to be seen in your creative brilliance. Prepare to plant the most important seeds of your joy during the approaching New Moon.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Activation of Joy: Dedicate ten minutes daily to a form of unbridled expression—singing off-key, vigorous dancing, or simply laughing. Allow the sensation of joy to fill your body. Repeat the affirmation: "My creativity is a sacred, necessary flow." Pragmatically, start a new creative project that has no end-goal other than pure enjoyment—a sketchbook, a playlist, a simple recipe book. Under the illumination of the Full Moon, evaluate a key friendship; if it does not nourish your spirit, gently create distance. The preparation for the New Moon is an act of romance: plan a joyful date with yourself or a beloved to celebrate your self-expression.


Leo (Simha) ♌๐Ÿ•ฏ️

Noble Lion, November brings your focus from the external roar to the foundational structure of your life: home, family, and inner emotional security. This month is a retreat, a recalibration, and a powerful time to heal the ancestral lines that influence your present. The Sun’s transit demands that you address domestic issues that have long been swept under the rug. Your challenge is to lead not with pride, but with the quiet dignity of a soul attending to its roots.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a blinding spotlight on your career and public standing. There will be a culmination, a public event, or a major decision regarding your life’s direction. This professional peak is directly tied to the emotional work you are doing at home. Are you leaning on a shaky foundation for your public power? The Third Quarter on the 12th is the cosmic release form—you must let go of a childhood narrative or a persistent family expectation that limits your professional scope. With slow-moving outer planets retrograde, you are rewriting a deeply personal script regarding ambition and safety. Do not mistake the desire for rest as a lack of drive; your ultimate success this month is measured by the peace you cultivate within your own four walls. Heal the past, secure the foundation, and your kingdom will naturally expand.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Practice of Sacred Space: Spend fifteen minutes in the center of your living space. Close your eyes and sense the energy of the home around you. Imagine a warm, protective light filling every corner, cleansing any lingering tension or stagnant energy. Repeat the mantra: "My home is my sanctuary; my foundation is unbreakable." Your pragmatic focus is on tangible domestic actions: fix a long-broken item, organize one clutter zone, or plan a comforting meal for your family or chosen kin. The powerful career shift illuminated by the Full Moon should be grounded with a specific, written career intention to be perfected by the New Moon.


Virgo (Kanya) ♍๐ŸŽƒ

My meticulous Virgo, November is a time of incredible mental velocity, sharp communication, and active learning. The universe is asking you to get out of your head and into the conversation. Your focus shifts entirely to your immediate environment: local community, siblings, short journeys, and the vast field of knowledge acquisition. This is your month to be the brilliant connector, the student, and the articulate messenger.

The Full Moon on the 5th illuminates your sector of long-distance travel, higher education, and philosophy. A breakthrough realization about a major life belief or a long-distance plan will occur. This illumination will show you how your daily communication patterns are either supporting or sabotaging your larger vision. The Third Quarter on the 12th is a powerful moment to release an old, limiting belief or an ineffectual way of speaking your truth. You may feel compelled to cut ties with a repetitive cycle of mental over-analysis. With so much planetary energy focused on mental clarity, this month is about ensuring the small, consistent conversations—the emails, the meetings, the daily thoughts—are perfectly aligned with the expansive truth you wish to embody. Before the New Moon arrives, you must have perfected the art of the intentional word.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Clarity of the Written Word: Each morning, before checking your devices, journal three pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts to clear the mind's clutter. Then, write one intentional message (an email, a letter, a thank-you note) that clarifies a misunderstanding or expresses gratitude. Repeat the affirmation: "My mind is a clear channel; my words create harmony." Your pragmatic task is to engage locally: join a community group, initiate a conversation with a neighbor, or research a short course to learn a new, immediately applicable skill. Use the momentum of the Third Quarter to clear out your digital clutter—inbox, desktop files—to make space for the New Moon's fresh ideas.


Libra (Tula) ♎๐ŸŽญ

My balancing Libra, November shifts your attention to the most tangible of matters: money, self-worth, and material security. The Sun moves through your second house, demanding a serious, yet deeply rewarding, conversation with yourself about what you truly value and how you earn it. This month, your scales are weighing not just relationships, but the true energetic exchange of your life force for abundance.

The Full Moon on the 5th cuts straight to the core of your shared finances, illuminating debts, investments, or the psychological power dynamics within a joint resource situation. A financial partnership or obligation will reach its critical mass. This is the moment to face the figures with grace and a clear mind. The Third Quarter on the 12threquires you to release the crippling fear of not having enough, which often manifests as chronic people-pleasing. You must shed the need to be "liked" over the need to be "paid" what you are worth. The slow, deep retrogrades of the outer planets emphasize that your current earnings are a reflection of your self-esteem. Your elegance and charm are valuable, but this month, you must pair them with a firm sense of your own monetary value. Cultivate a calm, unshakable self-worth, and the material world will respond in kind, readying you for the New Moon’s opportunity to launch a new, more lucrative venture.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Ritual of Financial Sovereignty: Hold a valuable object (a favorite piece of jewelry, a coin, a sacred stone). Feel its weight and the inherent value it represents. Visualize this sense of worth radiating outward from your core. Repeat the mantra: "I am worthy of profound and consistent abundance." Pragmatically, review your monthly income and expenses. Identify one area of overspending and one area of under-earning. The power of the Full Moon is perfect for renegotiating a rate or setting a clear, non-negotiable price for your services. As you prepare for the New Moon, start a daily habit of writing down three things you are grateful for related to your current resources.


Scorpio (Vrischika) ♏๐Ÿ‘ป

My intense Scorpio, November is your triumphant season of identity, renewal, and profound personal power. The Sun moves through your first house, shining a brilliant, undeniable light directly upon you. All eyes are on you, and the cosmos is demanding that you step fully and authentically into your own skin. This is your rebirth, your moment to shed the skin of your past and claim the sovereign future you have been cultivating in secret.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a seismic event in your house of partnership. A significant relationship will reach a peak of intensity—a proposal, a break-up, a truth revealed. This culmination forces you to see how your partnerships reflect your own sense of self. The lesson is that your identity does not rely on the presence or approval of another. The Third Quarter on the 12th calls for an ultimate release of a self-limiting label or an old fear about stepping into the spotlight. You must consciously stop defining yourself by the trauma or history you have overcome. With Mars, your ancient ruler, energizing your chart, your passion and drive are unmatched. Channel this intense energy into a constructive, singular personal goal. Your regeneration this month is absolute. The universe is aligning to support the full, unbridled expression of your deepest, most formidable self. The New Moon will be the sacred moment to launch the new you.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Gaze of Self-Possession: Stand before a mirror and look into your own eyes for five minutes. Do not judge, simply witness the presence looking back. Acknowledge your past, present, and future self in this one moment. Repeat the mantra: "I am whole. I am powerful. I am the architect of my own destiny." Pragmatically, initiate one bold, personal move: a dramatic physical change, the launch of a solo project, or a public declaration of an intention. The intensity of the Full Moon is excellent for clearing the air in a key relationship, allowing you to move forward without emotional baggage. Use the final weeks of the month to purify your intention for the New Moon by eliminating a self-sabotaging habit.


Sagittarius (Dhanu) ♐⚰️

My philosophical Archer, November is a month of deep retreat, introspection, and necessary closure. The Sun moves through your twelfth house, the most mystical and secluded part of your chart. This is not a time for bold, outward expansion, but for a journey into your own inner temple. You are completing a major spiritual cycle, purging old energetic debris, and listening to the soft, steady voice of your intuition. Trust the quiet; it is where the truth resides.

The Full Moon on the 5th will illuminate a significant change in your daily routine, service, or health. A work project or a physical challenge will reach a culmination point. This event will reveal the need for better boundaries between your spiritual life and your day-to-day commitments. The Third Quarter on the 12th is the cosmic invitation to cut a psychic cord—release a secret anxiety, a hidden self-sabotage, or a lingering connection to a past environment. Your ruler, Jupiter, is retrograde, amplifying the need for internal growth before outward action. The energy of this month is deeply restorative, a necessary pause before the profound, personal rebirth that begins when the Sun enters your sign next month. Your mission is to master the art of surrender, knowing that the greatest expansion follows the deepest peace. Listen to the silent wisdom, and you will be ready for the New Moon's clean slate.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Practice of Psychic Cleansing: Twice daily, spend five minutes visualizing a waterfall of white, purifying light washing over you, dissolving all anxiety, worry, and external noise. As you breathe out, release it all into the earth. Repeat the mantra: "I am protected; my inner world is my sacred sanctuary." Your pragmatic focus is on rest and non-action. Schedule three periods of uninterrupted solitude with no agenda. The Full Moon's health focus can be used to commit to a gentle detox or a conscious effort to finish a long-delayed task at work. In preparation for the New Moon, clear out one box of old memories or possessions to physically release the past.


Capricorn (Makara) ♑๐ŸŽƒ

My ambitious Goat, November is a powerful month of community, aspiration, and the cultivation of your future vision. The Sun moves through your eleventh house, pulling your focus toward your network, your friendships, and the collective causes that stir your soul. This is the month where your professional and personal contributions find their resonance within a larger group. You are called to lead, not from a place of authority, but from a place of shared vision.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a brilliant illumination in your house of creativity, joy, and romance. A major development will occur with a creative project, an important romance, or a child. This culmination will force you to assess if your current social circle truly supports your highest joy. If a friendship feels creatively stifling, this light makes it undeniable. The Third Quarter on the 12th is a potent time to release a public image or a peer group that no longer aligns with your evolving goals. You must shed the need for group approval and honor your singular path. Your ruler, Saturn, is retrograde, demanding a disciplined, internal audit of your commitments before they manifest externally. This month is a blueprinting stage—clarify your long-term goals, identify your collaborators, and use the power of the collective to amplify your unique contribution. Your true authority is earned through the integrity of your aspirations. The New Moon will offer the perfect moment to plant a seed for a new, powerful collaboration.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Network of Light: Close your eyes and visualize a circle of light surrounding you, composed of the people who genuinely support and inspire your highest goals. Feel the energy flowing back and forth. Repeat the mantra: "My network elevates me; my vision serves the greater good." Pragmatically, reach out to three different people in your professional network you haven't connected with in six months. The creative breakthrough of the Full Moon should be immediately documented—write down the idea, create a mood board, or commit to a creative deadline. Use the energy leading up to the New Moon to volunteer or contribute to one collective cause to ground your expansive, eleventh-house energy.


Aquarius (Kumbha) ♒๐ŸŽญ

My revolutionary Water Bearer, November is your month of professional destiny and public recognition. The Sun’s powerful transit moves through your tenth house, the zenith of your chart, illuminating your career, reputation, and life direction. This is the time you step into the spotlight, not by seeking it, but by simply executing your purpose with impeccable integrity. Authority figures and the public eye will be focused on your performance.

The Full Moon on the 5th lands in your house of home and emotional foundation. A major culmination or decision about your living situation, family, or property will demand your attention. This event will reveal how your domestic life is impacting your public success. Do you have the necessary emotional support to handle this professional ascent? The Third Quarter on the 12th requires a profound letting go of an old ambition that no longer defines you. Release the ghost of a past career path that keeps you tethered to unfulfilling work. Uranus, your modern ruler, continues its eccentric journey, ensuring that your public success will be unconventional and tied to innovation. This month, your power is in being unapologetically original and standing firm in your purpose, even if it disrupts the status quo. Secure your private life so your public life can flourish. The New Moon will signal the perfect moment to launch a major, professional initiative.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Vision of Public Service: Sit quietly and visualize yourself at the absolute peak of your professional success, serving your community and the world with your unique talents. See the impact you are having. Repeat the mantra: "My work is my legacy; my purpose is undeniable." Your pragmatic focus is on professional administration. Polish your resume, update your professional bio, or formally pitch a project to an authority figure. Use the revelation of the Full Moon to create a clearer boundary between your work-life and home-life, perhaps creating a dedicated sacred work space. As you prepare for the New Moon, choose one professional mentor to seek out for advice.


Pisces (Meena) ♓๐Ÿ•ฏ️

My ethereal Dreamer, November calls you to broaden your horizons, seek higher truth, and embark on a philosophical journey. The Sun illuminates your ninth house, a sector governing long journeys, higher learning, spirituality, and your core belief system. This is a time to expand beyond your current known world, whether through travel, intense study, or the deep communion of faith. You are seeking the Grand Perspective.

The Full Moon on the 5th is a brilliant, urgent light on your communication and immediate environment—local contacts, siblings, or short-distance travel. A significant message will arrive, or a truth will be revealed in a local setting, compelling you to share your knowledge on a grander scale. This event reveals the contrast between your daily chatter and your profound, spiritual inner life. The Third Quarter on the 12th is the necessary spiritual shedding—release a rigid dogma, a judgment, or a fear of the unknown that keeps your world small. With your ruler, Neptune, continuing its deep, watery journey, your intuition is hyper-sensitive. Trust the visions, trust the synchronicities, and use your imagination to build bridges to the future. This is your month to walk the path of the teacher or the eternal student, to seek meaning beyond the material, and to prepare your soul for the next great ascent. The New Moon will be the sacred moment to commit to a new life-altering study or journey.

๐ŸŒŸ Star-Mastery Meditation 

The Compass of Truth: Hold a map, globe, or a sacred book. Feel the weight of the world or the wisdom it contains. Close your eyes and visualize a beam of light extending from your heart, connecting to the farthest reaches of your vision. Repeat the mantra: "I am guided by higher truth; my spirit is boundless." Pragmatically, research one course of study (online, university, or spiritual) that truly ignites your soul, or book a trip to a place that feels spiritually resonant. Use the communication focus of the Full Moon to write an insightful, philosophical essay or a letter outlining your personal code of ethics. In the stillness leading up to the New Moon, commit to ten minutes of daily study on a subject completely new to you.


๐ŸŒ• The Full Moon on November 5th: Illumination

♉ Taurus (Vrishabha) - The Identity Mirror

For you, steady Bull, the Full Moon is the month’s defining moment of reckoning. This powerful lunar light lands directly in your sign (opposite the Sun), illuminating your identity, body, and personal self-definition.

  • The Revelation: Expect a brilliant flash of insight about who you truly are versus who you have been pretending to be for the sake of comfort or tradition. A major life project, a physical health matter, or a defining aspect of your self-image will reach a sudden, visible peak.

  • The Challenge: The Moon's opposition to the Sun in your relationship sector brings tension. You may feel pulled between your own needs (the Full Moon in Taurus) and the demands or desires of a significant partner (the Sun's energy). This is not a time for compromise, but for integration—how can you honor your own needs and your partnership simultaneously?

  • The Action: The cosmos demands that you take a visible action to align your physical reality with this self-discovery. This might involve a major boundary setting, a change in appearance, or a commitment to a new health protocol. Do not shy away from the spotlight; the world needs to see the authentic, self-possessed you that this Full Moon reveals.

♏ Scorpio (Vrischika) - The Relationship Echo

For you, intense Scorpio, the Full Moon acts as an energetic feedback loop illuminating your connections. It strikes your House of Partnerships (7th), directly opposing your first house of Self, where the Sun resides.

  • The Revelation: The light is entirely focused on a significant one-on-one relationship—a spouse, business partner, or best friend. This culmination will bring a situation to a head, forcing a decision on the viability and true emotional cost of the alliance. The partner mirrors a truth about you that you need to integrate.

  • The Challenge: Since the Sun is in your sign, this Full Moon highlights the tension between "I" vs. "We." You may feel an urge to assert your independence and personal power, but the universe requires you to see the interconnectedness of your actions. The question is: Are you transforming together, or are you growing apart?

  • The Action: Use the Full Moon's energy to have a deeply honest, non-reactive conversation with the person involved. The clarity is there to see exactly where the connection is strong and where it must be lovingly, yet firmly, pruned. A truth spoken now allows for genuine, shared growth in the coming cycle.


๐ŸŒ‘ Preparation for the New Moon (November 20th): Intention Setting

♉ Taurus (Vrishabha) - Shared Resource Security

As the Moon wanes toward its invisibility, your energy shifts to your House of Shared Resources (8th). This is the chamber of debts, mergers, psychological intimacy, and transformation.

  • The Intentional Focus: The New Moon is about planting a seed for secure transformation. Your preparation should focus on clearing out financial anxieties and releasing control in intimate dynamics.

  • The Practical Step: Use the days leading up to November 20th to finalize one financial liability illuminated by the Full Moon. This could be paying down a credit card, creating a debt repayment plan, or formally closing an outdated loan. By clearing the material slate, you prepare for a psychological rebirth.

  • The Sacred Action: Write down one deep-seated fear you hold about vulnerability or loss. On the day of the New Moon, symbolically destroy the paper (shred it, burn it safely) and replace it with a single, powerful intention for trust in your most intimate bonds.

♏ Scorpio (Vrischika) - The Next Identity Chapter

For you, Scorpio, the New Moon itself lands in your House of Identity (1st), making this one of the most powerful self-defining moments of your year.

  • The Intentional Focus: The New Moon in Scorpio is your annual energetic rebirth. Your preparation is about shedding all that no longer fits the powerful, regenerative person you have become.

  • The Practical Step: Use the Third Quarter Moon on the 12th to eliminate one major external time-waster—a social commitment, a negative news feed, or a cluttered personal space. This is a deliberate act of creating internal focus for your transformation.

  • The Sacred Action: On the day of the New Moon, perform a ritual of self-dedication. Write a detailed, personalized manifesto defining your intentions for the next six months. It must start with the phrase, "I am now..." and list five clear, actionable qualities you wish to embody (e.g., I am now fiercely decisive, I am now unbound by my past). This is the new beginning you have earned.

LENA GHIO   

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Thursday, October 30, 2025

History in Heels: Kent Monkman’s Revisionist Opus at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts • September 27, 2025 – March 8, 2026


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Kent Monkman History Is Painted by the Victors

In the grand, marbled halls of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, history is undergoing a glorious rupture. Not quietly, nor meekly, but with a riot of oil paint, high camp, and impossible high heels. Kent Monkman’s landmark retrospective, History Is Painted by the Victors, is not simply a collection of paintings—it is an audacious reclamation of history's canvas, a lyrical and blistering correction to centuries of colonial erasure. Here, Indigenous bodies and queer desire are not footnotes—they are the epicenter.

Curated by Lรฉuli Eshrฤghi (Curator of Indigenous Practices at the MMFA) and John Lukavic (Denver Art Museum), this Canadian premiere gathers nearly 40 colossal canvases, including pivotal works like The ScreamResurgence of the PeopleThe Prophecy, and Victory for the Water Protectors. Each is an aesthetic blitzkrieg—a visual insurgency of dazzling technique, historical gravitas, and theatrical wit.

Baroque Bombast Meets Political Reinscription

Monkman, a Fisher River Cree artist and self-identified Two-Spirit queer person, is not simply working within the Western tradition of history painting—he’s detonating it from the inside. Trained in and enthralled by the neoclassical drama of 18th- and 19th-century European painting, Monkman mimics its bravura—the billowing drapery, the overripe skies, the chiaroscuro machismo—and lards it with irony and Indigenous subversion.

He does this most powerfully through his alter ego: Miss Chief Eagle Testickle, a bejeweled, bare-chested, gender-fluid provocateur in scarlet stilettos. She wanders into scenes once reserved for noble conquerors and colonialists, unsettling and reauthorizing them. She isn’t just a character; she’s a trickster spirit with a paintbrush and a mission—delivering eros and indignation in equal measure.

In Resurgence of the People (2019), Miss Chief helms an ark-like vessel crammed with Indigenous figures, paddling through a storm-tossed sea as military and police specters look on from a barren shore. The allegory is clear and searing: salvation lies not in Western institutions, but in communal resilience. Rendered in operatic scale, the painting envelops the viewer physically and psychically. One does not look at Monkman's paintings—one is engulfed by them.

From left to right: Stรฉphane Aquin, Museum Director: Lรฉuli Eshrฤghi, Curator of Indigenous Practices at the MMFA: Kent Monkman

Recasting Martyrdom, Reimagining Resistance

Many viewers will find themselves breathless before The Scream (2017), a wrenching tableau that captures the state-sanctioned abduction of Indigenous children into residential schools. RCMP officers, stoic and faceless, drag crying children from their mothers. The emotional weight is unbearable—but it’s also vital. Monkman is not interested in tasteful outrage. He insists on reckoning.

Elsewhere, in Victory for the Water Protectors, he transforms 21st-century Indigenous activists—those resisting the Dakota Access Pipeline—into mythic defenders of the land. Painted in the heroic mode of Napoleonic war scenes, these portraits of resistance are not just commemorative; they are revolutionary. “I wanted to valorize these people as the true heroes of our time,” Monkman has said. And so he does, borrowing the grandeur of art history to uplift those history would rather forget.

When you walk through the different rooms, you will be taken aback by the size, the colors, the details of his exquisite paintings.

Camp as Critique: When Humor Disarms Power

But Monkman is never just elegiac. He is also deliciously mischievous. In The Prophecy (2021), Miss Chief elopes with an RCMP officer outside a suburban bungalow, their shadows morphing into ancestral petroglyphs. The image is ludicrous, tender, and deeply pointed. It collapses centuries of history into a single kiss, subverting power with affection, and violence with absurdity.

Satirical works like Bacchanal and Saturnalia dive even deeper into camp—a queering of colonial masculinity where cowboys make out under garlands and naked soldiers pose for Miss Chief’s brush. It’s a deliberate destabilization of settler masculinity, turning the colonial gaze back on itself with glittering contempt.

Monkman channels the spirit of Cree storytelling—sexy, humorous, alive with contradictions—and elevates it to the status of canonical art. There’s a bawdy joke in every brushstroke, but also a painful knowledge: that laughter is survival, and that irreverence can be a political act.

It is fascinating how Kent Monkman can seamlessly blend well known artistic style in his otherwise figurative works,

A Cathedral of Corrections

Walking through the exhibition is like entering a vast cathedral of historical revisionism. But instead of saints and martyrs, the stained-glass palette honors the stolen, the defiant, the erased. History Is Painted by the Victors does not merely place Indigenous and queer figures into Western art—it re-centers the entire historical apparatus around them.

Monkman’s work is at once cinematic and scholarly, dazzling and didactic. He references Jacques-Louis David as fluently as he channels Cree cosmology. The compositions are academically tight—no detail is accidental—but the emotions they evoke are raw, destabilizing, and human. The paintings demand slow, reverent attention, yet they also provoke spontaneous reactions: gasps, laughter, tears.

Critique and Complication

Still, some critics may question whether the monumental aesthetic risks overwhelming its own message. Does the polish of oil painting render pain too beautiful? Do the campy tableaux risk caricature, reducing Indigenous suffering to tableau vivant?

These are fair interrogations—but perhaps also beside the point. Monkman is not offering clean answers or static identity politics. His work thrives in ambivalence—where satire and sincerity cohabitate, where trauma is narrated through burlesque, and where beauty is weaponized for reclamation.

Indeed, Monkman’s paintings inhabit that uncomfortable zone where art doesn’t soothe—it confronts. His canvases are battlefields of imagery, wresting power from centuries of exclusion with brushstrokes that are as elegant as they are insurgent.

Kent Monkman

Beyond the Canvas

The MMFA has wisely framed the exhibition within a broader cultural matrix, featuring readings, operatic performances, and short films. Particularly exciting are scenes from Monkman’s opera-in-progress, The Miss Chief Cycle, staged at Bourgie Hall with the Orchestre symphonique de Montrรฉal. It’s an expansion of his painterly world into music and performance—testament to the artist’s multimedia ambition.

Equally resonant is the scheduled performance by Alanis Obomsawin and Jeremy Dutcher—two generational voices who, like Monkman, use art as a form of ancestral dialogue and cultural resistance.

A Nation’s Memory Rewritten in Rouge

History is Painted by the Victors,” Monkman reminds us, and so he paints a different history—one that swells with memory, outrage, sexuality, and healing. His brush is equal parts scalpel and torch: dissecting the distortions of colonial myth-making while igniting new visions of pride and defiance.

The MMFA’s decision to host this retrospective marks a historic first: its most ambitious solo show dedicated to a living Indigenous artist. In doing so, the museum isn’t just celebrating Monkman—it is challenging its own walls, past, and patronage.

This is not merely an art exhibition. It’s a cultural redress. It is the past reimagined, the present recalibrated, and the future spoken in a visual language that is at once baroque, bawdy, and breathtakingly brave.

Kent Monkman’s revolution may be painted in oils—but its impact is indelible.


Kent Monkman: History Is Painted by the Victors
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
On view: September 27, 2025 – March 8, 2026
For tickets and full programming: mbam.qc.ca


LE MILLION DE GRร‰GOIRE VIGNERON AVEC CHRISTIAN CLAVIER

Bande Annonce
 

Le retour de Grรฉgoire Vigneron ร  la rรฉalisation, quinze ans aprรจs le thriller Sans laisser de traces, s'opรจre avec une aisance remarquable et un sens du rythme infaillible dans cette nouvelle comรฉdie, Le Million. Fort de son expรฉrience de scรฉnariste auprรจs de Laurent Tirard, Vigneron prouve qu'il maรฎtrise l'art de la mรฉcanique comique, tissant une intrigue simple mais brillamment efficace, qui sert de tremplin ร  un duo d'acteurs en pleine possession de leurs moyens. L'idรฉe de dรฉpart, ร  la fois banale et fertile en rebondissements, est d'une simplicitรฉ dรฉsarmante : Stan (Rayane Bensetti), jeune ingรฉnieur bouillonnant d'ambition et de frustration, est persuadรฉ de ne pas obtenir la promotion tant espรฉrรฉe. Dans un accรจs de colรจre et de dรฉsespoir, il commet l'irrรฉparable en s'appropriant une valise contenant un million d'euros d'argent sale, dรฉrobรฉe au coffre de son patron, le machiavรฉlique Richard, campรฉ avec un dรฉlice sadique par Gilles Cohen.

La comรฉdie prend immรฉdiatement son envol lorsque la fuite de Stan, avec sa petite amie Marine (Claire Chust, dont le timing comique est ici trรจs juste), est stoppรฉe net par l'ironie du sort : un appel inattendu lui annonce que la promotion est sienne. Le vol audacieux se mue alors en une course contre la montre haletante, Stan n'ayant qu'une nuit pour rรฉparer son erreur et replacer le million discrรจtement. Ce pivot narratif, qui inverse la dynamique du film, le faisant passer de la fuite au retour forcรฉ, est une trouvaille scรฉnaristique qui renouvelle habilement le genre du quiproquo nocturne. L'urgence impose un rythme trรฉpidant, magnifiquement soutenu par le montage vif d'Audrey Simonaud, qui insuffle une รฉnergie continue et รฉlectrique ร  la narration.


Pour accomplir cette mission impossible, Stan doit s'allier ร  un acolyte imprรฉvu : Hippolyte, un serrurier dont la dรฉontologie est รฉlastique, interprรฉtรฉ par un Christian Clavier en grande forme, retrouvant ici le meilleur de son registre comique. Dรฉjร  rรฉunis dans Jamais sans mon psy, le tandem Clavier-Bensetti se rรฉvรจle รชtre l'atout maรฎtre du film. Leur alchimie, loin d'รชtre artificielle, fonctionne ร  plein rรฉgime. Clavier, en Hippolyte, dรฉploie un personnage d'une roublardise attachante, un prolรฉtaire dรฉbrouillard et imprรฉvisible qui contraste ร  merveille avec la rigiditรฉ et la panique bourgeoise de Stan. C'est dans ce dรฉcalage des tempรฉraments, dans cette confrontation intergรฉnรฉrationnelle et sociale lรฉgรจre, que le film puise sa sรจve comique la plus savoureuse. Hippolyte n'est pas seulement un facilitateur de l'intrigue ; il est le catalyseur qui oblige Stan ร  sortir de sa zone de confort et ร  se confronter ร  la complexitรฉ du monde.

L'une des grandes rรฉussites de Grรฉgoire Vigneron est d'avoir su orchestrer cette nuit de folie avec une succession de gags et de rebondissements qui, sans jamais tomber dans la lourdeur, maintiennent un niveau d'hilaritรฉ constant. Le scรฉnario, coรฉcrit avec Isabelle Jaquet et Julie Ponsonnet, est un mรฉcanisme d'horlogerie oรน chaque complication – rencontres inopportunes, malentendus, et l'inรฉvitable dรฉcouverte que « rendre l'argent est parfois plus compliquรฉ que le voler » – sert ร  la fois ร  faire avancer l'action et ร  dรฉvelopper la relation improbable entre les deux hรฉros. L'รฉnergie dรฉployรฉe par Rayane Bensetti, qui incarne avec une conviction sincรจre la dรฉtresse de l'honnรชte homme pris au piรจge de sa seule mauvaise action, s'รฉquilibre parfaitement avec le savoir-faire comique, presque dรฉsinvolte, de Clavier.


Mรชme les choix audacieux, comme l'utilisation de l'intelligence artificielle pour la sรฉquence de la mรจre d'Hippolyte (une fusion visuelle surprenante et trรจs "meta" entre Clavier et l'actrice Maria Verdi), loin d'รชtre un "mauvais goรปt", peut รชtre perรงue comme un clin d'ล“il malicieux ร  l'absurditรฉ moderne et ร  la nature mรชme du cinรฉma de pure comรฉdie, oรน tout est permis pour un gag ou une surprise. Il s'agit d'une prise de risque esthรฉtique qui, si elle dรฉroute, tรฉmoigne d'une volontรฉ de ne pas s'enfermer dans un classicisme trop sage.

Si la photographie de Lรฉo Lefรจvre peut paraรฎtre simple au premier abord, elle installe en rรฉalitรฉ une atmosphรจre nocturne idรฉale pour un caper film ร  l'europรฉenne, offrant un รฉcrin sobre mais efficace ร  la frรฉnรฉsie de l'action. L'essentiel du style rรฉside dans la fluiditรฉ de la mise en scรจne de Vigneron, qui privilรฉgie la clartรฉ et le dynamisme. Le Million ne se prend pas pour ce qu'il n'est pas ; c'est une comรฉdie populaire, gรฉnรฉreuse dans son rire, qui assume pleinement sa mission de divertissement pour tous publics. Il parvient, en dรฉpit de la simplicitรฉ de son propos, ร  dรฉlivrer une lรฉgรจre mais pertinente satire des mล“urs du monde du travail et de la prรฉcaritรฉ morale des รฉlites. La confrontation entre le cadre "promu" et le serrurier "systรจme D" est un miroir savoureux de la France d'aujourd'hui.


Le film, par sa capacitรฉ ร  aligner les gags sur un rythme trรฉpidant et ร  offrir un divertissement grand public de qualitรฉ, est une bouffรฉe d'air frais dans le paysage de la comรฉdie franรงaise. Il honore la tradition du film de situation en la modernisant grรขce ร  un duo d'acteurs qui "fait des รฉtincelles". Le Million est la preuve que la comรฉdie ร  deux, lorsqu'elle est servie par un scรฉnario bien huilรฉ et des interprรจtes inspirรฉs, reste un genre sรปr. C'est une ล“uvre qui, loin de viser la profondeur philosophique, cherche avant tout ร  dรฉrider les zygomatiques, et elle y parvient avec un succรจs รฉclatant. Il s'agit d'un divertissement hilarant, savoureux, et qui mรฉrite amplement d'รชtre dรฉgustรฉ sur grand รฉcran.

LENA GHIO   

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