Last updated November 2026
New Moon: November 9, 2026 | Full Moon: November 24, 2026
A Year with Astrology and Parts of Our Bodies
The astrological sign of Scorpio governs the pelvis and reproductive organs, so the pelvic focus continues through the first three weeks of November. On the 22nd the sun moves into Sagittarius, and the attention is directed outward to the hips, thighs, as well as to the liver. As both Scorpio and Sagittarius zones are in proximity of each other within the body, November is a month where you may be feeling deeper relaxation when you practice the pelvis, hips, and thighs all together. Being a yoga retreat centre, it’s natural for us to recommend movement and breath practices to relax your pelvis and open your hips; you’ll find those in this blog post.
For guided versions, Nectar At Home's class lets you follow along from home, and the two-night Nectar Experience here on Bowen Island adds plant-based breakfasts, daily movement, and unscheduled time on the forest trails, by a lake, ocean, or at a thermal sauna.
November: The Element of Water into the Element of Fire
As a fixed water sign, Scorpio can be likened to a deep lake, settling, and highly absorbent of energies that fall into it, or are near it. It is not surprising Scorpio is often linked with privacy, grief, and long memory, and why the first three weeks of November can feel inward despite it likely also feeling busy. The New Moon on November 9 falls in Scorpio.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign. Mutable signs close chapters and adapt as they go, so Sagittarius burns like a spreading fire, and similar to Scorpio’s watery absorption, Sagittarius also absorbs, though more like a fire absorbing what’s in its path. It is the sign of long trips, philosophy, and blunt honesty, and the Full Moon on November 24 will be in Gemini, Sagittarius’ opposite, a sign of conversation and curiosity. From the 22nd onward the attention moves from depth to motion, to the hips and thighs, where some of the largest muscles in the body are. The practices below follow the same order, starting low on the floor and finishing with a breath that builds heat.
November's Zodiac Focus and Body Placement
Scorpio (Water): Reproductive organs, pelvis, bladder, elimination systems (through Nov 21)
Sagittarius (Fire): Hips, thighs, liver, sciatic nerve (from Nov 22)
Practices for November: Scorpio into Sagittarius
Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana): Deep Hip Opener for Tight Hips
Purpose: A floor-based hip opener that stretches the outer hip and glutes of the front leg and the hip flexors of the back leg. Sagittarius is traditionally linked to the hips and thighs, and pigeon reaches the deep hip rotators that are often tight after long periods of sitting at a desk. Fold forward over a bolster or folded blanket to make it a restorative pose.
How-to:
Start on hands and knees. Slide the right knee forward behind the right wrist and angle the shin across the mat, as parallel to the front edge as the hips allow.
Stretch the left leg straight back with the top of the foot on the floor, and square the hips toward the front of the mat.
Place a folded blanket or block under the right hip if it floats off the floor.
Walk the hands forward and fold over a bolster or stacked forearms. Stay for 2 to 3 minutes. Breathe deeply.
If you feel strain in the knee, switch to a reclined figure-four. Lie on your back, cross the right ankle over the left thigh, and draw both legs toward the chest.
To come out, press into the hands, tuck the back toes, and step back to hands and knees. Repeat on the other side.
Focus: Stay until the exhale feels easier.
Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana): Gentle Hip and Lower Back Release
Purpose: A reclined hip opener that lets the lower back rest flat on the floor while the inner thighs and groin lengthen. We’ve sequenced it after pigeon so the hips can keep releasing without any balancing work, and the inner thighs and pelvis are where Scorpio's focus overlaps with Sagittarius's.
How-to:
Lie on your back and draw both knees toward the armpits, wider than the torso.
Reach for the outer edges of the feet, or the ankles or shins if the feet are out of reach, with the soles facing the ceiling.
Keep the tailbone on the floor and the back of the head down. A folded blanket under the head can help.
Rock gently side to side for 1 to 2 minutes, or stay still and breathe.
To come out, release the feet and hug the knees into the chest.
Focus: Let the lower back rest flat and the knees drop wider with each breath.
Wide-Leg Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana): Inner Thigh and Hamstring Stretch
Purpose: A standing fold with the feet wide apart that stretches the inner thighs and hamstrings while the head hangs below the heart. (If you have glaucoma, talk to your eye doctor before including head-down folds like this one; the forward bending can raise pressure inside the eye).
How-to:
Stand with the feet three to four feet apart, toes turned slightly in, and hands on the hips.
Inhale and lengthen the spine, then fold forward from the hips with a flat back. Bring the hands to the floor, blocks, or a chair seat.
Let the head hang and the neck release. Soften the knees if the hamstrings pull.
Stay for 5 to 8 breaths.
To come out, bring the hands to the hips, lengthen the spine, and rise slowly with a flat back, pausing if you feel lightheaded.
Focus: Let the weight of the head pull you down a little further with each exhale.
Bhastrika (Bellows Breath): Energizing Breathing Exercise to Build Heat
Purpose: A breath practice with quick, equal inhales and exhales through the nose, pumped from the belly like a bellows at a forge. Yoga tradition uses bhastrika to build heat in the body, which suits Sagittarius, a fire sign. A 2009 study of 39 healthy adults found that bhastrika at a slow pace of six breaths per minute lowered blood pressure and heart rate after five minutes, and a 2024 randomized trial of 110 healthy young adults found that four weeks of practice improved oxygen saturation, respiratory rate, and peak expiratory flow. This version builds to a faster pace than the slow one in the 2009 study, so begin slowly and add speed one round at a time.
How-to:
Sit tall on the floor, cushion or chair with the hands resting on the knees, and close the eyes.
Inhale through the nose and let the belly expand, then exhale through the nose and draw the belly in, with both breaths about the same length.
Begin with 10 breaths at about one breath every two seconds, then pause and take two slow, full breaths.
Repeat for 3 rounds, speeding up slightly each round only if you feel steady. Stop if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.
Finish with a long exhale, then rest for a full minute while the breath returns to normal.
If you are pregnant or have high blood pressure, a heart condition, or epilepsy, skip this practice and talk to your healthcare provider about alternatives.
Focus: Keep the shoulders and face relaxed so the work stays in the belly.
Full Moon, New Moon, and Reflection
Astrological Tarot Correspondences
November's Tarot cards are Death for Scorpio and Temperance for Sagittarius, numbers XIII and XIV in the Major Arcana. Death is the card of an ending, one that suggests something new will be on the horizon, and it rarely refers to a literal death. Temperance shows an angel pouring water between two cups on the diagonal, one foot on the ground and one in a pool of water, an image of two tensions that can co-exist and even blend together. Read together, the first card is about what ends and the second about what gets mixed from what remains. Ask yourself:
Death: What has already ended in my life that I'm still treating as ongoing?
Temperance: What two things in my life could be mixed with intention, a little at a time?
Journalling for November
Rest for a few minutes after the bellows breath, then pick up the pen. A rreview of expressive writing research describes the most studied pattern as 15 to 20 minutes of writing on three to five occasions, and links it with improved mood. Here are three prompts for the month.
New Moon, November 9: What do I want to begin in private before anyone else knows about it?
Sagittarius Season Begins, November 22: What do I believe right now that I haven't tested yet?
Full Moon, November 24: What became clear this month that I couldn't have explained in October?
Integrating the Energy of Scorpio and Sagittarius on Bowen Island
Sagittarius season is traditionally about travel, and a twenty minute ferry to Bowen Island from Vancouver can feel like you’re far away from the hustle and bustle of life. Nectar Retreat hosts a wide range of events, day retreats and overnight retreats, ranging from yoga and breathwork, silent meditation, sound baths, and also other topics such as grief and creativity. Retreats are both facilitated by our onsite Nectar team, as well as well-known yoga instructors and spiritual practitioners that travel to Bowen.
Since Scorpio corresponds to the element of water, and Sagittarius to fire, Mist Thermal spa, located on the same grounds as Nectar offers contrast therapy, working with tension and melting it away. Mist Thermal Sanctuary's gift certificates never expire and come as a 90 or 120 minute private circuit for one to four guests, or as a dollar amount of $50, $75, or $100, with a wood-fire sauna, cold plunge, transition tub, and outdoor fire lounge in the forest.
For the person who would rather practise from home, a Nectar At Home membership, our online yoga subscription, includes yoga for burnout, yoga for longevity, nervous system regulation, deep breathing for anxiety, calming guided meditation, and so much more.
About Nectar Yoga Retreat Centre
Nectar Yoga Retreat Centre sits in the forest on Bowen Island, a twenty-minute ferry from Vancouver, and hosts retreats throughout the year, from yoga, silent retreats and breathwork to grief work and creative craft camps. We also offer two-night stays called the Nectar Experience; it includes vegetarian breakfasts, daily yoga and meditation instruction, and access to the forested grounds to enjoy what nature has to offer. Nectar's boutique lets you take a piece of Bowen Island home. Mist Thermal Sanctuary, Nectar's sister brand, offers private sauna and cold plunge experiences right next door.
Sources
Disclaimer: The practices in this post are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a healthcare provider before beginning, particularly if you are pregnant or have existing health considerations such as high blood pressure, a heart condition, glaucoma, or epilepsy.
