The Mystery of Scorpio

We are well into the waning cycle of the year now. The days are ever shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere. The energy body is vibrating at a slower rate no matter the level of consciousness. The natural inclination, both physically and emotionally is to cocoon. We think about building fires to keep us cozy, cooking warm medleys of harvest veggies to fill our bellies and generally stepping back into the darker parts of the cave. This is the time of Scorpio, that mysterious, intriguing energy that is both attractive and somewhat fearful, at least when it is not truly understood.

Scorpio is a fixed water sign, part of the elemental family that includes Cancer and Pisces and the modal family that includes Taurus, Leo and Aquarius. It has more symbols associated with it than any other of the zodiac signs. They are the scorpion, the snake, the dove, the eagle and lastly, the phoenix. Each symbol demonstrates one of the many facets of this complex, impenetrable energy.

The symbol of the Scorpion speaks for itself and is the one most commonly known as the Scorpio symbol. The stinger of the Scorpion is the key here. Often, these stings can be deadly and if not mortal, then resulting in severe illness. Behind the impenetrable mask that Scorpio can wear rests a profound self-protective ability. This, actually, is the true understanding of the scorpion’s stinger. Very rarely will this little creature sting just for the heck of it. It is only when he is in danger that he shifts gears and sticks out his back end. The Scorpio psyche also can be extremely long-suffering until that point of no return is reached and it feels that it has no choice but to protect itself!

The snake is representative of the regenerative ability of the Scorpio psyche to continually ‘shed its skin’. Whenever snakes have outgrown that outer lining, a process, ecdysis, occurs. This is something that is related to growth and when we apply it to the energy called Scorpio, we begin to get an insight into a bottom-line necessity of this complex energy; that is, that it is in a constant state of becoming, needing to leave behind, in some cases, even things that appeared to be critical to its very survival—like its skin! When snakes get ready to shed their skins, they experience a loss of vision and a period of inactivity, often retreating to the darkest and most moist place they can find. Scorpio psyche reflects this by becoming intensely introspective when going through shifts, often losing objectivity and perspective. On an ego level, this can look like anti-social behaviour, a touchiness that can result in sometimes violent encounters with others and an inability to find solutions easily. Thankfully, these periods are often short-lived and the ‘snake’ comes out on the other side with shiny eyes and a sleek new skin. Basically, all growth can be accompanied by pain. Scorpio psyche, however, really feels this pain!

The Dove is one of the more obscure symbols associated with Scorpio but herein rests a truly lovely aspect of the Scorpio psyche and one which is certainly worth pursuing for all you Scorpio types. It is representative of an almost infinite capacity for the demonstration of a peace based love, the love of the Christ, a love so large that it can heal, unite, incite to joy and generally uplift anyone who comes into contact with it. A developed Scorpio type can serve as the vehicle for this sort of inspiration to all who come into contact with him/her.

The Eagle as a Scorpio symbol is all about wisdom, vision, prescience, a certain aloofness and the connection to spirit. Just as the eagle can soar above the earth and see from a distance, Scorpio psyche can see far beyond the outside of any situation and get down to the nitty gritty, often having the capacity to ‘dive’ into the exact spot for which he is searching and find that nugget of truth that needs to be unearthed. Eagles are solitary creatures who nest in remote, inaccessible places. Scorpio, too, finds contentment in periods of aloneness and in a figurative sense is often inaccessible emotionally, hard to understand and hard to reach. However, the Scorpio type who embodies Eagle is farsighted and if the inner moral compass is highly developed can be a transformative element in any group to which he/she is aligned. The key, of course, is the ‘highly developed inner moral compass’.

Finally, the symbol of the Phoenix demonstrates regeneration, the huge capacity for both survival and rebirth that this energy can have in the face of adversity. Just as the Phoenix is reborn out of its own ash after having been consumed by a self-igniting fire, so, too, Scorpio uses its experience to reinvent itself continually. For some Scorpio types this can result in a sense of having lived many lives in one lifetime. Looking in on this process from the outside, it appears both frightening—the ignition and flame and consumption of the being—and extraordinarily beautiful—the emergence of the old/new bird out of the iridescent flames that have consumed its predecessor! And so, too, can Scorpio seem both frightening and beautiful to those on the outside. What is it that can move a being to such limits, we think, as we watch in awe this regenerative process.

When we consider the complexity of the 5 symbols, we begin to get an insight into the workings of this secretive and seductive energy. Often times, Scorpio itself does not totally understand what it is doing, though this would never be admitted. When dealing with this energy, either in yourself or especially in relationship, keep in mind the intense emotionality that lurks under that implacable surface. This is not the emotion of compassion or love. It is the emotion of passion which can easily turn into rage, a rage that can consume and destroy with its intensity and blind fury. Used proactively, however, it is the energy of incredible purpose, determination, focus, devotion. The love of a Scorpionic type is all consuming, passionate, riveting and tending to eclipse all others. The key, again, is to mindfully manage the sheer power of this dark organic energy.

Before the discovery of Pluto, Scorpio’s modern day ruler, the planet associated with this sign was Mars and now we begin to understand the intensity, the fire, the passion that is linked to this energy. I heard someone describe themselves once as the “ultimate fire energy”, Scorpio. This person did not know that Scorpio was in the water family of signs but I can understand what he meant. He was resonating with the ruler, Mars, who’s other associated sign is Aries, one of the three fire signs of the Zodiac. No wonder that there exists a strange yet powerful connection between Scorpio and Aries. They both understand the power of impulse, the strength of passion!

One of the things that Scorpio must be mindful of is the abuse of power. Power can only be abused if one holds it and Scorpio lives in the reality of power-brokering. Because this energy is so attracted to power, it can find itself suddenly in thrall to it, either internally or externally. One of the lessons that anyone with Scorpio energy is learning is how to apply personal power without harming either oneself or others.

Another lesson is relinquishment. Scorpio must learn to let go of anything that restricts its growth and this could range from material possessions to relationships to old and sometimes bitter feelings. If you have Scorpio energy and find yourself brooding over things that you cannot control, crying over ‘spilt milk’, or constantly reliving past situations, this is an indicator that you still have releasing work to do. To attain a maximum growth potential, Scorpio types would benefit from intense energy work, with full body contact. Since a lot of the trapped energy is karmically based, the deeper a healer can go, the better. This deep, intense type of body work is not recommended for all psyches but the Scorpio psyche is tough and resilient and can ‘go the distance’. Recall the image of the Phoenix as it cycles through its birth, death and rebirth.

For those who are shamanically inclined, Scorpio is The Shaman. As the Shaman, Scorpio feels no fear when facing the unknown. The lower worlds of primitive animal energies are familiar to Scorpio psyche. The upper worlds where spirits dwell hold no mystery to Scorpio. When we enter into the realm of Scorpio, we are stepping into magic. Yet another archetype linked to Scorpio is The Magician. It feels as if Scorpio ‘knows’ something while everyone else is in the dark. This, of course, is the essence of magic, the ability to perpetrate an illusion and sustain its apparent reality even in the face of denial.

Strongly Scorpionic types often have an almost palpable energy field around them that can both attract or repel depending again, on the consciousness behind the field. It is this energy that can make others’ skin either crawl or tingle depending on the chemistry involved.

All of these various characteristics demonstrate how vital it is that Scorpio learn to understand itself and then to apply its considerable magnetic power to appropriate use rather than ego driven manipulative use.

If you know that you are a Scorpio Sun (born between October 23-November 21 ish), you would benefit from an astrological reading. The layers of your soul energy are many and varied and this last decade has probably been confusing on any number of levels or spiritually energizing, especially for those of you born from 0* Scorpio (October 23) to 25* Scorpio ( November 17). Those born after this date are about to experience a time of potential spiritual awakening, or confusion, as the case may be.

So much more can be discussed in reference to this complex, magical and seductive energy. It is old, old energy, that pulsates deep within the collective heart, comes from a long ago place of being. Finding the right balance in this so-called ‘modern’ world is one of the challenges that anyone with pronounced Scorpio energy has to deal with day to live long day!




Pluto And Mars…The Soul And Its Desire

The natal chart or ‘soul mandala’, as I like to call it, is merely a diagram of energy flow, the energy flow of any particular being or soul. I ‘see’ this flow as something that is roughly circular in nature; that is, that any given point within the flow pattern can be a beginning or an ending point. A circle has no beginning or end so geometrically this shape is a beautiful representation of continuity, regeneration, reincarnation, infinite being, wholeness or totality—all those things that we, as humans so love to ponder and attempt to understand. Within that energetic flow pattern some points are attuned to one another and the relationship between them in mathematical or astrological terms is important to understand and perfect. Two such points are Mars and Pluto, the two so-called rulers of Scorpio.

Before 1930, with the discovery of Pluto (now demoted to the status of dwarf planet-yeah, right!), Scorpio’s ruling planet was Mars. Well, once a ruling planet, always a ruling planet! From an Evolutionary Astrology viewpoint, Mars and Pluto describe the Soul (Pluto) and the Desire Body (Mars). Think about what we have already discussed about the nature of Scorpio and thus, the designation of these two planets in this way begins to make a lot of sense.

Mars is a more external energy, impulsive and desiring outcome. Pluto is more subtle and works at a much deeper and often invisible level. In traditional astrology, Mars is recognized as being the lower octave of Pluto. In a way, the language does not correctly describe the nature of the energy. In fact, Mars is the faster of the two drivers and Pluto resonates on a very deep note, coming from the most internal part of the energy body—where the soul resides, in fact! Pluto is the deep drum and Mars is the rapid, high sounding bell chime. However we use language to describe these two bodies, both are closely linked to Scorpio so this month I will look at the current transits of both Mars and Pluto.

MARS

Mars travels around the Sun, the center of our Solar System, once in about 22 Earth months. Usually, it will stay in one Zodiac energy for about 2 months +/- but we are now at the beginning of an almost 8 month transit through Leo of this pesky little fellow. The reason for this is an astronomical phenomenon known as retrograde motion. From our vantage point here on the earth, Mars will appear to move backwards in the sky. Long ago astrologers, who were the first astronomers, took special note of this strange occurrence, tracking that distant point of light as it moved against flow, so to speak. Because of this phenomenon, then, Mars will remain in the Zodiac sign of Leo for a very long time, comparatively speaking.

Mars loves the energy of Leo as it falls into the Fire family of signs and is naturally aligned with Aries, Leo’s impulsive, younger brother. So, in fact, one could say that in Leo, Mars finds a certain family feeling, a naturalness of expression, a comfort level. Looking at the next 8 months, then, we can expect a certain expressiveness, passion, excitement, joy of being and playfulness to be present--in a general sense. The retrograde motion of Mars will begin about December 20 at 20* of Leo. He will remain retrograde until March 10 moving all the way back to 0* Leo. Not until May 19 will he pass the degree point where he originally turned retrograde. While moving forward in Leo, before the initial retrograde point, we could potentially sense a fast, forward flow of creative energy, joyfulness, romantic impulse and sheer childlike joie de vivre. Once Mars turns retrograde, we could potentially sense a slowing down of this excited, impulsive energy. As always, each individual will respond uniquely to this energetic flow, according to each individual energetic pattern.

If you have a lot of ‘fixed’ energy, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius, your psyche will be energized and stimulated over this next 8 month period. You will have the opportunity to integrate creative inspirations, act on any number of impulses, explore romance, discover your inner child through sudden illuminative experiences or conversely, you may have to deal with blockages in these very same areas depending on how YOU respond to the manifest experience that is YOUR life. Mars ignites, triggers and stimulates so expect some degree of ACTION.

If you have significant Aries, Leo or Sagittarius energy, you should feel a sense of supportiveness in your life. Make some plans and buckle up, ready to ride the wave. Conversely, be mindful of following impulse. Make sure that you really do want to do whatever it is that seems like the good thing to do! Fire energy is notoriously action oriented and though this can be exciting and rewarding when things go well, it can also be depressing and disappointing when things backfire! However, at the most fundamental of levels, there is a potential for energy to flow into the being so look for that sense of energy and stimulation in yourself. Feel like doing something? That’s what I’m talking about! Feel like the King of the World? You got it!

The retrograde period of Mars (December –May) can be most proactively used to ignite the inner muse in whatever area of the psyche that is highlighted by the transit. You can also revisit established methods of implementation and explore if there are any adjustments that can be made in how you actually go about doing what you do.

Mars transits can co-relate to times in one’s life when a renewal of self is experienced either through the process of new things coming into one’s life or even old things leaving one’s life. Either way, it is a call to action, an impulse oriented energy that stirs things up. If you have felt stuck or even depressed, this next 8 month period could well re-energize you to get involved again.
Have a makeover,
clear out your attic or basement,
sign up for a self-improvement course,
redecorate your home (even if you just buy a candle or something!)
arrange for a romantic tryst with the one you love,
ask for a raise or quit!
clear the air with friends and relatives,
create a ‘dream board’ for the next year,
plan a trip to somewhere exotic or faraway,
volunteer,
join a group that speaks to your community self,
tackle any old issues that may still be nagging away at you.
Whatever the area of life involved, the key is to move forward. Even when the planet is moving backward, the key is action. Use the rather lengthy retrograde period to refine whatever action you feel is necessary to REJUICE your life. Remember, Mars is the WARRIOR, no matter what sign he occupies, but in LEO, he is the ROYAL WARRIOR!

( I was chatting with my friend, Kim, about this transit and she said she could hardly wait! I said I was checking all of my ‘brake’ mechanisms! Well, she is an early degree Leo, ready to rock! I have Mars in Capricorn ( steady, methodical, a bit boring…) and the expansive over the top energy of Leo sometimes makes me quake in my boots! And so it is that each individual psyche will respond to the transit of Mars through Leo according to its own structures. Either way, Kim and I will both be benefited as long as we attune ourselves to the flow of the energy and work in harmony with it.)

PLUTO

As the modern day ruler of Scorpio, Pluto provides us with much insight into the complex working of this watery fixed sign. Once the astrological community had ascribed the rulership of Scorpio to Pluto, the proverbial ‘lightbulb’ got turned on in regards to understanding why Scorpio was the way it was. As it is the planet that is linked to the soul force, we now ‘get it’ when we find ourselves mesmerized by those Scorpio types, losing ourselves in bottomless eyes that seem to follow our every move!

Pluto is now fully into his transit of Capricorn, a Cardinal Earth sign with both feet fixed firmly beneath him, though able to leap from boulder to boulder and scale whatever mountain face rises up before him. Much has been written about this ingress of the planet of transformation into the executive energy of the Zodiac but suffice it to say, whatever the status quo may have been, once we are through the next decade, that status quo will look very different! And thank the goddess for that! Do we want our infrastructure to shift? You bet! Do we want to see changes in the stupid economic systems that are currently holding us hostage? Absolutely! Do we want justice? Equity? Transparency? Fairness? Security? Damn right we do! Will it be simple or easy? Ugh, no. When a system has become as corrupted as our current system is, the change will never be simple or easy. However, it is absolutely necessary if we are to survive. So, buckle down, prioritize, simplify and refocus your vision. Do the RIGHT thing and align your life to RIGHT PRINCIPLE. This will make the changes that lie ahead that much easier to integrate.

Pluto takes a long time to travel around the Sun so this planet will stay in any one sign of the Zodiac for as long as 20 years +/- or as briefly as 12 years +/- as the orbit is actually elliptical. Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2024. So, for the next 15 years Solar Capricorns will have the ‘pleasure’ of a Pluto/Sun transit. At the highest level, this is a call to align to true life intention, to work with the deepest of soul urges, to discard anything that impedes the clear reflection of self through the solar force. Be who you are. Do what you love. Align to meaning and purpose in everything that you choose to do.

Solar Cancers are also in process under this transit. As the partner sign to Capricorn, the same sorts of illuminations may manifest in your life if you are born under the sign of Cancer but rather than coming from within, these insights may actually come from an outside source, a provocation or even confrontation, a challenge. Maximize the energy by listening carefully to all commentary whether flattering or challenging. You may discover something that could help you to attune to your soul purpose.

The transits of Pluto represent times of transformation and shift but often through an experiential process that strips away all deceit and illusion. And there’s the key. If you have been living in an illusionary reality, out of harmony with inner self, soul self, then this transit could be difficult. To be honest after having been dishonest for a long time is never easy. A very simple example of this might be someone who suddenly realizes that they are doing something for a living that is totally not in harmony with what they really want to be doing. The hoops that one has to jump through in order to harmonize with what one really wants to be doing could well seem impossible to jump through, especially since work brings in resource and resource is necessary in sustaining life in this current reality! If you have been working at a particular job for some time, it may seem impossible to imagine how you could change what you do on a daily basis and still sustain the standard of living to which you have become accustomed. Here’s the thing…it is YOUR choice how you actually respond to the Pluto ‘push’. Will you move with it and trust that you will survive or will you resist and push back, denying that there is anything to shift and change? The response of the ego personality will largely determine how easy or difficult the next decade could prove to be for those being ‘pushed’.

The promise of Pluto is ultimately…TRUTH. So, for those of us who are in a search for Truth, in whatever area of life or self, Pluto is the god that we follow. We want to go deeper. We want to understand more precisely. We desire to get to the bottom line. This is the gift that Pluto brings us. In some ways, I link the transit of Pluto to any of the personal planets to the FOOL in the Tarot. It is the ‘leap of faith,’ the step into the unknown, the absolute trust in the process, the belief that the only true reality is the reality of this very moment, not a breath before nor a breath after. As humans we have long struggled with this concept, clinging in vain to the past and working blindly for the future. Pluto teaches us that neither does the past exist nor does the future but only the present which is the only true peak experience.

So, open your spiritual eyes and see the gift that Pluto might be bringing to your life. You may undergo a total transformation of who you are,

Finally get rid of any stuff you no longer need in your life,

Experience a sea change in the way you think about things and how you communicate your thoughts,

Get rid of dependencies and establish yourself as your own best care-giver,

Meet your ‘soul-mate’ or at least someone who rocks your world,

Finally, finally, get fit!

Change the way you think about relationships and make them healthy, once and for all,

Have an intimate experience with life and death and learn something about regeneration and the continuity of soul,

Transform your faith,

Shift the way you think about other’s opinion of you,

Commit yourself to YOUR cause whatever that might be,

Come home to your own intimate relationship to god/dess…

Again, the key is mindfulness, awareness, reading the signals and above all, letting go and trusting in spirit to surround you with the beautiful goodness of the goddess who loves us all since she dwells deep within each one of us…


I should also note that the planet, Saturn, is about to move into another of the Cardinal signs, Libra. Mid 2010, Uranus will be moving into Aries, yet another of the Cardinal signs. This active, forward moving energetic configuration will prepare the collective consciousness significantly for innovation, reconstruction and equality. Then, in 2012, Neptune will finally move into Pisces where, hopefully, some of the changes can begin to permeate into the collective heart (soul) and truly shift this current reality. More about this when we get to the Zodiac signs of Capricorn and Pisces!

Enjoy the dark and steamy, organic and pungent month of November. Honour the goddess and her green god consort. Revel in the imminent ‘return of the Sun’…(yes, he really is coming back)…and relinquish to the dark where no secrets need to be kept!

Happy Halloween….