Scorpio

Being my sun sign and first exposure to astrology, Scorpio was my gateway into the vast and ancient wisdom that is held among the stars.

When I dove into the aspects of this sign, I felt like I unlocked the ability to see myself in a way that was written at the time of my birth. Coming from a Christian upbringing, I was never exposed to astrology. Through years of continued research and deciphering what resonated and what did not, I have come to know myself deeper and more authentically.

In my experience, Scorpios get a bad rap because of the dark nature of this sign. What lies under the surface of this, though, is a deep web of complexity and myth that can serve as a roadmap to understanding oneself deeper, creating a compass of how to navigate intrinsic tendencies and evolve past them by embracing these characteristics.

Here is the backstory of the constellation of Scorpio…

Seasons: Death, so there can be birth

October 24 to November 21, the dates of the Scorpio fall during the transition of seasons from autumn to winter. As the leaves turn brown, the temperature drops, and darkness encapsulates more of the day, Scorpio is correlated to the death and rebirth phases. Nature cyclically goes through this regeneration process each and every year and this sign expresses the properties of death that is required for anything to be reborn.

“This is exactly why we observe it as a sign of death. As opposing to Taurus, in which everything blossoms through the stable phase of spring, in Scorpio everything dies down, falls asleep and nature ends one cycle to enter the cold winter” (ZodiacSign.com, n.d.).

Myth: “the creature with the burning sting”

Originally being recognized by the Babylonians, this constellation has been observed for over 4000 years (LV Sketchbook Page 065, n.d.). Seen as “the creature with the burning sting”, the most popular myth that has reverberated through the years around Scorpio is the myth of Orion. Orion, a giant son of Poseidon and Eurayle, consistently dies by the demise of a scorpion, despite the many renditions of the story (Chandra, n.d.). Whether because of pride, love, or jealousy, he met his downfall, providing multiple lessons that can be gleaned from this myth. First, anything in excess does not go without consequence. The stories reflecting the effects of extremes and the results that come from being out of balance. Second, the scorpion “teaches us that something small can in fact be deadly and that the strength of Mother Nature is shown in the smallest of its representatives” (ZodiacSign.com, n.d.). Pain and death are intentional guides that humans can learn from, if they choose to do so.

Element and Planet: Water and Pluto

Associated with the element of water and Pluto, Scorpio is connected to intense emotions and the depths of what feeling can be. Intuition is also heightened due to one’s connection with one’s capacity to feel. In a society disconnected from emotions and intuition, individuals who have the energy of Scorpio within themselves can frequently be misunderstood or labeled wrongly.

Personality and Evolution: (Scorpion, Eagle, Phoenix)

When discussing the personality traits of a Scorpio, it is essential to recognize its stages. Yes, it is associated with death, addiction, and mystery, but at higher expressions it becomes a superpower in balance, resilience, and holistic power.

First Stage: Scorpion

If you think of the scorpion crawling in the desert dust, hiding in rock crevices just to sneak out and sting, this methodical creature’s characteristics translate to its personality traits. Because of the Scorpio’s access to deep emotions, the lowest stage’s impulses express as jealousy, anger, intimidation, destruction, addiction, and pain (TheScorpioGang, 2020). With their hard shell acting as armor against the external world, unhealthy habits and thoughts circle in their minds until they can become aware enough to step into the next stage of their evolutionary journey:

Second Stage: Eagle

When the Scorpion becomes aware of their darkness, tendencies, and pain, it begins to rise from the ground and sprout wings, seeing the dirt and darkness with a new perspective. With this higher point of view, the eagle soars with courage and power, now exploring philosophy and wisdom to provide meaning to the pain it experienced prior  (TheScorpioGang, 2020). Despite using their intuition and intelligence as a tool, they still struggle with an isolated mindset, unable to translate these aspects to the whole. That is until the final stage.

Third Stage: Phoenix

TheScorpioGang articulates this elegantly saying,

“The extreme-natured Scorpio is tempered, Reborn from the ashes, renewed, and rejuvenated as The Phoenix representing the capacity for empathetic observation without judgment, thus an expansion of compassion and disillusionment of self. The Phoenix strongly associated with rebirth, resurrection, and transformation is a symbol that represents Scorpio breaking the chains of attachment, having learned the lesson of letting go.” (2020)

Conclusion, what Scorpio means to me:

Throughout my life, I have experienced many chapters of darkness, internally and externally, that were difficult to navigate. When I found the symbol and lessons associated with Scorpio, I finally could see myself and what I had been through with a clearer lens.

Our pain has a purpose. Darkness has a purpose. Death has a purpose. Without these aspects, life would not be fully possible or appreciated. When we can “sit in the suck”, fully feel it, and rise to find meaning in it, we become reborn from the ashes, capable of balancing the light and the dark.

A book that has significantly influenced my life and allowed me to step into the Phoenix stage is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. As a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps, he recounts his experience and his observations of two types of individuals among him: those who gave up and died from the overwhelming despair or those who found hope, faith, and meaning in what they were experiencing. The atrocities that happened during that point in human history can provide powerful lessons for all of humanity, especially Scorpios.

Death and darkness exist on Earth. They are unavoidable, painful, but necessary. Choosing to find a higher perspective, search for meaning in the suffering, and find balance provides the opportunity to live life fully, without bypassing the truth that is human existence.

Resources

Chandra :: Photo Album :: Constellation Scorpius. (n.d.). https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/constellations/scorpius.html

LV Sketchbook page 065 | California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). California Academy of Sciences. https://www.calacademy.org/blogs/the-long-view/lv-sketchbook-page-065-0#:~:text=This%20one%20stylizes%20the%20constellation,12%20constellations%20of%20the%20zodiac.

TheScorpioGang. (2020, February 9). 3 stages of Scorpio: The scorpion, the eagle and the phoenix. Medium.

ZodiacSign.com. (n.d.). The History & Myth of Scorpio. Copyright (C) ZodiacSign.com 2024. https://www.zodiacsign.com/history/scorpio/