Scorpio the Scorpion
Preface: As I do every month for each of the signs, I want to emphasize that if your birthday does not fall during the Scorpio timeframe for the year you were born, this DOES NOT mean that you do not experience the energy of Scorpio, because somewhere in your natal birth chart, it is present. All twelve signs of the zodiac are expressed in your being, although some signs, and therefore their corresponding energies, may be more emphasized than others. The Sun sign is about your essence, your vitality (what makes you feel alive), and your self-image. Whatever your Sun sign, you are on a life-long journey to discover and fully embrace this sign’s energy. You may be tested in life to experience the meaning of your Sun sign’s energy.
The Sun began its transit of the sign of Scorpio beginning at 11:31 am (PDT) on October 23, 2011.
Introduction
"Gentlemen, we're all cruel, we're all monsters, we all make men weep, and mothers, and babes at the breast, but of all, let it be settled here, now, of all that I am the lowest reptile!”
“Above all, do not lie to yourself. A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others. Not respecting anyone, he ceases to love, and having no love, he gives himself up to the passions and coarse pleasures, in order to occupy and amuse himself, and in his vices reaches complete bestiality, and it all comes from lying continually to others and to himself.”
From The Brothers Karamazov
By Fyodor Dostoevsky (Sun Sign Scorpio)
Courtesy of Google Books
I have met many a Scorpio in my life, mostly men. They say they are Scorpios, but it may be a public relations ploy by individuals who like the sexy reputation of Scorpios, and who do not much care for their own sign. I wish there were a foolproof way of identifying a Scorpio, but I cannot absolutely guarantee it. I can say that many Scorpios have piercing eyes. Those eyes often make you feel like they are penetrating your deepest thoughts in order to size up your honesty. There is often a sharpness or angularity to their nose.
Looks aside, I am most baffled by the Scorpio personality. (My comments apply to male Scorpios, because I seem not to be as perplexed about female Scorpios). While it appears they put a lot of energy into understanding other people or situations, they seem equally concerned with not letting others understand them. Is it just my misguided perception, or do Scorpios give the impression that they are holding back an enormous store of energy? Is this in fact the case, or do they simply want to appear mysterious and interesting? I have not completely figured this out, probably because I am not “one of the chosen” in their select group of companions; therefore, I have not had the opportunity to observe them closely on a day-to-day basis. What I do know is that they make an impression on people, even if they are not understood. Rarely have I heard neutral statements about the zodiac sign of Scorpio.
I wrote the two paragraphs above before I read or wrote about Scorpio. I was experiencing a “block” on this zodiac sign. The realm of Scorpio is not an easy territory to traverse, and this may have been my hesitation and resistance. I do not pretend that this article is a profound or an in-depth look at Scorpio. It is not. However, my review of some writings did help me to go to another level in understanding this complex zodiac sign.
Let it be known that I am not as perplexed or baffled by Scorpio as I previously stated. I took the path of Scorpio exploration, and, to quote the last line in Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, “and that has made all the difference.”
Scorpio Symbolism
Unique among the other zodiac signs, Scorpio is represented by three animals: the scorpion, the eagle, and the phoenix (or some say the dove). Each of these animals symbolizes a different aspect and a different stage of Scorpio regeneration. At the first level of Scorpio energy, symbolized by the scorpion, the raw energy is thrust forth for protection, as retaliation for some infringement. The scorpion “sting” is penetrating and deliberate. Sometimes, Scorpio is not conscious of its own power and the impact of its “stings.”
At the level of the eagle, Scorpio has transformed its power of physical force to one of perceptive observation, where they analyze what power relationships are operating in an environment. At this stage, Scorpio still engages in power interventions.
In the third stage, Scorpio represents the energy of survival that transforms itself anew, as symbolized by the firebird phoenix of mythology, which emerges from the remnants of the flames. Astrologer Caroline Casey explains the purpose of this last process: “Ideally, the transformation that occurs is one that purges them of their tendency to judge others while leaving their discernment intact. The phoenix represents the capacity for empathetic observation without judgment, and therefore the capacity for compassion.” Casey also explains that, unlike Taurus, which is concerned with personal possessions, stewardship, and personal power, Scorpio’s focus of attention is on the use and abuse of collective wealth and power. [1]
Astrology’s glyph (shown above) for Scorpio resembles the letter M (similar to Virgo) with an upturned arrow. Some astrologers say the loops represent the coils of a serpeant, and others say these are the intestines, which account for Scorpio’s ability to have “gut” reactions. There are also differing interpretations about the upward arrow, which some say represents the scorpion’s stinger. Others say the upward arrow is reflective of Mars symbolism, and a reminder of the role of sexual energy in the creation and regeneration process. Scorpio rules the urino-genital organs and the organs of elimination.
In traditional astrology, Mars co-ruled Aries and Scorpio. Modern astrologers associate the planet Pluto as Scorpio’s ruler, with Mars as a sub-ruler (and some see them as co-rulers). An astrologer cyber pal asked me which planet I thought was the more appropriate ruler of Scorpio. Since Scorpio is a fixed water sign, it does not make sense that it would be ruled by a planet that is clearly a very active, spontaneous type of energy. Mars rulership of the sign of Aries makes total sense. Scorpio’s energy is a deliberate, focused, and tenacious energy, and appears to be more reactive than proactive. However, Pluto may be too cold to be associated with the torrid passions of Scorpio. Pluto relates to that which must be purged in order for a new form of life to emerge, and this certainly meshes with Scorpio’s themes. Given the lack of a total match between the two planets with the signs, it may make sense to consider them “co-rulers” of Scorpio, where each of these planets contributes qualities to the zodiac sign.
Scorpio rules the 8th House of the astrological chart, which some astrologers summarize as being concerned with “other people’s resources.” This may mean the resources we share with someone with whom we are intimate. It can also mean the stewardship we have for managing the resources of a corporation, an organization, or the resources of individuals. Some say that having a planet in the 8th house may represent an inheritance one receives, often times because someone else has died. Keywords for the 8th House include sex, death, taxes, and transformation. How is that for a heavy connotation?
The Transition from Libra to Scorpio
While Libra begins at a time of equal day and equal night, Scorpio begins in mid-Autumn, where the dark has overtaken the light. We see clear evidence of changes in the trees and plants that grace our environments, and we humans may have already altered our day-to-day habits around the light and temperature changes. Libra represented a significant shift in the development of the personality, becoming aware of the need to develop harmonious relationships with others. In the progression of personality development, Scorpio expands upon the need for collectivism and the desire for intimate union.
In his work, The Pulse of Life, astrologer Dane Rudhyar explains that the three autumnal zodiac signs symbolize humanity’s growth in social consciousness. He says that Libra, as the initiating force, presents the concept of social interchange as an ideal, still struggling with the unstable equilibrium between conflicting individual and collective needs. Scorpio’s task is to deepen the commitment to the social forces. Rudhyar views sex as serving both a procreational purpose (as symbolized by Taurus in the Day Force) and a social role in the sign of Scorpio, representing the Night Force. Scorpio, he says, has reached a stage where separate individualism is being overwhelmed with dramatic intensity by the need to merge in self-forgetfulness and union through another in the transcendent aspect of sex.[2]
How Scorpio Energy Manifests in the Personality
The feeling mode predominates in this sign, and these are not mild feelings. Intensity characterizes Scorpio’s emotions. No other sign dares to delve into the depths of emotions or information like Scorpio. What they uncover in their examination is often not pretty. Scorpio has an adversity to superficiality and blasé attitudes. This sign seeks to uncover the truth, and if it is upsetting to others, Scorpio says, “so be it.”
As a fixed water sign, Scorpio is not inclined to initiate an attack, but instead will wait until the most opportune time to strike in defense. The sign’s fixity allows individuals born under this sign to wait patiently, using time to strategize and calculate their next move. Astrologer Deborah Houlding says that these qualities make Scorpio excellent candidates for military leadership, boardroom politics, and the courtroom.[3] I would add that they would do well in various forms of research, investigative work, the occult, and psychology.
Water signs are adept at exploring the psyche, and in the case of Scorpio, sign natives will undertake this task with great depth. Houlding says that Scorpio’s lack of conscious direction makes it susceptible to “a life full of highs and lows, passion and pain, with the zenith and nadir of experience expanding with each successive turn. There is no doubt that that this full exposure to experience involves pain, suffering, hardship, distress, and agonized emotions.”[4]
The Scorpio personality is complex, and others may not always understand its dimensions. Scorpio’s panoply of life experience make this sign inclined to understand intimately the cycles of life, death, transformation, and rebirth. Their life experience may take them on the path of the forbidden and taboo. This sign’s experience with life’s harsh realities instill a propensity for authenticity. They have an intense dislike for pretense and superficiality. When in touch with the Scorpio quest for transformation, they surround themselves with people with whom they can have meaningful relationships. Although their passions are strong, Scorpios may not express these feelings easily. They value their privacy, and they prefer not to be the center of attention for extended periods.
The Gift of Scorpio Energy
Because Scorpio’s territory is not easily understood, Scorpio can be unfairly stereotyped as an unsavory sign. In astrologer Bill Herbst’s brilliant article, he explores Scorpio’s dark side. Herbst contends that Scorpio’s sensitivity to the dark side offers a path to the truth. He says that this sign “ferrets out the hidden truth that apparent good often contains seeds of evil, and gross evil may at times spark profound goodness.”[5]
Leaving Libra’s realm of idealism, Scorpio instead is pragmatic. Herbst says that because the concept of morality is subject to hypocrisy and knowing that good and evil too often morph into each other, Scorpio is more comfortable with an amoral perspective. Rather than to operate from a framework of right and wrong, Scorpio adheres to an ethic of effectiveness. Herbst observes: “Scorpio wants to gather power, conserve, and concentrate it, then use that intensified power to maximum effect. Morality has nothing to do with it.”[6]
Regardless of what planets are in what signs in our natal chart, we do not know the stage of our spiritual evolution or that of another, although we might be tempted to speculate. This is as true for Scorpio as it is for any other sign. In Scorpio’s realm, we have the opportunity to become more honest about humanity and about ourselves. Scorpio’s process can take us on a journey of truth. Herbst observes that “Scorpio digs relentlessly to unearth whatever is buried, including conscience, reminding us finally of our commonality with others through the revelation that we are indeed capable of anything, that we contain within our psyches the entire pantheon of human potential, from profound love and respect for dignity to utter depravity and raw belligerence…We are all monsters. That is to say, we all contain within us the innate potential to become monstrous in thought, feeling, and action. That assumption is part of the core experience of Scorpio…All the levels of Scorpio know that good and evil dance together in each of us, intertwining not just as light and dark, but as infinite shades of gray.”[7]
We Are All Monsters
Bill Herbst’s statement that “we are all monsters,” reminded me of the lines from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, which I quoted in the introduction. Fyodor Dostoevsky was a sun sign Scorpio, who explored humanity’s dark side in his literary works. As I was doing an internet search for that passage from The Brothers Karamazov, I found a humorous version of “We Are All Monsters", as performed by the Sesame Street characters. I think Scorpio Johnny Carson would have liked this one. Click on the link below the photo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyBtY-8tCFw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyBtY-8tCFw
Snapshot Profiles of Prominent Sun Sign Scorpios
Note: Information from these profiles was primarily extracted from Wikipedia. In some cases, Wikipedia editors have noted the absence of citations. Please keep this in mind that some of the information may not be officially verified.
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| Late Senator Joseph McCarthy Born November 14, 1908 |
Although ultimately discredited, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy led an intensive government investigation by his Senate Committee into the influence of Communists within government agencies, with the belief that there was active subversion by Soviet spies, American Communist Party members, and Communist sympathizers. His accusations concerning Communist infiltrations within the U.S. Army led to conflicting positions between this branch of the military and Sen. McCarthy’s Senate Committee. The U.S. Senate pursued investigations into these opposing charges in the much-publicized Army-McCarthy hearings in 1954. This exposure ultimately led to McCarthy’s downfall, and the U.S. Senate censured him in late 1954.
Anti-communist fervor existed for many years prior to the activities of Joseph McCarthy. However, Senator McCarthy’s activities symbolized what is often known as the “Second Red Scare.” The era was characterized with Anti-American charges against many individuals within various industries, including the entertainment industry and higher education. Some institutions asked individuals to sign loyalty oaths to the United States. Because McCarthy was so identified with this era, his tactics are often referred to as “McCarthyism.” The author of the Wikipedia entry for “McCarthyism” explains the use of this term: “Originally coined to criticize the anti-communist pursuits of Republican U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, ‘McCarthyism’ soon took on a broader meaning, describing the excesses of similar efforts. The term is also now used more generally to describe reckless, unsubstantiated accusations, as well as demagogic attacks on the character or patriotism of political adversaries.”
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| Late Senator Robert F. Kennedy Born November 20, 1925 |
Often labeled “ruthless” by his detractors, Robert F. Kennedy perhaps most clearly illustrates the transformative powers of Scorpio energy. He served as his brother’s campaign manager when John F. Kennedy ran for various political offices, refining his skills as a political strategist to fulfill family ambitions. In his early professional years, he worked as legal counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy’s Senate Committee, hired by the Senator at the behest of the Kennedy family patriarch, Joseph Kennedy. The elder Kennedy was a fervent Catholic and anti-Communist, and sympathetic to McCarthy’s redbaiting cause. Robert Kennedy later served as legal counsel to the Senate Committee investigating labor racketeering, in particular the activities of the Teamsters, and its head, Jimmy Hoffa. He was intent on exposing the corruption of the Teamsters, documenting his findings in his 1960 book The Enemy Within. When John F. Kennedy was elected President, Robert was nominated and confirmed as U.S. Attorney General, playing a confidante role in his brother’s Cabinet.
After President Kennedy’s death, and his election to the Senate, Robert Kennedy took on social causes of the underdog, such as the United Farm Workers Union plight to organize unrepresented agricultural workers, and efforts to eliminate the extreme poverty he saw in Appalachia and in the ghettos of New York. Although not in the vanguard, he eventually opposed the Vietnam War, deciding to run against “Establishment” candidates. During his run for the Democratic Party nomination for President, he was shot and died of his wounds in June of 1968. His goals at the end of his life had moved beyond his former power player role, i.e. the legal counsel who went after “bad guys” (communists and racketeers) and the political campaign dealmaker in his brother’s political campaigns. Although still a politician to the end of his life and concerned with political victories, Robert Kennedy became a life affirming individual articulating peace and advocating for greater economic justice.
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| Late Sylvia Plath Born October 27, 1932 |
Known for expanding the genre of confessional poetry, Sylvia Plath won a Pulitzer Prize posthumously in 1982, nearly twenty years after her death. Plath struggled with depression, and she was hospitalized on numerous occasions. Nevertheless, she excelled academically, gaining admittance to Smith College, where she graduated with highest honors. She submitted a thesis on the subject of Dostoevsky’s novels.
Sylvia Plath married British poet Ted Hughes, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship. They separated after she discovered that Hughes was having an extramarital affair. Following their separation, Plath published one of her best-known works, The Bell Jar. Following her suicide in 1963, she became a much-studied literary figure, particularly among feminists. One might even say that she developed a cult following, with a lot of attention directed at her relationship with Hughes, and speculation that he abused Plath.
Plath's works express emotions about the dark side of life, in a very Scorpionic way. In her Wikipedia entry, the author talks about Plath’s literary subject matter: “Sylvia Plath's early poems exhibit what became her typical imagery, using personal and nature-based depictions featuring, for example, the moon, blood, hospitals, fetuses, and skulls…. Late in 1959…she wrote the seven-part "Poem for a Birthday… its theme is her own traumatic breakdown and suicide attempt at 21. After 1960, her work moved into a more surreal landscape darkened by a sense of imprisonment and looming death, overshadowed by her father. The Colossus is shot through with themes of death, redemption, and resurrection. After Hughes left, Plath produced, in less than two months, the forty poems of rage, despair, love, and vengeance on which her reputation mostly rests.”
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| Late H.R."Bob" Haldeman Born October 27, 1926 |
I was an undergraduate college student at the time of the Nixon Administration’s Watergate fiasco. For those of you who are too young to remember this scandal and do not recall what your history books said about this, I will summarize. A team of Republican operatives burglarized the offices of the Democratic National Committee (located at the Watergate complex), and it was ultimately revealed that orders for this action came straight from the White House. High-ranking members of the Administration either were fired or resigned, which was ultimately the fate of President Nixon himself. (I highly recommend the movie All the President’s Men, which recaps this story in a highly entertaining way).
I remember H.R. Haldeman for a couple of reasons. I followed politics at an early age, and in those days, I had a good memory for who was who in power. As Nixon’s Chief of Staff, H.R. Haldeman seemed like an imposing figure, with his poker face and flattop haircut. He reminded me of a character in a movie who played the bodyguard of some crime figure. The second reason was that his son “Hank” and I attended the same college. I did not know him, but others pointed him out to me. As it turns out, I later worked with a woman who was a friend of his.
H.R. Haldeman demonstrates that Scorpionic loyalty to their leader, willing to do someone else’s dirty deeds. He was a key figure in the Watergate scandal, at the center of an 18-1/2 minute conversation deleted in the infamous Nixon tapes. After White House legal counsel John Dean testified about Haldeman’s role in the break-in coverup, Nixon asked for Haldeman’s resignation. Haldeman was convicted of conspiracy and obstruction of justice, for which he served an 18-month sentence.
Reminiscent of the role Robert Kennedy played with his brother Jack, H.R. Haldeman served a similar role with Richard Nixon. The author of the Wikipedia entry says this about Haldeman and his White House cohort, John Ehrlichman: “He and Ehrlichman were called ‘the Berlin Wall’ by other White House staffers in a play on their German family names and shared penchant for keeping others away from Nixon and serving as his ‘gatekeepers.’ They became Nixon's most loyal and trusted aides during his presidency. Both were ruthless in protecting what they regarded as Nixon's best interests. Haldeman once said he was proud to be "Richard Nixon's son of a bitch, as he never shied away from firing staffers in person.”
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| Roseanne Barr Born November 3, 1952 |
Never fearing to tread into the arenas of the taboo, comedian Roseanne Barr starred in the ABC Roseanne television sitcom that ran for nine seasons. Prior to her TV success, Roseanne performed as a standup comedian in various venues, and she created a persona that she referred to as a “fierce working-class domestic goddess.” Her successful sitcom continued with this theme, appealing to a broad American audience. Many “power plays” occurred between Roseanne and the network. Seeking greater creative control over the show, she walked off the set, refusing to utter the Matt Williams script lines until he was fired.
During her sitcom days, Roseanne Barr became a prominent figure in the entertainment world. She made her film debut in the starring role of the movie She-Devil. Film critic Roger Ebert said of this movie, "Barr could have made an easy, predictable, and dumb comedy at any point in the last couple of years. Instead, she took her chances with an ambitious project - a real movie. It pays off, in that demonstrates that there is a core of reality inside her TV persona, a core of identifiable human feelings like jealousy and pride, and they provide a sound foundation for her comic acting.” In 1990, Roseanne Barr sang the national anthem off-key at a baseball game and shocked many when, imitating a baseball player, she grabbed her crotch and spit. Roseanne’s success seems to be the result of her audience’s perception of her as an authentic person who portrays characters reflecting the nitty gritty reality of modern Americans.
After the end of the Roseanne sitcom, Barr experimented with numerous projects, including radio shows. Today, she lives on the Big Island of Hawaii, producing macademia nuts. She has declared an interest in running for President of the United States, and she frequently voices her positions on contemporary political issues.
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| A young Leonardo DiCaprio Born November 11, 1974 |
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| A maturing Leonardo DiCaprio Born November 11, 1974 |
I present Leo, as DiCaprio is nicknamed, here as an example of my stereotype of magnetic Scorpio eyes. Despite three planets in Scorpio (including his Sun), DiCaprio’s personality reflects the amiability of Libra, with his Ascendant in this sign, as well as three other planets. I will defer to an earlier article on DiCaprio that I wrote and posted on August 13, 2010. If you are interested in reading more about him, please scroll down to the bottom of the blog page and click on the blog archive for 2010.
ENDNOTES
[2] Rudhyar, Dane. (1943). The Pulse of Life: New Dynamics in Astrology. Part Two: Twelve Phases of Human Experience. Retrieved from: w.khaldea.com/rudhyar/pofl/pofl_p2s8p1.shtml
[1] Casey, Caroline. (1998). Making the Gods Work for You. New York: Harmony Books, pp.43-45.
[3] Houlding, Deborah (October/November 2006). Scorpio the Scorpion. The Mountain Astrologer, (Issue #129), pp.37-43.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Herbst, Bill (October/November 2006). In Defense of Scorpio’s Dark Side. The Mountain Astrologer, (Issue #129), pp.29-34.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
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