Characteristics: dark, empathic, guarded, intense, introspective, magnetic, mysterious, obsessive, possessive, quiet, secretive, sexual, strong, stubborn, vindictive

Dates: October 23^rd – November 21^st

Symbol: The Scorpion

Ruling Planet: Pluto

Natural House: Eighth House

Body Parts: Pelvis, Genitalia, Reproductive System, Excretory System

Daytime gradually becomes shorter as the sun moves through Libra and enters Scorpio. The weather grows colder. Leaves turn from lush and vibrant greens to acrid reds, oranges, yellows, and browns and fall to their fireless cremation via crush by shoe sole. Quiet ensues. In Mendelssohn’s words, “the harvest now is over, [and] the summer days are gone,”¹ and darkness rules the day in place of light. The number of weddings taking place decreases. The world begins to slow down. It’s no wonder why Halloween takes place after the Scorpio season is well established. It’s a sign that deals with all that is taboo, secret, and shielded deep down inside us. The scorpion is the perfect symbol for this sign, as its spirit is just as deadly as this venomous arachnid’s sting.

Even with its downgrade to dwarf-planet status, Pluto remains Scorpio’s ruler. Discovered in 1930 and named for the Roman god of the underworld, its influence remains the least understood of the signs’ rulers. The power of Pluto lies in deleting what is no longer needed or beneficial, leaving a clean slate. It represents gradual changes and transformation, obsession, and that which is hidden, locked away, or difficult to comprehend. Scorpio has an innate understanding of all of these things. It gives all of itself to whatever it desires, and preoccupation with that desire—whether it’s a job, a home, a lover, etc.—is pretty much inevitable. Scorpio is one of the most loyal signs of the zodiac because of this all-or-nothing attitude. When it can’t have what it wants (i.e. it gets fired, its rejected for a home loan, its partner cheats on it), it retaliates slowly, but surely. Scorpio’s comeback isn’t always a vindicate act of revenge, necessarily, but whether it’s through positive or more negative means, it will show it’s a force to be reckoned with. It could get a better lover or start a new business to compete with the one it was fired from, for instance. Whatever the circumstances, Scorpio will eradicate all the filth that was left over and move on with the glass of its life polished. Its revenge isn’t the swiftest one, but it sure is the sweetest.

Scorpio’s natural domain is the Eighth House: the house involving the more disconcerting and taboo things in life, as well as our needs² and what we share with others. Death, taxes, inheritances, and intimate sex (as opposed to casual sex) are some of the things ruled by the Eighth House. Scorpio can handle what others won’t talk about or deal with. Very few things faze it. People with Scorpio strong in their chart often work in surgery, research, psychiatry, and occult studies. I’ve always felt that they can also work in anything dealing with death: arranging funerals, preparing bodies in mortuaries, maybe making caskets and tombstones. I shudder at the thought of chiseling a person’s name in a tombstone or cleaning up blood on a hospital floor; yet, Scorpio can handle either without doing so much as breaking a sweat. It also loves to get to the bottom of things; it’s kind of like Virgo in that way. But Virgo scrutinizes situations to make logical sense of them, while Scorpio penetrates each issue to get to the raw core. It will find out the truth, even if it’s disturbing or scary. Scorpio’s deepest desire, nonetheless, is sharing with others. With Taurus and the Second House, it’s all about our own money, self-value, and possessions: pretty much physical needs and things having to do with ourselves. Scorpio and the Eighth House also involve our emotional needs, shared finances, and money we give up (i.e. taxes) or gain through inheritances. These are the signs and houses of ownership and values; Scorpio takes it a step further, getting involved in them on a deeply emotional level that involves others.

When I think of fixed water, I think of ice. And I think ice is a pretty good representation of Scorpio. With this sign, emotions are felt in a still, locked, rigid kind of way. Scorpio is one of the strong, silent types on the outside, but within, it’s full of chaos. The main strength and weakness for Scorpio is that it feels so much without letting it out. Its resolve is impenetrable. It handles missteps and tribulations with unyielding fortitude, never breaking down, screaming in agony, or being reduced to tears. Nothing can maim its heart… or so everyone else thinks. Scorpio doesn’t keep itself this rock-hard because it can handle it, but because it’s private. It will look fine out in public, but will let every little bit of emotion out once it gets home. Having an understanding of some of the darker things in life, Scorpio suffers a lot, and doesn’t let many people, if any, know about its struggles. Its unwillingness to depend on others for support becomes unhealthy after letting its heart crumble and spurt under the weight of agony time and time again. What it needs to learn is that it’s okay to be a little vulnerable in its feelings and lean a little on its loved ones. But Scorpio’s behavior is understandable, when you think about it. In a world where emotion is often frowned upon (especially in men), you have to be tough in order to survive.

Scorpio would come off as mysterious, seductive, and maybe even a bit intimidating. Parties aren’t normally its thing, because the lightheartedness of parties clashes with Scorpio’s depth. Scorpio doesn’t object to going out, but it is more likely to be a loner than, say, Libra and Gemini. It will socialize with other guests if it already established trust with them, but they may be few, as it’s very selective with its friends and associates. Scorpio is pretty open to all topics. All it requires socially is that it gets to the heart of whatever the topic is at hand. It’s a truth seeker, so if anything sounds like a load of crap, it will question it. More than most people, Scorpio will notice the little emotional nuances in the air. Whatever sorrow, aggravation, befuddlement or distress someone is feeling, even if it doesn’t show on that person’s face, Scorpio will sense it immediately. But it probably wouldn’t swoop right into the other guests’ aid until they’re visibly distraught. Scorpio knows people aren’t always open to talk their feelings out with others, especially strangers. If it sees that the person is starting to feel worse, or if its friend is feeling “off,” Scorpio will serve as a rock for them to lean on. For fun, Scorpio would sit, maybe have a drink, and contemplate the deeper things in life. Only brave individuals will flirt with Scorpio without apprehension, as it’s attractive, yet intimidating in its magnetism.

Scorpio rules all parts of the body having to do with sexual reproduction and waste elimination. No surprise there: everything that goes on in the bedroom and bathroom are pretty much off-limit topics. Scorpio people are apt to go through puberty earlier than their peers. That’s not to say every person who goes through puberty early is a Scorpio person, but most with Scorpio strong in their chart may develop earlier than their peers. Since Scorpio is about elimination, I wouldn’t be surprised if they can fight off diseases and symptoms a lot harder than most others. The hard news of Scorpio health is that they’re more prone to conditions that affect the genitalia, ovaries, testicles, rectum and anus. Yeah, you’re probably cringing from reading that. So am I. But it’s the Scorpio article, so we’ll have to face facts. People with strong Scorpio in their chart should be extra careful when it comes to those parts of the body. And although this goes for everyone, they must always be cautious when it comes to sex.

Next Article: Sagittarius, the Mutable Fire Sign

¹From “Help, Lord,” the first piece in Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

²Jeanne Avery, The Rising Sign: Your Astrological Mask