In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the Scorpio Archetype (from the Zodiac archetypes).
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What is the Scorpio Archetype?
Deep intense experiences of emotional surrender are what drives the transformations that characterize the Scorpio archetype. The planets that govern the Scorpios path of destiny charge the scorpion with a quest of unravelling the mysteries of sexuality, eternity and regeneration. Scorpio follows the watery path that flows inward like the deeper magics that bind the universe in the eternal cosmic dance.
But this is no frigid river, but a boiling tumultuous pool. Concealed in the mysterious depths of the Scorpio are the secrets of sexuality, death and reincarnation. Through the deeper alchemical processes behind the dynamics of the soul and the seasons of change. This archetype is concerned with unraveling the mysteries of eternal life to come at last at the realization of the spiritual powers of water which is the element of imagination as deep and unpredictable as the ocean.
Scorpio, Mars and Pluto are all symbolic of the great processes of life and death. As the sun makes its way through the house of Scorpio it bears witness to nature caught forever in the endless process of death and rebirth.
Scorpio is regenerative, inspiring the scorpion to reach to the future while releasing the grasp on the past. As new opportunities are made, doors of the past swing soundly shut. According to the great Zen Master Suzuki, “There is no need to learn how to let go only to recognize that things are in constant change.”
Letting go and accepting the inexorable floe of the cosmos is the path of the Scorpio. It is cyclic; much like the phoenix which rises from the ashes of its former self, the butterfly that transforms from a caterpillar or the snake that sheds its skin. Scorpio beckons us to leave behind the grief we have known and make friends with the endless mysteries of the unknown.
The house of Scorpio sits on the edge of the mysteries. This means probing hitherto unexplored depths and deeper passions. This is also true of the houses of Mars and Pluto. It is only here in the deepest mysteries of the realm of shadows where the mysteries of regeneration are understood and brought to the light where they can be taught to others.
Since times immemorial the sign of Scorpio was a scorpion which stabs a blazing force into all it meets including itself. But the fiery eagle is another symbol of the Scorpio, one of the four beasts that sit before the throne of the most high God. This is made evident by the Persian star Antares, the rival of Ares. Scorpio occupies the 8th position in the tropical zodiac and this fills the heart and mind of the Scorpio with great passion and power.
To the Romans, Pluto is the seat of the underworld where the rivers of silver and gold find their rest. Pluto is also synonymous with great wealth. Even a government ruled by the especially wealthy is called a plutocracy. Scorpio and Pluto face their entombment in a sepulcher of gold and they must navigate the halls of underworld treasures to overcome the trials of the soul. Scorpio is also the governing sign of the reproductive organs of the body and the mysterious energies that resonate with the chakras of the body
Scorpio has the propensity to become misdirected and this can result in the compulsive undercurrents that can trap the heart and attention. This is an especially important lesson for a society that has become trapped in the repression of Scorpionic energies. Facing the dark energies of the eternal being means coming to face with passion and how this energy is managed.
There is no sugar-coating for the truth for the deeper views held by Scorpio. Scorpions must face pain with all the gusto it relishes pleasure. Letting go is not always easy and the Scorpio must bear this pain as it works through the process of pain. Attachment is the headwaters of the rivers of pain. If we weren’t so conditioned to avoid change suffering would be greatly diminished.
But the answer is to overcome the shadow of suffering change is to express the grounding and reverence for the way of nature as seen in the polar opposite of Scorpion, Taurus. Ceres is the goddess of grain and the opposite of the gold of Pluto. This expresses the beautiful dance of death and rebirth.
Yeats said “Life is not a problem, but a mystery to be experienced as a source of revelation.” For this reason, I believe that the Scorpio is such a fascinating Archetype in my opinion. Scorpio stares us right in the eyes and bids us to embrace the mysteries of life.
You will find the keyword “powerful” in both light and dark aspects of the Scorpio. But you will find that there is a considerable difference between the true authentic spiritual power to aid life and transform life and aid in the natural transformations we face and the dark power to abuse and control as you will find in a villainous magician. We see this archetype expressed in the colorful characters of Sauron or Darth Vader.
Naturally, sadness and tragedy are a part of life, but this is what calls the heroic good to rise to meet the challenge. Because we have been granted the majesty of free will, it is only natural that this will be used for harm. Just as we can possess our life or allow our lives to be possessed. We see the natural destructive forces unleashed on the universe, but we must understand the subtle balance. Life is the gateway in which we enter and death is the way in which we exit. Once we have accepted this and ceased to fear death, we are one step closer to unlocking the Scorpio trove of hidden treasure.
Surrender is the utmost spiritual principle for the Scorpio and it means accepting the awesome will of the universe to change and transform. “Surrender” comes from two words that are worth observing. “Surr” which refers to the highest power and “render” which literally means to melt. Therefore, we see that “surrender” means submitting the will to the higher will of the universe and accepting that this greater power is divine love.
Of course, this is not something that everyone is naturally ready to do. But the seasons of life will continue to provide us with plenty of practice in this regard. We see that jobs come and are lost, much like friends, loves and many things to which we become attached. This is where we can respond with anger and contempt for a god that can allow such sorrow or realize that nothing has been done to us, but that something wonderful and magical is working through us.
The glyph for Scorpio is made of two arcs that symbolize the emotions of the body and thoughts of the mind that penetrate the heart of the mysteries of the universe. Scorpio is a sign of water, which is the strongest of all elements. Water breaks rocks, extinguishes fire, and can still the air. Through patience and steadfastness, water triumphs over all else.
Even the human body is composed mostly of water. According to Taoist tradition, being water is the strongest response to any situation. Being like water allows you to change with the circumstances around you, thus transforming your adversity into your opportunity. Once this has happened, we are better able to succeed and transcend the realm of the Scorpio and enter that of the next archetype, Sagittarius.
Learn About the Other Zodiac Archetypes
The Zodiac is made up of 12 archetypes. Explore the others here:
