Scoping out Scorpio

Motto:

I'm surrounded by suckers.

Scorpios are born between October 24 and November 22 and reside in the 8th House of sex, death and other people’s money.

You think I’m kidding. I’m not. There really is a House that covers those areas and Scorpio is the ruling sign. Think of a Scorpio you know and I’ll bet within ten seconds you’ll be able to name at least one example of why they truly belong there.

Scorpio is represented by the scorpion, gray lizard or eagle, depending on the astrological interpretation or perhaps on the Scorpio in question. They can soar with the eagles or crawl with the lizards or sting like a scorpion. Consider yourself warned. Much of this derives from the fact that their ruling planet is Pluto. God of the Underworld. Not a nice person. Secrets are their natural domain. They’ll have plenty of their own and have a tremendous interest in yours. And don’t think for a minute that you can keep them tightly locked away. Scorpios have this sixth sense that guides them right, straight to the heart of anything covert, the juicier the better. They probably invented blackmail.

Scorpios have a libido that generates about the same energy as the output from Hoover Dam and sex appeal that emanates like radiation. They need sex like Taurus needs land and Libra needs fairness. If they’re not getting what they need, expect them to be either very sulky or very grumpy. In extreme cases it might even fuel their natural ruthlessness to a drive for power that makes others’ heads spin. That energy has to go somewhere, and the Moon Sign and Ascendant can give some clue where. I knew a manager once who was a Scorpio and single. He had a large, ceramic urn in his office that said "Ashes of Former Employees". I'm not sure that anyone ever had the nerve to look inside to see if it was a joke or not. 

It’s interesting that Scorpio is a Water Sign. The other water signs make sense, i.e. Pisces the Fish and Cancer the Crab. Scorpions as well as gray lizards, the last I checked, lived in the desert and eagles usually live in the mountains, though they do like to fish. There is no question that Scorpios are driven by their emotions, but they’re significantly different than the others. Fish may nip at you (even though some of them are like piranha) and the Crab may pinch you with his or her claw trying to hang on, but Scorpio can put you out for the count with one sting of the tail.  About the only sign that is consistently stronger is Taurus, and that is questionable.   As polar opposites in the Zodiac, both are Fixed signs that can wait a long, long time to wreak that revenge.  In other words, if you tangle with a Scorpio you are likely to be stung. They don’t like to lose. And while they have strong emotions, they will use them much differently than Fish or Crabs. They can get hurt like anyone else, but these folks believe in the old adage, "Don't get mad, get even." And they will use all that emotional energy to get it, no matter what the cost.  As previously mentioned, they're a Fixed Sign, meaning they're not likely to get over it anytime soon.

The third major element of their resident House is death. This includes inheritances. And this, of course, ties into the "other people’s money" part. This is not to say that they’re lazy, but if they can latch on to someone else’s assets they will in a second. Stand next to a Scorpio and you will feel a sucking sensation on your wallet. What’s theirs is theirs, and what’s yours is theirs. And they have no problem kindling deep affection by altering their persona to stimulate your need to support weaker, gentler beings. "Help me, help me!" and you are sucked into an abyss of misplaced parental reaction and altruistic over stimulation of an unsubstantiated need to take care of weaker persons. Put $1,000.00 dollars in cash in front of a Scorpio and they will actually open and close their fingers.

Like Taurus, their counter sign, and Leo a Square away, they like nice things and if they can get someone else to give them what they want, they won’t hesitate to take it. They’re intense and have a remarkable amount of charisma. They don’t hesitate to speak their mind, unless it’s to their advantage to remain silent. Remember what I said earlier about secrets. They make good friends and fierce enemies.

One other thing about Pluto you need to know is that it rules obsession. Depending on where it is in your Natal Chart or which House it’s transiting at the time, you could find yourself obsessing on the affected areas. As their ruling planet, Scorpios need to guard themselves carefully to avoid obsessions that lead to addictions or other self-defeating behaviors. Getting themselves set on a negative path is what can make the difference between a gray lizard and an eagle. The difference can be whether they derive energy from receiving pity or admiration. This is not a problem exclusive to Scorpios, but since they can do obsession so well, they need to be extra careful. They like power and will take it wherever they can find it, which could be either as the seemingly perfect victim or a tyrant, depending on what their motivation might be.

This is not to say that Scorpios are not nice people. They just have a hidden side. You may never see it, but it’s there. They’re very kind and giving to those they care about. Just make sure you never make the switch over to those they disdain or perceive as an enemy. If you do, you’re bound to get stung sooner or later. It may take a while, but rest assured the surety is right up there with death and taxes.

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Scorpio Moon

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