The Origin And Myths Of Scorpio
Scorpio is an enigmatic and powerful zodiac sign who enjoys the powers of the underworld.
Scorpio’s saga is rooted in the Ancient Sumerians and Babylonian empires, where it was regarded as the bearer of deepest & darkest secrets. Astrologers agree with the ancient peoples that Scorpio holds the mysteries of life and represents a person’s spiritual transformation.
Take a look at your natal chart: Where does the Scorpio fall into? Is it the 6th house? Is Scorpio pushing your boundaries at work? Or does it fall into your 12th house where it causes a literal mess in your subconscious? Or is it an 8th house interaction that Scorpio makes you fall in love with the spirit world?
MYTHOLOGY
Dating back to the iconic story of Orion, the sign of Scorpio is associated with death and victory. This is because the famous Scorpion who bit the ferocious hunter Orion was teaching him a lesson on not killing every single animal that is less powerful than him. Orion is allowed to hunt again, but as long as he lets others live and hunt. Later this story of Scorpion became interwoven with the zodiac sign of Scorpio, which is mostly understood as a very destructive and intense zodiac sign, whose existence can cause death but is also a necessity for the survival of the innocent.
Besides the Scorpion, this zodiac sign is also associated with snakes and ravens. While snakes symbolize occult wisdom, ravens represent death and rebirth.
Moving on, Scorpio’s symbology is narrated in numerous events in Greek mythology with very vivid depictions. To begin with, the Greek god of the underworld who kidnapped Zeus’s daughter was called Hades (Pluto). This God was an outcast among the Olympians because he tended to prefer force over peace, and was also associated with darkness and cruelty of the ‘lower world’.
He remained loyal to his wife forever, however, his selfishness also caused Persephone’s mother Demeter to fall into the hands of misery, her joy to die and the spring to end. When Spring didn’t come, farmers failed to harvest and countless citizens died from starvation. Zeus had to negotiate with Hades so that Persephone could go to the upper world for 3 months and visit her mother, so that spring would come and when nature resumed its cycle, Persephone would eventually go back to her husband.
As a water sign, Scorpio was long associated with dangerous waters. For example, Styx river in the World of Dead was known for its ice-cold waters and its cruel rower. Greeks used to believe that when people die, their shadowy souls would have to cross the Styx river and since no one can swim in this cold river, deceased people would have to make a payment to Charon the ferryman. Therefore, they would bury their loved ones with a piece of coin in their mouth. If no payment is made, the dead couldn’t pass this river, and their souls would float in the air in immense agony.
When people make that payment and finally arrive at the underworld, Hades would question the deceased for their sins. According to the verdict, either they would be allowed to take a bath in Lethe river, and forget their previous lives, or they would be sent to Tartaros where they were imprisoned and suffered great pain.
As visible, Scorpio’s mythological representation is full of discomfort, transformation, and rebirth.
KABBALISTIC APPROACH
According to the sacred Kabbalah, Scorpio is associated with the letter נ) noun). It is the letter that illustrates collapse and breakdown. Similar to the narrative we have covered above, Kabbalah perceives Scorpio and its month of November as a turning point in our spiritual journey. Intensity of the emotional pain is necessary in order to pass to the next stage in our lives. Similar to the resilience of Scorpio, the letter noun is unbendable and determined to pursue its passion.
No matter how hard life hits them or bites them, Scorpio is an incredibly robust sign that will be born from its ashes. Kabbalah acknowledges the month of Heshvan (November) as a period of discontent and transformation. Scholars argue that the painful encounters that Scorpio endures are holy because it is the only way to reach the higher realms. For example, in Kabbalistic practices, followers must be able to fast for days (without food or water!) in order to receive godly visions. The road they choose is full of bitterness and thorns, but they continue bare foot, knowing that in the end, they will be able to smell the rose and understand the mysteries of life.
Moreover, Kabbalah puts special emphasis on Scorpio since it is the symbol of renewal and rebirth. Thanks to its persistent nature, Scorpio doesn’t give up even in the harshest times and overcomes depression, knowing that without the gloomy weather, there won’t be any spring. Fulfillment in Kabbalah is only possible through experiencing losses but having the power to carry on.
PERSONALITY TRAITS
Passionate yet sometimes distanced, resentful yet reliable, determined yet can become indifferent. Seriously, why is Scorpio so freakin’ problematic? The answer is rather simple: They are humans too and sometimes it is even too much for them to bear.
Besides being an intuitive mystic and all that, some people accuse Scorpio of being cynical and vindictive, which is also true. These qualities reflect Scorpio’s shadowy aspect, but put yourself in Scorpio’s shoes, what would you do in their situation? Scorpios have a fight-or-flight mindset, and when faced with a predicament, may choose the unpleasant way. Scorpio people are very solution-oriented and instead of sitting on the fence, they may deliberately choose to do the wrong thing just to get out of a situation.
HOUSE
Scorpio is the ruler of the 8th house in astrology. The 8th house symbolizes taboo matters, transformations, accidents, life-altering surgeries, debts, occultism, and sexuality. At some point, everybody undergoes these subjects in life, but Scorpio people tend to experience them more frequently.
Due to its ruler planets being Mars and Pluto, Scorpio represents occult knowledge and mediumship. People who have strong Scorpio placements in their natal charts tend to possess psychic talents that enable them to read energy very easily, and even contact with other-worldly entities.
Lastly, Scorpio rules the one portion of the body that has been long considered a taboo matter and accused of being dangerous and sinful: Genitalia. Experiencing any reproductive problem or sexually transmitted should be addressed keeping the person’s Scorpio placements in mind.
