SCORPIO (and sign rulerships)

The Sun moved into Scorpio on 24th October, and will remain in the sign until 22 November (dates vary by a day, either way, year by year). Once again I'm quoting 20th century British astrologer Ingrid Lind, from her long out of print little book Astrology and Commonsense. Her take on the zodiac signs is so interesting. She makes it easy to understand how the traits for each sign have been arrived at, via the quality, element, sign ruler and whether the sign is negative/positive. It would be a pity for her words to be lost in the mists of time.

SCORPIO

Quality: Fixed.
Element: Water.
Ruler: Mars.
Negative.

It is small wonder that those with this sign strong are deep and unfathomable personalities with much to cope with in their own nature, for what could be more incompatible than the assortment of ingredients above? Fixity combined with water is hard to think of, and when we add the fiery ruler Mars, most active and masculine of planets, and call the result negative it is a puzzle, even to the astrologer with a clear picture of each separate ingredient, to envisage the whole.

The difficulty may diminish if we work backwards, from what are known as Scorpio traits to the warring components.

Intensity of feeling and emotion is a typical Scorpio trait. Emotion comes from the
Water element and gains added passion from Mars and tenacity from the quality of fixity. As to the negativity, this is true enough of the sign. Scorpio has none of the pioneering dash of Aries, the other Mars ruled sign, and we see that Scorpio force is indeed not the quick, decisive flash of Fire but the more terrifying weight of Water, a sweeping, inexorable tide. If Cancer was a gentle moonlit stream (the Water sign ruled by the Moon) Scorpio is the tidal wave or thundering weight of Niagara.

Martian passion and desire is never easy to control.In Aries, where all is simple, primitive masculinity, the sex force is quickly roused, expressed and forgotten. In Scorpio it is harnessed to emotion and fixity and runs deeper and with far more probability of complications and sorrow.

But if he can sink to the depths, the Scorpion can rise to corresponding heights of pleasure, ecstasy or spirituality. It is illuminating to find that the second symbol for this Sign is the Eagle.

Men and women with Scorpio strong are capable of making a powerful emotional impact on those around them. The very strength of their feelings makes them selfish, for they really appear to suffer more keenly than the average person and are only comforted by demonstrations of love or sympathy. They make wonderful lovers but are not the type to choose for a passing love affair. If an affair is to end it must be of THEIR choosing. They can be ruthless, the flood of their desire sweeping away all obstacles; and they can outlast anyone in feats of physical endurance. It is not that they are so strong, but their intensity combined with fixity of purpose makes them oblivious to everything but the aims of the moment.

The best type of Scorpio makes a most charming companion, for the enjoyment he feels is infectious. He enjoys life to the full from carnal pleasures to highest poetical or mystical adventures.

Unhappy Scorpio can be the most miserable and degenerate of men (I'll add "or women"). Dangerous too, for passion running riot with flood force is not readily controlled.

Scorpio Qualities
Staying power
High libido
Ability for poetical or satirical expression
Strong will and dignity
Ability for detection, research or secret-service
Fidelity

Scorpio Faults
Obstinacy
Debauchery
Sarcasm and mental cruelty
Relentlessness
Secretivity
Tendency to enslave others

For some of my own archived sribblings on Scorpio, simply click on Scorpio at the Label Cloud in the sidebar.

I'll just add, here, that Mars is Scorpio's traditional ruler. When Pluto was discovered in 1930 astrologers allocated it as modern ruler of Scorpio. I'm in two minds about the modern rulerships in general: Pluto/Scorpio, Uranus/Aquarius, Neptune/Pisces. I often wish astrologers had left things as they were before discovery of the outer planets. Traditionally the two "lights": Sun and Moon each ruled one Sign, while the other planets each ruled two, allocated in the order of speed of movement ~~ Sun ruler of Leo; Moon ruler of Cancer. Then: Mercury ruler of the signs on either side of these two: Gemini and Virgo. Venus ruler of the next pair: Taurus and Libra. Mars ruler of Aries and Scorpio. Jupiter ruler of Pisces and Sagittarius. Saturn ruler of Aquarius and Capricorn.

More and more I'm realising that Aquarius has more in common with Saturn, unless Uranus is tightly linked to personal planets. Uranian traits of rebellion, unexpectedness etc. can apply to any other zodiac sign equally, where Uranus is linked to personal planets. Same idea applies to Neptune, and Pluto. That's just my own view though - I guess astrologers with decades of experience knew best. There's a good piece on rulerships at Skyscript: The Philosophy of Sign Rulership ; and another on The Modern Planets and Traditional Astrology, at Ambrosia Academy of Astrology website - illustration is copied from there too.