{"id":3706,"date":"2015-10-18T10:58:30","date_gmt":"2015-10-18T10:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=3706"},"modified":"2015-10-18T11:19:49","modified_gmt":"2015-10-18T11:19:49","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-18-october-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=3706","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 18 October 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scorpio Animal Totems and Archetypes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

While Leo only has one major animal totem, I have spotted numerous animals for Scorpio over the years I have been working with them, so am having to prune the list here.\u00a0 The Sun enters Scorpio at 17.47 Hrs on Friday 23rd<\/sup> October.\u00a0 This is the sixth in the series where I look at some of the animal totems and Archetypes for the various signs. Despite the fact that many of the following veer towards the shadow side of (human) nature, Scorpio remains my favourite Sun sign! Do you, or someone close to you, have Sun, Ascendant or Moon in Scorpio?<\/p>\n

Scorpion <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Scorpions throughout various ancient cultures have had a reputation for death and destruction, let alone the sting.\u00a0 I have known evolved Scorpios who were born without the sting, so look out for this new breed!<\/p>\n

I offer you my story for the Scorpio Inner Child:<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>Once upon a time there was a baby Scorpion in the desert searching for water.\u00a0 She had a very magnetic, deep-set, penetrating gaze and a capacity for intense concentration.\u00a0 For this task, she also had a great deal of energy and an extremely strong will, capable of taking on great challenges.\u00a0 She was also powerfully in tune with the guiding forces and angels of the desert, not to mention the angels of the water element (the undines), and there was a sure sense of knowing, within her being, that one day she would find water.\u00a0 She climbed pyramids, she burrowed down into ravines, but still she had not reached the end of her quest.\u00a0 Just as she was getting to the end of her tether, she managed to borrow some water from a passing camel to refresh herself.\u00a0 But bein<\/em>g a profound thinker, she realiz<\/em>ed that this was only a temporary solution.\u00a0 One winter, she saw three wise men passing on their way to Bethlehem.\u00a0 She asked them their names, making casual conversation, concealing the true nature of her quest.\u00a0 One of them, named Melchior, was very astute, and gave her a present, asking her not to unwrap it until Christmas Day.\u00a0 As it was a few days off, the anticipation was almost unbearable, but she\u2019d waited this long for a breakthrough, and the Scorpion had a long fuse\u2026at last the great day came, a<\/em>nd she unwrapped a beautiful <\/em>amethyst-studded water-divining rod\u2026From that day, the fortunes of the Scorpion went from strength to strength as she realized that she would always have everything or be given everything that she needed.<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Snake<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The snake also does not have a good press!\u00a0 In Christianity of course it symbolizes the cunning evil lurking in the Garden of Eden.\u00a0 It is associated with stealth, and like the Scorpion, with poison.\u00a0 Like Pluto, the ruling planet of Scorpio, there is a potential with this animal totem for transformation, and the cycle of death and rebirth.\u00a0 Even the shedding of its skin has symbolic meaning.<\/p>\n

Cobra<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Cobra takes the snake wisdom to a powerful new level, adding extra danger, and the strength of the life force or kundalini.\u00a0 It represents the actual process of spiritual awakening.<\/p>\n

Bat<\/strong><\/p>\n

That staple totem of Halloween, the Bat, is another \u201cdark\u201d animal.\u00a0 Here is a poem by Jamie Sams and David Carson from their \u201cMedicine Cards\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u201cSacred Bat\u2026flew to me,<\/em><\/p>\n

From the darkness of the cave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Womb-like reflections,<\/em><\/p>\n

Answers it gave.<\/em><\/p>\n

Birth, death, rebirth,<\/em><\/p>\n

Cycles of the whole\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Never-ending,<\/em><\/p>\n

Just eclipsed,<\/em><\/p>\n

The journey of the soul.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

As you can see, similar themes arise.\u00a0 Nicholas J. Saunders in \u201cAnimal Spirits\u201d brings out another skill: \u201cThey \u2018see\u2019 by echo location, sending out high-frequency clicks in a form of pulsed sonar which evolved millions of years before 1930s scientists hit upon the secrets of radar.\u201d\u00a0 I wonder if humans can develop this.<\/p>\n

Big Cats<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Puma\/Panther\/Cougar<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

These large cats with black pigmentation seem to carry Scorpio associations, with different qualities according to different sources.\u00a0 If Puma comes up in your meditations or dreams, it is about owning your own power.<\/p>\n

Ted Andrews in \u201cAnimal Speak\u201d advises: \u201cThe cougar can teach you how to bring out your power and fill your heart with it in a manner that will enable you to take charge of your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Secretiveness, stealth and courage are also represented by these animals.\u00a0 Of Panther, Ted Andrews writes: \u201cThose who have a panther as a totem will find their greatest power in silence as goals are pursued.\u00a0 Revealing too much or speaking too much about pursuits can counteract some of the effectiveness.\u201d\u00a0 Scorpios, more than other signs, tend to reserve their power.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bird Totems<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Raven<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The jet black Raven has long represented a messenger of difficult news.\u00a0 As with many deep psychological processes, there is enlightenment at the end of the tunnel.<\/p>\n

Nicky Scully in \u201cThe Golden Cauldron\u201d points out a constructive path with this bird totem:<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an ally, Raven is especially beneficial for those who have had difficult childhoods, for he is able to get into the dark places where fear and tension lurk, break them down, and help to get rid of them.\u00a0 He can find the hidden places of physical and emotional abuse, and lighten things up to prepare the way for healing.\u00a0 Raven helps people reclaim the joy that was once theirs or that they missed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vulture<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The vulture is important in certain ancient cultures in association with burial customs, e.g. the sky burial in Tibetan culture, and in Zoroastrianism the \u201ctower of silence\u201d.<\/p>\n

Ted Andrews informs us of an unusual phenomenon associated with the Vulture totem:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not unusual for those with a vulture totem to have changes in their own digestive system occur.\u00a0 Foods that used to be enjoyed and have no side effects may become less compatible.\u00a0 On the other hand foods always thought of as incompatible may become compatible.\u201d<\/p>\n

Insects<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The black widow spider, the death watch beetle, and the indestructible cockroach all have resonance to Scorpio.<\/p>\n

Mythological Figures<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Phoenix<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The bird of Greek Mythology, the Phoenix, rises from the ashes in an act of transformation.\u00a0 This is also the process associated with Pluto, the ruler of Scorpio. When people have Pluto on the Ascendant, there can be many occasions in their life when they reinvent themselves.\u00a0 A transit of Pluto to the Ascendant or a personal planet can have a similar result.\u00a0 Like a tree that is cut down, a person can re-emerge with greater strength than ever.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dragon<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

If you know anyone who is a collector of dragon figurines, you can bet they have Scorpio prominent in their chart!\u00a0 The fiery dragon is one of the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, and is the equivalent of Scorpio.\u00a0 Some of the Chinese animals correlate, but the animal which comes after the dragon is the Snake, also a Scorpio totem, so exact parallels cannot be drawn.\u00a0 The Tiger (correlating to Gemini) comes after the Ox (Taurus) so parts of the circle do flow together.\u00a0 Then after the Snake (Scorpio) you have the Horse which is Sagittarius, and then the Goat which is Capricorn…<\/p>\n

The character given for the dragon in China is described by Nicholas Saunders as follows: \u201cChinese beliefs held the dragon to be a symbol of supreme spirituality and the image of the divine power of transformation\u2026the dragon is the first of the Four Auspicious Animals or animals of good omen.\u201d\u00a0 If you have the dragon as your Chinese sign, you are a born leader, powerful and lucky.\u00a0 At last some good press!<\/em><\/p>\n

Archetypes<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Detective<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Detective Archetype is well suited to Scorpio because of its love of mysteries and crime fiction, and the forensic mind exemplified where someone has Mercury in Scorpio particularly.\u00a0 Where someone has say several planets in Scorpio in the 12th<\/sup> House you may suspect they have the Detective Archetype, or even its relative the Spy Archetype.\u00a0 It\u2019s fun to conjecture\u2026The Observer this morning has an interesting piece on our fascination with espionage in history and culture.<\/p>\n

Femme Fatale<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/strong>Whereas Libra is the Lover, the Scorpio magnetism and art of seduction can sometimes be misused.\u00a0 Caroline Myss says of this Archetype: \u201cHighlights the erotic energy of the feminine.\u00a0 Opens your heart when your dependency is rejected\u201d, for its Light Attribute.<\/p>\n

Vampire<\/em><\/strong><\/span> <\/em><\/p>\n

Scorpio is traditionally able to use resources cast off by others, e.g. material resources and money (e.g. in banking and insurance) or literally energies.\u00a0 It is associated with hypnotism, both in the positive and the negative applications.\u00a0 It recycles energy, and therefore can be associated with psychic draining if it is not in balance or equal exchange.\u00a0 There is also the association with the vampire bat, and its fangs (back to images of Halloween\u2026).\u00a0 Every Archetype has a positive side, remember!\u00a0 In spiritual healing, one province of Scorpio, there is the capacity to remove unwanted energies.<\/p>\n

On the positive side, I believe this ability to transform energy is often constructively used, for example in regression or hypnotherapy.\u00a0 Two practitioners who spring to mind are Brian Weiss (born 6th<\/sup> November) a doctor who has written many books on regression and one on future life progression, and hypnotist Paul McKenna (born 8th<\/sup> November) whose best sellers include \u201cI can make you Sleep\u201d\/lose weight etc.<\/em><\/p>\n

Religious Figure<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Shiva<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In the Hindu religion, Shiva is one of the trinity with Vishnu and Brahma.\u00a0 It is the province of Shiva to destroy what is not needed, so that a sense of purity remains in what is left.\u00a0 Visually, he is often portrayed slaying demons.\u00a0 He is associated with limitlessness, and as the Destroyer he destroys what is limiting us.<\/em><\/p>\n

Mantra: \u201cOm Namaha Shivai\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In conclusion, I would like to salute the Scorpios.\u00a0 It is good to build up our light quotient, but someone has to engage with the darkness in our society in order for humanity to evolve.\u00a0 It is often the Scorpios that do not shy away from that; they rarely take the easy route.\u00a0 The Virgos, Cancerians and Pisceans are the carers of our society, and often do encounter the sadness and grief of hospitals and hospices, or the therapy room.\u00a0 But Scorpios are often right on the coal face of the struggle between darkness and light, working with the dregs of society and the disenfranchised, in social work and prisons.\u00a0 Even when not engaged in such work, the Scorpio tends to confront life rather than to avoid it or rise above it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Bibliography:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMedicine Cards\u201d <\/strong>by Jamie Sams and David Carson<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cArchetype Cards\u201d <\/strong>by Caroline Myss<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cAnimal Speak\u201d<\/strong> by Ted Andrews<\/p>\n

\u201cAnimal Spirits\u201d <\/strong>by Nicholas J. Saunders<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Golden Cauldron\u201d<\/strong> by Nicky Scully<\/p>\n

Aspects<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

All the action takes place on Thursday and Friday this week.\u00a0 If you are pushed for time today, you might like to revisit this blog on Thursday, and play it by ear early in the week.\u00a0 Take time out to enjoy the lack of planetary pulls in any direction\u2026<\/p>\n

The first aspect, on the evening of Thursday (22nd<\/sup>), is a challenging one: that of Mercury square Pluto.\u00a0 So the mental focus is on all those courageous qualities of Scorpio enumerated under the list of totems.\u00a0 In fact, pick a totem from the above \u2013 you may be able to use one.<\/p>\n

Conversations on Thursday may be mind-blowing, or give you such food for thought that mental digestion requires extra time and space.\u00a0 Eat lightly.\u00a0 Sleep may be elusive, so try not to have too much sensory input in the evening, e.g. cut down on your television viewing.\u00a0 Question Time might be all right, but don\u2019t bother watching This Week afterwards\u2026Collect yourself, and find your sanity.<\/p>\n

Clear the mental level on Thursday night, and Friday rewards us with a trine between Venus and Pluto.\u00a0 Once the mental stuff has been digested, the rich feelings (Venus) can come through and find life\u2019s meaning (Pluto).<\/p>\n

Breakfast on Friday morning will be an entirely different scenario: appreciation of life, gratitude, and admiration.\u00a0 Pile the blueberries on your porridge! You may feel the need to reach out to someone with an early morning text.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve got artistic or musical projects going on, tackle them with an early start and they should blossom.<\/p>\n

During the day, Chiron opposes Mars and you may encounter an energy crisis of some sort, perhaps hampering your plans in the middle of the day.\u00a0 Someone in the office may endure a paper cut, and make a fuss.\u00a0 The resolution of any crisis may involve energy balancing, within oneself, or between people.\u00a0 Perhaps you are meeting strangers for the first time and need time to adjust to their energies.<\/p>\n

The Sun is leaving reasonable Libra, and in the late afternoon\/early evening enters Scorpio, and you may feel the deepening challenges of the approach of winter.\u00a0 What to do about Halloween?\u00a0 What do I really think about fireworks? Such stress, as the Sun\u2019s energy intensifies.<\/p>\n

But we are coming of age\u2026we have played in the Sun in August, knuckled down to work schedules in September, sought harmony in art and music in October, and now it is time to look at life as it truly is, without evasion and denial, grasp its meaning, and maybe make a stand on what you believe in.\u00a0 Love the Scorpio you\u2019re with.<\/p>\n

The week in bullet points:<\/p>\n