BY LISA MARIE BASILE (A SCORPIO)
People often reduce Scorpio to a sex-hungry, death-obsessed, sting machine — and they’re not entirely wrong to do so. Scorpio can be nasty (or are they just too real for the rest of us?). They feed off of the transformative power of sex, the earth-shattering power of transformation, death, and rebirth, and offer up a sometimes-tiring intensity. All of this is true.
But in this obsessive prowling for authenticity and power and pleasure you’ll also find loyalty, passion, relentless curiosity, hard work, and an ability to think outside of the box. They are hungry for everything. Here’s what they teach us:
Embracing authenticity & the hard stuff makes your life more beautiful.
To be human is to bleed and cry and change, so why present yourself as static and safe? Scorpio balks at bullshit, and that’s no exaggeration. If Scorpio walks into a party and finds themselves cornered by the person whose inauthenticity simply wafts from their person, Scorpio is not likely to politely excuse themselves. They will likely utter a too-harsh retort or simply walk away. Harsh? Perhaps. Rude? Depends on how you look it.
If you aren’t here to present your deepest, most authentic, vulnerable self (but don’t be straight-up insecure, since the line between weakness and vulnerability is drawn deep in the sand for Scorpio), Scorpio becomes the physical embodiment of a yawn. Seriously, give us the entire ocean or go bother someone else — maybe, who knows, a stoic, grounded Earth sign who can’t be bothered with the messy beauty of humanity?
The lesson: Find the power in revealing yourself, being vulnerable, and going deep. Step out onto the plank and reveal your shining wholeness to the wide and wild seas. Get consumed in arresting, honest conversation. Don’t shy from real people who want to connect. There are places and times for reservation and balance, but life is too short to hide from the depths. Welcome it in yourself and others. You will find intimacy, love, and beauty in realness. Take a risk and show your real self.
Power can be used for good or for bad. Use it for good.
The Greek myth of Scorpius and Orion is pretty dark. One myth says that Orion bragged about his desire — and ability — to kill every creature on earth. In response, Artemis and Leto sent a scorpion to murder Orion. Zeus then hung Scorpio into the celestial fabric after it battled the evil Orion. It makes sense now that Scorpio is ruled by Pluto (the underworld) and Mars (war).
But it’s not just about murderous battle, is it? It’s about using your power wisely, and embracing the long game, the battle against evil — and sometimes that means cozying up with darkness in order to understand and dismantle it.
If this myth teaches us anything, it’s that the Scorpio reputation walks that often blurry line of loyal protector and dangerous destroyer. When Scorpio uses their power for good, they embrace their ambitious intensity and obsessive strategy to make way for good and for change (which they live and die by).
The lesson: When angry, use that energy. When afraid, seek wisdom in that fear and redirect it. Instead of hurting earth’s creatures, protect them (that’s a metaphor). Help them. Help those who can’t help themselves. Take all that intensity of emotion you feel after reading the news, and when you can, help someone on the street or fight for change on a larger scale. When tested, find your inner strength. Pick your battles. May they be ones that transform yourself and the world around you.
And when your own spiteful, mean urges arise, follow them to their point of origin and sooth the crying beast that aches to be understood. When dark thoughts occur, ask them what they can teach you.
Don’t be afraid of your own power. Harness and manage it. Scorpio tells us that this is better than being diplomatic or neutral to the point of static or unhelpful. Better than being afraid. Better than being grounded. Sometimes you need a torch and bolt and a matchstick. Sometimes you need to sting for the right reasons.
Let your freak flag fly & embrace differences.
If Scorpio is anything, it’s misunderstood — and if you ask any of us, we’ll tell you that we’re proud of that. So what, we think? We don’t want to conform or come off as digestible or obvious. Our freak flags are at full-mast, and though we often try to be a secretive bunch (no one gets us anyway, #angst), we’re okay with that. We clamor to investigate everything and everyone and we want you to do the work, too. Look at everyone for who they really, truly are deep down — past the mask. Past nonsense social constructions.
The lesson: The Scorpio is proud to be different, but they’re not cocky about it (well, sometimes they’re cocky about it), and they want you to be proud too. When we embrace radical pride in our own uniqueness, we show the world that differences can be our collective strength. We un-other ourselves. In this act, we demand that the world respect every race, gender, sex, and identity.
Scorpio Affirmations
Don’t punish yourself for your differences.
Speak up for others who are being oppressed and erased.
Have a tough conversation with someone.
Ask tough questions and give real answers.
Don’t make others feel bad for being vulnerable or open.
Find the weirdest person at the party and trade secrets.
Realize that everyone has many layers, and seek to understand them.
Seek wisdom in darkness.
Raise your freak flag.
Use your power to change the world for the better.
Realize that everything changes — and learn from that change.
Question tradition, order, and authority.
Be proud of the things that make you different; afford others the same right.
Lisa Marie Basile is the founding creative director of Luna Luna Magazine, a popular magazine & digital community focused on literature, magical living, and identity. She is the author of several books of poetry, as well as Light Magic for Dark Times, a modern collection of inspired rituals and daily practices, as well as The Magical Writing Grimoire: Use the Word as Your Wand for Magic, Manifestation & Ritual. Her work focuses heavily on trauma recovery, writing as a healing tool, chronic illness, everyday magic, and poetry. She's written for or been featured in The New York Times, Refinery 29, Self, Chakrubs, Marie Claire, Narratively, Catapult, Sabat Magazine, Bust, HelloGiggles, Best American Experimental Writing, Best American Poetry, Grimoire Magazine, and more. She's an editor at the poetry site Little Infinite as well as the co-host of Astrolushes, a podcast that conversationally explores astrology, ritual, pop culture, and literature. Lisa Marie has taught writing and ritual workshops at HausWitch in Salem, MA, Manhattanville College, and Pace University. She is also a chronic illness advocate, keeping columns at several chronic illness patient websites. She earned a Masters's degree in Writing from The New School and studied literature and psychology as an undergraduate at Pace University. You can follow her at @lisamariebasile and @Ritual_Poetica.