Face Fear and Find Freedom
Scorpio (October 22-November 22)
Shine light into the darkness and transform suffering to joy
Scorpio is a fixed, negative, watery sign, ruled by Mars. Its symbol is the scorpion, which in Sanskrit is Vrischika. It is a sexual sign, associated with the processes of birth, life, death, and rebirth. Its metal is iron, and its colour deep red. The plants that Scorpio is associated with are those that sting or have thorns such as brambles, nettles, and thistles; or the pungent and spicy ones such as garlic and ginger. Key words are passionately, secretively, and penetratingly.
Scorpio is associated with endings and new beginnings. In the Northern Hemisphere its dates coincide with the transition from autumn to winter, and this may be where its association with death and decline arises from. Scorpio invites us into the darkness, the place where life ends, and new life begins.
The sting in the tail of Scorpio makes it one of the most challenging, and at the same time one of the most rewarding, signs to work with. To uncover the treasure buried within the sign we must move towards that which scares us most, rather than avoiding it.
Our yoga practice can provide us with the stability to do the warrior work of approaching and befriending our fears. In the more challenging asanas we learn how to lean into discomfort, finding our edge, without leaping off it into full-blown pain. We also cultivate compassion for our struggles and difficulties, surrounding them with love and understanding. The eagle is another symbol associated with this sign, and our practice of yoga teaches us the eagle-like skill of rising above our everyday concerns and seeing the bigger picture. In this way we experience freedom.
Yoga is a full moon on a dark, cold night. It is old brown leaves in autumn and new buds unfurling on the tree in spring. Yoga relaxation frees that which was hidden and bound in the subconscious. In dreamlike states, that which was concealed in cobwebbed corners of the mind is revealed and brought up into the light of our awareness. Into those dark spaces we shine a light of kind and loving attention.
Scorpio is associated with endings and new beginnings. In the Northern Hemisphere its dates coincide with the transition from autumn to winter, and this may be where its association with death and decline arises from. Scorpio invites us into the darkness, the place where life ends, and new life begins.
The sting in the tail of Scorpio makes it one of the most challenging, and at the same time one of the most rewarding, signs to work with. To uncover the treasure buried within the sign we must move towards that which scares us most, rather than avoiding it.
Our yoga practice can provide us with the stability to do the warrior work of approaching and befriending our fears. In the more challenging asanas we learn how to lean into discomfort, finding our edge, without leaping off it into full-blown pain. We also cultivate compassion for our struggles and difficulties, surrounding them with love and understanding. The eagle is another symbol associated with this sign, and our practice of yoga teaches us the eagle-like skill of rising above our everyday concerns and seeing the bigger picture. In this way we experience freedom.
Yoga is a full moon on a dark, cold night. It is old brown leaves in autumn and new buds unfurling on the tree in spring. Yoga relaxation frees that which was hidden and bound in the subconscious. In dreamlike states, that which was concealed in cobwebbed corners of the mind is revealed and brought up into the light of our awareness. Into those dark spaces we shine a light of kind and loving attention.
Scorpio-inspired Meditation Questions
- When confronted with difficult emotions what do I find is the best way of managing them?
- Which skills would I need to develop to have the courage to turn and face difficult emotions?
- Which yoga practices give me the stability to live my life courageously and to fight the necessary battles of life?
- When I need to self-soothe what do I find gives me comfort?
Scorpio: Face fear and find freedom and transformation. Learn to listen for the still, small voice of calm that will guide you through the storms of life. Shine the light of kind and loving attention to illuminate the dark spaces of the mind.