Enter Scorpio. Of all the signs in the zodiac, this one is the most intense. And those of you who know it well know exactly what I mean. If it weren’t for Scorpio’s penetrating intensity, we may never probe the depths of our consciousness, uncovering parts of our own ancestral puzzles in order to become more whole. We may never extract important information about why we act in certain ways when triggered or uncomfortable, or why we feel the way we do about specific situations or scenarios that are inevitably presented in life. And, we may never truly know what we’re capable of.

Scorpionic energy is what I associate with Shiva and with Kali, energies of fierce transformation, of death and rebirth. This energy pushes us head first into the turbulent end of the ocean of Consciousness, which often feels like a grand cosmic washing machine, churning us about until we’re coming up gasping for air, only to draw us back in until we’re really at our wit’s end. Sometimes the emotions that arise are so overwhelming that it doesn’t seem possible to contain them all. Sometimes their intensity is so extreme that we don’t feel capable of holding their immense power. And then we do. And perhaps for a moment, and then for a few more, we realize how possible all of this really is.

Scorpionic times are not for the faint of heart. They are for those who are willing to feel every ounce, every nuance, every fiber of emotional being with intensified awareness. Yet these times are also for those who didn’t know they had this amount of emotional capacity within them, for it is through times like these that this capacity is revealed. Scorpio calls us deep within ourselves to the places that aren’t often accessed, but that are always lying just beneath the surface, their energies permeating our daily lives in ways we're perhaps not even aware of. But when Scorpionic energy looms large, we sometimes quickly awaken to everything that’s been living beneath the surface, now brimming over for the rational mind to see and experience.

Meanwhile in Salmo, in perfect Scorpionic timing, our septic tank just got a clog in it somewhere. And it’s been overflowing into the crawl space over the last few days. Talk about confronting some sh*t! We’ve been dealing with the darkness of the transformative capacities of our bodies in physical form, and wow, that is intense! Country livin’ at its finest, no doubt. Yet it’s seriously the most perfect analogy for this time of year, and I'm made aware of just what a good sense of humor the Universe has. My partner has literally been digging holes in our yard, all day and into the night, to figure out what's causing this clogging situation in order for waste to move more smoothly into the septic field. And with parts of the porch and deck having been built over the septic field, the joke keeps getting better…for at least someone I hope! Scorpio has definitely been bringing it on.

As we move toward the Scorpio New Moon this Sunday, and Samhain (the midpoint between the Fall Equinox and the Winter Solstice) October 31-November 1 and the darker times, we're invited to see what energetic patterns are living underneath the flows of daily life. These energetic patterns may have been causing a psycho-emotional blockage of some sort, which will also make its way into the body’s tissues, and oftentimes they’re patterns we’ve inherited from our ancestors and previous generations. Although we may not have been aware of these issues before or it’s been awhile since we’ve seen them, Scorpio makes it clear that it's now time for us to know the deeper reality, and to work with it more ferociously than we have before. Because Scorpio is super attuned to the underlying subtleties, or subscripts as one of my dear soul sister calls them, this is a time of understanding more deeply how these influence us in ways we perhaps haven't been aware of or confronted at the level we’re ready to now. Are there ways of thinking or being that are influencing your consciousness, your attitudes, or the way you approach life that you haven't been aware of before, but that are brimming up to the surface of your conscious mind? This is the perfect time to really see and feel them for what they are. Look them in the face and know them, fully! It is only then that you'll be able to truly transform what is not serving you and the highest good.

If you or someone close is Scorpionic/Plutonian in nature in any way (i.e., they have a lot of this symbolism in the chart, or Pluto is an important planet due to its placement or rulership), or if they have big Scorpionic/Plutonian transits or progressions happening, the intensity will be, well, intensified! Because Scorpio squares Leo and Aquarius and opposes Taurus, these energies will too be sensitive to Scorpio's play and will need some introspection. Water signs, due to their energetic similarities, will also feel the intense Scorpionic stare, inviting them to a more emotionally clarifying space. So, we're kind of all getting a hit of this shadow work, yet work that is embedded in magic and mystery and wants us to know just how capable we are in the midst of the dark times that are upon us! I don’t mean this ominously, but it will be darker for the next 4 months until about Imbolc, February 1, when the days start actually feeling longer again. And let’s add Mercury into the mix here, who will also turn retrograde on Samhain/Halloween until November 20, and in the sign of Scorpio, so hold onto your witch's hat!

Mercury as the messenger god is able to dive down into the depths of consciousness to help us truly become aware of what we’ve been keeping at bay. Whatever pattern or tendency has been hiding will likely come up to be revealed during this time of revelation; all cards will be on the table! So it’s important to give ourselves the nourishment that we need, the care that we need, the rituals that we need. And rituals are, indeed, one of my favourite aspects of Scorpio. Rituals that are regenerative, alchemizing, powerful, and fun. Rituals that call us home to ourselves, reminding us of the potential we hold inside, as well as the capacity we have to connect with and embody the force of life that lives within us all. Simply sitting quietly, standing and breathing, moving mindfully, dancing wildly, lighting candles, drawing Tarot cards, saying prayers, calling on one’s ancestors or guides, are all awesome ways to create a personal ritual. And if you're really interested in transforming some deep emotions, one of my favourite rituals for this is letter writing and burning. If you've been carrying old energy that needs to be shifted, this is an awesome way to do it! The letter could be to someone you've been carrying old baggage with for a short time, someone who hurt you decades ago that you're ready to let go of, someone you don’t know but have anger toward, or even an institution or establishment. Whatever it is, sit in a quiet space where you’re sure to be solo for some time (pets are allowed if they’ll be chill!), and write whatever needs to come out, for as long as you need to. Make sure you get everything out on paper; in this exercise, the sentiment is “better out than in!” These letters don’t need to be read after they’ve been written, for they’re going straight into the fire for transformation! During the burning of the letter and the toxicity, you may chant, pray, or hold silence, experiencing the ritual in whatever way feels most intuitive. Afterwards, write a gratitude list to fill the empty space with heart. In this way, Mercury’s gifts of communication and perception come in very handy, allowing us to traverse to intense territory to get at the root of some deep stuff that is needing to be truly seen, alchemized, and integrated. And now is definitely the time! When we remember that we’re doing this work together, collectively, it brings even more power and solace.

During this Scorpio season, may you give yourself fully to the process of transformation and alchemy, and may it show you exactly how capable you are of shape-shifting to embody your most vibrant and true nature. The force is always with you. Enjoy!