Sun sets at 6pm and the darker half of the year is well and truly upon us. Over the last few weeks we slipped into autumn through Libra season with our scented candles, coffee dates and well curated jumpers. The coziness and warmth of the initial days of Autumn are brewing themselves into the more sinister, perpetual darkness of Hebridean winter.
That’s right! It’s Scorpio season. The stereotypical dark sign of the zodiac. Often given a bad rep by pop astrologers and represented by the less than friendly Scorpion.
Poor Scorpio is woefully misunderstood as a sign, perhaps because Scorpio holds some of the most powerful energy in the Zodiac – Transformation.
As people, Scorpios are generally passionate, intense, articulate and mysterious. Loyal to their bones and unafraid to dive into uncharted territory. They are often drawn to religion, taboo subcultures and investigative work. These people are devoted on a soul level to gaining a deeper understanding of the world – sometimes at great cost or danger to themselves.
But just like the scorpion has it’s physical exoskeleton, Scorpios are blessed with their own psychic exoskeleton. Their resilience to pressure and toxic environments is miraculous, given their capacity for emotional intensity and sensitivity.
Being both a feminine and water sign, Scorpio relates to the emotional and subconscious self (much like the sign of Cancer we uncovered in June) but where cancer relates to the archetype of the mother, Scorpio relates to the archetype of the Cailleach.
This is where the notion of transformation comes into play. Over the next 4 weeks we celebrate the festival of Samhain (modern equivalent Halloween). A period where the ‘veils’ between the worlds of natural and supernatural are thinnest. Oftentimes where our intuition is strongest. Trees shed their final leaves upon the ground and quietly an army of species set to work decomposing and transforming the rotting remnants of summer into a dark rich canvas from which new growth will emerge in spring…
However this process is not instantaneous and we are faced with a barren, dreich dark period where far too often the shadows and lack of light can make us troubled and uneasy.
This is where we can harness the energy of Scorpio to hold us through the gloom of late Autumn. To truly know the vibrance and brightness of our lives, we must first confront the shadier, unsettling parts. Even on the brightest days we cast a shadow.
Find yourself time and grace to scuttle into the darker, mysterious corners of your mind, sit there and listen. Let yourself feel discomfort and unease knowing that you are armed with a fierce set of pincers and a sting in your tail. Envision the process of leaf litter turning slowly into rich earth. Get to know the bizarre and quiet creatures that lurk there – slowly transmuting this heavy, spoiled energy into fertile ground in their own time.
Have faith in your ability to transform because at this time of year you truly are an alchemist.
Published: The ileach October 2025
Leave a Reply