The deepest secrets, the darkest insights, the most piercing remarks and the most naughty of jokes all fall within the domain of the Scorpio star sign.
More than any other member of the traditional zodiac, Scorpio people come under scrutiny, misunderstandings and misapprehensions the most.
Of course, given how they cloak themselves in secrecy and shadow, you could say they do it on purpose – and you’d be right. Yet by taking a closer look at the astrological aspects behind the Scorpio mask, you can effortlessly peel away the layers.
Much of it rests within the Scorpio symbol: learn the truth about the Scorpio sign, and you’ll have unravelled their mysteries without their knowledge.
What is the Scorpio symbol?
Wondering what the Scorpio symbol is is the easy part. The clue is in the name, as much as it is in the constellation of Scorpius, of which the vibrant star Antares forms a crucial part.
When astrology was first distinguished by the wisest scholars of the ancient world, they sought shape and meaning in the heavens, and from here were able to discern many of the constellations of the night sky we enjoy today.
With them came the knowledge of what would become astrology and the modern interpretation of the zodiac.
So of course, the Scorpio symbol is the scorpion, as it was seen in the sky at night in the shape of the stars.
The characteristics of the creature, such as stealthy scuttling, a venomous stinger and a scary appearance, were all attributed to the Scorpio sign meaning from here.
And yet, as you’re likely already aware, it’s never so simple and straightforward with anyone born under the Scorpio sun sign. These are mysterious and multifaceted people.
The Scorpio star sign is ruled by two planets to show the contrasts of their personality, and likewise, there are countless interpretations of what the true Scorpio symbol animal really is.
While the scorpion is the most easily distinguishable such creature, and the one most astrologers and followers of the zodiac agree on the most, we will need to dig deeper to find the richest Scorpio meaning.
The Scorpio symbol animal – to scuttle or to soar?
What can seem very confusing to many people trying to learn how a Scorpio thinks is that there are many animals representing them in the zodiac.
In fact, the constellation of Scorpius and the scorpion as a whole is only the beginning of the story.
That said, there is some relevance in the Scorpio zodiac symbol being a scorpion. It is a solitary animal, perhaps unsettling in appearance, but actually docile unless provoked.
While territorial – a nod perhaps to the famous Scorpio jealousy – a scorpion will not often seek out a fight.
However, if challenged, the creature becomes extremely combative. A Scorpion’s poisonous tail, sharp stinger, nasty claws and tough exoskeleton all provide it with some of nature’s most fearsome advantages.
A scorpion will sneak up on animals far larger than itself and deliver a deadly sting of venom that will kill it before it can make a comeback – which itself is a Scorpio characteristic, given how people of this star sign can deliver devastating and vengeful outbursts out of nowhere.
Yet all this belligerence does nothing to touch on the nobility, self-sacrifice, bravery and high perspectives also often held by Scorpio people.
Scorpios are people of extreme emotions, and as such, the animals that represent the lighter side of Scorpio are majestic.
The eagle is a Scorpio symbol meaning to convey the lofty ideas, quiet beauty and uplifting nature of Scorpio people.
It’s a surprising contrast to think of Scorpio people in this way, yet those who have felt their loving kindness and inspiring talk will know it’s not a likeness made lightly.
Of course, the eagle is still a fearsome predator with sharp claws, and likewise, a Scorpio individual still won’t tolerate unfairness, unkindness or acting as his or her enemy, even with these more noble qualities on display.
And of course, some astrologers still define the Scorpio symbol animal as the serpent – sly and cunning, having smooth talked Adam and Eve into abandoning the Garden of Eden, and in more realistic terms a creature just as poisonous, silent and unsettling as the scorpion.
The mythological Scorpio symbol – the Phoenix
Further adding to the diversity of the Scorpio sign and how to define these hugely complex people, astrologers also often attribute a creature to represent Scorpio that is even more mystical and mighty than the eagle – the Phoenix.
This mythological bird is most famous not just for its beautiful flaming wings, but also for the fact that its death is in fact only the opportunity to be born anew in an endless cycle.
In life, we talk about those who rise like a phoenix from the ashes – those who stare down adversity, seem almost overcome by it, and then out of nowhere look to be on a lucky streak, almost seeming to glide out of danger just as all hope seemed lost.
One of the biggest Scorpio secrets is that people born under this star sign often regard their lives the same way.
A Scorpio soul often faces tremendous hardships, and feels them all the deeper thanks to his or her seething emotions.
Yet at the moment when it seems they give up control – something a Scorpio hates to do – and resign themselves to a cruel fate, life almost seems to take over.
They come back to you in the next week or so, completely rejuvenated and with big grins and electric eyes.
How can someone who has been so overwhelmed by terror now become so confident and at ease, others wonder?
The answer is in the Scorpio symbol of the Phoenix – a deeply spiritual sacrifice of the self that a Scorpio performs, often unconsciously, that unlocks their power.
Scorpio rules death and dark secrets, yet the Phoenix assures that they need not fear it – they will always be resurgent, they will always win in the end, even if doing so costs everything.
Understanding the Scorpio zodiac symbol – the glyph
The Scorpio glyph representing their star sign, as those born under said sign will proudly inform you, is admittedly rather cool.
It explains why it forms such a centerpiece in every Scorpio themed gift or artwork, or the heart of any good Scorpio symbol tattoo.
At first glance, the Scorpio sign’s glyph looks like a lowercase letter ‘m’ with a cheeky devil’s tail.
However, there’s a little more to it than that, as the glyph, like many other zodiac glyphs you may have seen, is meant to capture the essence of the Scorpio star sign.
The Scorpio glyph is representative of a scorpion, its legs forming the spindly stalks of the lowercase ‘m’ part, and the tail flicking up and away behind it.
However, because Scorpio is regarded as a passionate and sensual sign, that tail is also said to represent the reproductive organs.
While most obviously that design would seem male, keep in mind that the Scorpio energy is one that mixes the masculine and the feminine, and that Scorpio sign symbol interpretation nonetheless assures that each gender of Scorpio person has an uncanny talent for the carnal arts.
But as with everything for Scorpio, it goes deeper than that. The glyph’s tail is an arrow, after all, speaking of how the Scorpio star sign individual is an ambitious one.
His or her goals, needs and creative pursuits are a core part of their personality, and life wouldn’t be worth living without these absorbing emotions.
The elemental symbol for Scorpio – water
With all the passion, seething emotion and darkly dangerous energy that surrounds Scorpio people, you’d be understandable in assuming that the were represented by the fire element.
After all, if the most common Scorpio symbol animal is the scorpion, it’d live in dry and dusty places, right?
But as ever, Scorpio is weaving black magic around our expectations. Every star sign in the conventional zodiac has a ruling element, but shares that element with two other star signs who have similar philosophical outlooks and personas.
Therefore, the Scorpio symbol as far as elements go is water – a distinction shared with considerate Cancer and daydreaming Pisces.
Yet while those other signs show water as mystical healing and a realm to be explored, Scorpio shows water as a deep, dark and mysterious place where things can be hidden.
A Scorpio in love shows this kind of quality, often without meaning to, and often to excess.
The passions and emotions held beneath the surface of their inner oceans suddenly surface, dragging their beau into the depths in what can feel like a sink or swim experience.
Similarly, a Scorpio’s deep inner well of emotion is something into which they will retreat from time to time, either to reconnect with themselves, to recuperate from the intensity of real life, or – dark as ever – to brood and ruminate over how to punish those who have mistreated them.
Like any water element star sign, Scorpio experiences intense emotions that can often shift and change beyond his or her control.
Lacking control of a situation is secretly quite scary for a Scorpio person, and you might be surprised at how irate with their own emotional states they become.
However, these same seething emotions are huge sources of creativity and motivation – a double-edged sword for a Scorpio soul to wield with care.
The symbol for Scorpio as it relates to its ruling planet
There’s a poetic irony to so much of how these Scorpio definitions play out, and the same can be said of the ruling planet of this sign.
Pluto is defined, redefined, and overall so far away that it’s almost impossible to effectively study, yet it’s always there, quietly watching the entire solar system.
A Scorpio revels in the idea of this cosmic outsider, whose orbit is also distinct in all the solar system – why be like all the others, after all? What power would there be in that?
Pluto has connotations with ancient mythology, most specifically Hades and the underworld, the realms of the dead and the darkest nights of the soul.
While Scorpio people are seldom so directly cliché, there is certainly a fascination with death and reincarnation in these people that they might not even be consciously aware of.
So pronounced is Pluto’s influence on the overall Scorpio outlook and meaning, that Scorpio people often discuss their own deaths in a very casual and offhand way.
They speak of the change from living to dead, even in themselves, as casually as someone might remark that it’s started to rain outside – a little change in circumstances, nothing to worry about.
Yet even modern science is helping is unravel the great Scorpio mystery. Like some great sweeping gesture of cosmic symbolism, the recent deep space photographs taken of Pluto showed that the tiny planet had an adorable heart-shaped marking on its surface. What a delicious way to show that Scorpio has a big heart beneath that enigmatic exterior!
The mystery of the Scorpio symbol deepens with Mars
But of course, to have but one ruling planet would be just too simple for a Scorpio! The symbol for Scorpio, as far as planets go, wasn’t always Pluto.
Before that planet was discovered, it was Mars – the god of war, red and passionate, and a planet shared with Aries.
Conventional astrology today acknowledges both planets as symbols of Scorpio. Mars is red hot and seething, unstoppable in battle – while Pluto is cool, calculated and disinterested in traditional affairs of the mortal plane.
Both planets sum up different sides of the Scorpio persona – a beautiful cocktail of contrasts, yet as you’ve now discovered, one that’s far from impossible to understand with the right approach.
Contents
- What is the Scorpio symbol?
- The Scorpio symbol animal – to scuttle or to soar?
- The mythological Scorpio symbol – the Phoenix
- Understanding the Scorpio zodiac symbol – the glyph
- The elemental symbol for Scorpio – water
- The symbol for Scorpio as it relates to its ruling planet
- The mystery of the Scorpio symbol deepens with Mars
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