We’re continuing our astrology series with the next astrological sign; Scorpio. One of the most misunderstood signs, Glasshouse friend Daliah Roth - The Highgate Astrologer - has once again put together an insightful guide to demystify the qualities of a Scorpio for us. Whether your born under this sign or not, read on to see the qualities you might share with the water sign.

Scorpio: 24 October–23 November 2019

“So, which sign am I?” – said while beaming with a fantastic smile – is the number one reaction I get when people find out that I am an astrologer. Earnest students of astrology, of course, know that the ability to determine the sun sign without looking into a person’s chart has little to do with the work of an astrologer (who is, mostly, not a psychic, but whose job it is to analyse and interpret well the many different factors of a birth chart and convey his/her findings skilfully and compassionately to their client). Nonetheless, over the years, I became intrigued to see if I could indeed see another’s sign, and found myself continuously stumped by certain individuals that, for the life of me, I could not place. Funnily, these people always turned out to be Scorpio.

Scorpios, to me, always feel like they could be any other sign but Scorpio. I believe this is due to two main reasons: 1. Scorpios can vary widely in their expression (depending on their maturity and overall spiritual evolvement), and 2. they are intensely private and hence excellent at hiding their true feelings. So, the notoriously overbearing, controlling and vengeful Scorpio, ready to sting their venomous poison into you out of the blue (a widely circulated characterisation of this sign), is not to be seen. Instead, we face a totally calm individual with a seemingly detached exterior.

There is no doubt that, in the eyes of the general public, Scorpio has the worst reputation of all Zodiac signs. It is not uncommon that a Scorpio will lower their voice when disclosing their sun sign – unlike Leo, who will dramatically declare the royalty of their astral heritage. Scorpios do not like revealing their private life, except to a select few. Probing and peering are not welcomed – and, for that matter, are fruitless. Rather than a love of secrets per se, it is actually the need to avoid being emotionally hurt that guards Scorpio’s emotional privacy and integrity.

Scorpio’s greatest fear is that of betrayal. Anyone who has ever witnessed a Scorpio open up about their deepest inner workings may just be speechless at the sheer force of passion – be it love or hate. Unfortunately, for the most part, society does not appreciate the whole spectrum of human emotions, which we all share, no matter what our sign. The expressions of envy, jealousy, hatred and intense passion are generally labelled as unbalanced, low frequency (by New Agers), too attached (by Buddhists), unholy or sinful (maybe by Christians), etc.

But it is the natural ability, and need, to feel intensely these darker human emotions that gives Scorpios this attraction and powerful magnetism. Others feel that they can safely open up to them about their experiences in the midst of total crises, and that they will not be judged. Scorpio can act as the natural Shaman, easily bearing witness to others’ upheavals with deep emotional sensitivity and insight, and acting as a midwife to overcome their own and others’ trauma.

Strangely, Scorpios are not attached to material possessions and can mostly survive on a shoestring. Strong commitment and incredible resourcefulness give this sign what it takes to achieve whatever it wants, no matter how long it takes. Negatively, this can lead to obsessiveness and overbearing behaviour. As Scorpio does not recoil from dangerous situations or subjects widely considered taboo, it will delve deeply into mysteries, the occult, and topics like death and sex – you name it – in order to get to the bottom of things and understand life in the deepest way possible. With their innate intuition and political awareness, Scorpios have an understanding of the harsher realities of life, which makes them great investigative journalists and researchers. This sign likes to uncover emotional or political intrigues, and therefore excels in the fields of psychotherapy and police work.

In relationships, Scorpios can be extremely loyal. Once they have opened up to you and a commitment has been made, they are determined to stick around for the long run. A strong attachment to people and relationships can, however, lead to possessiveness and controlling behaviour if left unchecked. Scorpio just cannot accept second place. At the same time, a Scorpio’s need to restrain and control their very strong passions can cause loved ones to feel left out and frustrated; when Scorpio broods and refuses to share its feelings and thoughts, others can experience this as selfishness. Here, Scorpio needs to loosen the reigns and discern when their strong survival instinct and urge for self-preservation is unnecessarily kicking in and when it creates a real barrier to intimacy and closeness. More than any other fixed signs (especially Taurus and Leo), it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Scorpio to forgive and forget once hurt has been received. And yes, in extreme cases, this sign seeks revenge.

The unenlightened Scorpio can cause great chaos while staying strategically calm and unchanged and becoming more powerful themselves. Power is abused when the sign uses its incredible stamina, energetic and emotional resourcefulness, determination and tenacity as a destructive force. It can act as a seducer, using people for personal gain and wanting others to merge with it no matter what. Astrologer Alan Oken terms this the ‘psychic vampire’. Having said that, this is the extreme case.

Scorpio seeks to transform or to be transformed by profoundly emotional experiences. By accepting and overcoming its very passionate feelings, it can gain strength and become whole. Astrologer Robert Hand says that the capacity for regeneration of an average Scorpio must be seen to be believed, and that, in dealing with physical illness or emotional scarring, this sign is a fighter and will often pull through in even the most challenging of scenarios, thanks to its deep-seated will to survive. At its best, Scorpio is creative through rebuilding. It is the natural healer and a strong and loyal friend – inspiring faith, giving strength and seeking to merge with the divine.

To find out about how much Scorpio you have in your chart and to unleash the transformative power that comes with self-knowledge, explore your birth chart in an astrological reading with Daliah, The Highgate Astrologer. For more information and to book a reading, please visit BOOKINGS at thehighgateastrologer.com.