Scorpio and the Tarot

Shifting out of Libra and into Scorpio, the Sun moves from a very sociable and appeasing sign to one best known for its emotional intensity and privacy bordering on isolation. Scorpio gets perhaps the worst rap of the Zodiac signs, known for being moody, dramatic, and obsessive – and as someone whose Moon is in Scorpio, I don’t think these accusations are completely unfounded! However, Scorpian energy teaches us the value of ourselves: what we want, what we don’t want, and what we are willing to do to enforce our boundaries. Scorpio is the sign that says I desire, and it’s by delving into these desires with sometimes painful, but always necessary, honesty and deliberation that we confront our strengths and weaknesses to tackle anything in life with open eyes and an open heart.

Scorpio is a fixed water sign ruled by Pluto, but used to be ruled by Mars before we knew Pluto was a thing. This means that Scorpio is introverted and stubborn, emotional and intuitive, and ruled by times and spaces defined by liminality and transformation. Death/rebirth and sex are perhaps the most well-known of these situations,  but in a modern context I also see Scorpian energy associated with coming out, gender transitions, living beyond traditional categories, and even social justice work as a whole. All this means that the Sun in Scorpio values truth and integrity (because how can you embrace transformation if you don’t know what it is being transformed?), trusting instinct and gut feelings above all. On the fail-state side of things, Scorpio can also encourage overly suspicious, volatile, and moody qualities no matter which planet she visits.

How can you incorporate Scorpian energy into your Tarot practice? You can:

• Explore introspective spreads that encourage self-examination.
• Meditate on cards such as the Moon, Death, and 8 of Cups.
• Anticipate Scorpio’s urge to mistake intense emotions for hard truth when reading cards. If you get a reading that feels too bad to be true, consider if you’re truly taking the time to interpret the images before you or merely knee-jerk reacting.
• Mindfully choose to share or not share details of your Tarot practice; if you usually share everything, consider taking a short hiatus from social media to reflect on what the cards have told you. Only share with others when you feel you’ve spent enough time sifting through meanings on your own.
• Start a Tarot journal for your eyes only. Make special note of your emotions when reading the cards.