The Scorpion is one intense little creature, with enough poison in its own tail to disable or kill a much larger opponent. But the problem with this kind of built-in biological weaponry is that it must be mastered in order to be used most effectively. You Scorpios can use your "stinger" for self-defense, using your powerful emotional awareness to render your opponent harmless. But there is a sexual component of poisonous tail also, and until you learn to control those strong urges, you may find yourself in uncomfortable situations.

Scorpio is the only sign that has three animal totems. First, there is the well-known Scorpion with its active tail. Second, as the Scorpio learns to master its passion and hold its instincts at bay, it changes into the Eagle. The Eagle has more perspective, for it flies high above the surface of circumstances, swooping down with its power only to kill prey for food. In its third form, the Scorpion becomes the always-peaceful dove. The real meaning of Scorpio is thus shown. Scorpio is about metamorphosis. Scorpios transform the painful poisons of possessive passion into a higher consciousness based on universal love.

Your motto might be "What is hidden is more interesting than what is obvious." You are the detectives of the zodiac. Your magnetic personality draws others to you. But you can also be secretive yourself, for you learn early on that when you express everything, others may be scared by the power of your feelings. You desperately want to have someone to merge with your feelings, but can become cold and withdrawn when hurt in love. You have the magic to light up the dark, but sometimes you would benefit by looking at the positive side of things rather than going into the darkness at all.

Element: Water

Astrologically, the water element symbolizes emotion. Water runs deep; it seeks its own level and will flow until it has found it. The cycle of water is endless with the snows falling in the mountains and melting. The mountain streams join to make the great rivers that run to the sea. The tides and currents churn the oceans. Similarly, our feelings are flowing as they connect the present with past experiences. Sometimes the waters are so deep that we cannot put words to our feelings.

The water of Scorpio is fixed and frozen, but it is a mistake to think that ice doesn't flow. It does flow -- and with great power. Think of a glacier, moving so very slowly, yet with enough power to flatten a forest or even a mountain.

House: Eighth

Since the Second House is the House of Possessions, the Eighth House opposite it, is about what other people have. This can include sexual issues, for they usually involve another person. It is also about the ultimate transformation -- death -- but not necessarily your own. It could be said that the Eighth House is what we don't know and what we cannot understand. It is surely a House of Hidden Power.

Key Planet: Pluto

Pluto is the Lord of the Underworld. If this sounds scary, it demands a bit more explanation, for Pluto symbolizes everything that is beneath our consciousness. This isn't about the Hell where we are punished. Rather, it is the Hell that William Blake describes as a place "so beautiful that it would torment an angel to insanity." As the key planet for Scorpio, Pluto is intense and powerful, representing those things that we don't or can't understand. And it is from these hidden Plutonic spaces that magical transformations arise.

Greatest Strength:

Your passion about your feelings

Possible Weakness:

Need for secrecy can be isolating

Sunny Side of the Street

Opportunities arrive at your doorstep, offering boundless horizons. Paradoxically, the month begins on a cautious note, for energetic Mars’s range is narrowed when it moves into discerning Virgo. Then the nurturing Cancer New Moon on July 2 falls in your 9th House of Big Ideas and establishes the tone for an over-the-top kind of month. At times it all looks so good that you’re ready to promise anything to make the most of the present moment, yet you must be careful not to let your unbridled passion run roughshod over your common sense. There is a gradual shift throughout the month that draws all eyes toward you at work with Venus entering proud Leo in your 10th House of Public Status on July 12, followed by the Sun on July 22, and Mercury on July 26. Now is your chance to shine as the leader of the pack.

Keep in Mind this Month: Confidence is healthy, but when unchecked it can lead to trouble. Exercise a bit of self-restraint, especially when everything appears to be going your way.

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