“A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.”—William Blake (Mercury in Scorpio)

What is the fundamental difference between Libra and Scorpio?

It’s simple, really.  Libra flints and flutters on the surface with no desire to puncture the seal and reveal all that messiness underneath, while Scorpio lives and breathes buried beneath the murky depths of  ‘messiness’.

On Saturday the 27th, Mercury moves from the sign of balance to the sign of extremes.  Instead of the charming, diplomatic sparring we’ve been amusing ourselves with as of late, our mental activities will be turned to the more authentic, the more crucial, the more intense.

Scorpio plays for keeps.

Mercury in Libra had us thinking of both sides.  We had a need to engage socially as an outlet for all the Airy mental rumblings.  But this weekend there will be a shift from intellectual debate to a more Watery emotional mentality. Our feelings will color all communication, all thinking.  Rational thought will develop emotional intelligence.

If one word had to be chosen to characterize this placement of the winged Messenger, I would choose—sharp.

During Mercury’s time in Scorpio, our collective powers of observation go into suspicious overdrive, the mind will feel out every nuance of human nature.  Mental faculties will begin to border on the savagely psychic.  Motivations are unearthed and the bloody truth laid bare.  Our tongues will  begin to develop a razor’s edge and if we are not careful the ease to which we can carve out an enemy’s heart will be shocking.  Beware the ‘fun’ of ruthless truth telling.  There is no room for the perfunctory niceties of Libra, here.  No, Scorpio Mercury will go for the jugular, if not kept in check.

Whoa, that ran into the ditch pretty quick, huh?

EXACTLY!

Extremes!!  Scorpio is so damn sensitive and so damn powerful, it can all go downhill before the tears hit the floor.

Scorpio is generally symbolized by the Scorpion but this 8th sign is also represented by the Phoenix—don’t forget, you always get to choose which archetypal mask you put on.

Principled power, fortitude, determination, regeneration, rebirth—that is the other side of Mercury in Scorpio.  There is no other sign of the zodiac that can take all the filthy base tendencies of humanity, burn them to ashes and from the sad remains, create life—thriving, glorious, affirming life.

At the beginning of October, Mercury will retrograde and move back into Libra.  He will return to Scorpio in November and spend about 2 weeks before moving to Sagittarius after Thanksgiving.

Retrogrades mean inward reflection.  That searing stinger may very well be pointed back in on ourselves.  Fair warning to prevent this, yes?

I will certainly post more about the beautiful contradictory strength of Scorpio as Mercury retrogrades and the Sun and Venus pass into this sign.

Until then . . .

Choose the Phoenix, ya’ll.

Lona