As the sun reaches 15 degrees of Scorpio, it's astrological Samhain/Halloween - the beginning of the Celtic new year. The Celts divided their year into two halves, and Samhain translates as 'summer's end'. The astrological date changes slightly year to year to fit with the solar movement, but it's always around the beginning of November, and marks the noticeable shift in the Northern Hemisphere into colder days and longer nights.
The traditions and customs associated with this time are all of a Scorpio theme. Scorpio is the sign associated with death and the worlds beyond, or below this one. The underworld, which Scorpio ruler Pluto has dominion over, was known as the place of no return, and it's this perspective of no going back that Scorpio brings an awareness of in relation to all endings. It's the letting go of what was in order to move forward that defines the Scorpio experience, just as the old year must pass to make way for the new, and summer must make way for winter in order to begin the cycle of growth once more.
Samhain was a fire festival, like the other cross-quarter festivals (Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasadh), and here in the UK the tradition has been kept alive at this time of year through Bonfire Night, held every 5th November. In true Scorpio style the 5th November is to remember the story of Guy Fawkes, who was involved in a plot to blow up the Houses of Parliment in 1605, but was caught red-handed about to light the fuse. He was tortured, then executed, and this execution is symbolically repeated by the burning of an effigy of Guy Fawkes on bonfires across the nation. Fireworks are also a big part of bonfire night, and like the gunpowder plot itself seems to capture the spirit of Scorpio's traditional ruler, Mars.Whether it's Samhain, Halloween, All Souls, or Guy Fawkes night, the Scorpio symbols are there; the darkness and the light, the mysteries of death and what lies beyond, and the promise of rebirth and renewal as the cycle of life continues despite our worst fears. There might be no going back in this life, but for Scorpio there's no such thing as a dead end.
Read more about Guy Fawkes here
2 comments:
"but for Scorpio there's no such thing as a dead end"
I like this (I have Scorpio ascendant) and it seems like it can manifest in two ways, eternal hope and evolving perspectives, or a sort of REFUSAL to let go, flogging the dead horse, to use a particularly dreadful saying.
But I LOVE winter, and don't love summer. The time for hibernating and introspection--- introversion, much more comfortable than being out there and on display, ie summer.
Another winning post. Amazing how the stars reflect, or vice versa, human internals. I didn't know enough about Guy Fawkes and am glad you offered the link. Thanks for an enlightening blog!
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