Scorpi-Oh!

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition… Everything else is secondary.” ~ Steve Jobs

Admittedly this has been the most challenging post I have had to sit down and write in a very long while.  But it makes complete sense!  The month of Scorpio in Hebrew is referred to as Mar-Cheshvan, Mar—bitter Cheshvan, and the energy of Scorpio does present some intricate and interesting paradoxes.  Did you know that the Hebrew word MAR, meaning bitter, when reversed spells RAM, which translated means exalted?  It’s right there, in the very letters.  The bitter month of Cheshvan can be transformed into Ram Cheshvan, elevated, great, POWERFUL Cheshvan. Our job throughout the month is to transform that which is bitter into sweet, that which is ordinary to extraordinary.

Talk about turning something around; from “bitter” writer’s block to–what I hope–is some sound advice to enable you all to make powerful changes in this very formidable and yet highly misunderstood month… hence my choice of quote. Don’t let what you think this month is all about drown out the true potential of what this month can bring you for the rest of the year.

This month is all about revealing as much Light as possible, despite the fact that it is seen as a dark time in the cosmos.  The reason why this month is frequently perceived as being a cumbersome month of negative energy is for two reasons:

1.)  It is one of the only months lacking in kabbalistic holidays.

2.)  This month contained a significant biblical occurrence—the great flood.

Quick! Bible studies 101…

As we read in Genesis, this time of year is described as the period when a massive flood was sent in order to rid the world of corruption.  The Bible reveals that Noah’s generation was very corrupt and G-d saw no other way but to destroy it completely with the flood; to cleanse the world of its negativity and chaos, sparing only Noah, his family and the animals that were accommodated on board the Ark.  (That was a very abridged version!)

…Scary!!

Over the years those historical/Biblical “facts” were decoded by the kabbalists, offering a wealth of insight into the design and influence of the month; kabbalists link the intrinsic characteristic of water to that of Mercy.  Yes, Mercy.  And isn’t that one of the defining characteristics of our “all-merciful” Creator?  Rav Berg questioned this paradox, “Why above all else, with so many other elements to choose from in order to rid corruption, would G-d choose water?  Water, which embodies the element of sharing and mercy?”

Water makes up our world, our bodies, it cleanses and heals (think about the powerful effects of a *mikveh and its stress-reducing effect)–Water is as much a sharing element as there ever can be.  The Rav further explained that when the bible refers to a great flood to remove mankind’s negativity, it was in no way referring to a literal interpretation—a flooding of water—quite the contrary.  It was the outpouring of mercy to rid chaos and negativity.  What better way to heal than with mercy, kindness and love?

This month holds the opportunity to turn things around; whatever negativity you face, turn it into a positive.  Sounds far too simple, I know, but most everything in life is far more simple than we make it out to be. Remember:  through our greatest darkness lies the potential to reveal great Light.

This month, keep your consciousness in check, it is a great time to listen more to your intuition – in fact, Scorpios are one of the most intuitive signs and we have the opportunity to tap into this gift in this month.  This is the time for transformation; it’s about probing far beneath the surface, and tapping into the innate intuition that we all possess to some degree or another.  It’s about rising above the negative perceptions we hold and coming from a place of mercy, love and open-mindedness to create more positive outcomes through our actions.

Not only is this month of Scorpio grossly misunderstood, but—Scorpios themselves—are possibly the most misunderstood sign under the zodiac.  Scorpio is the astrological sign of extremes and intensity. People born under this sign seem to be filled with inherent contradiction. Scorpios are very deep, intense and emotional people, and are more often heard saying, “I feel” as opposed to “I think”; they take things very seriously and there is always more than meets the eye.

Scorpio’s symbol is represented by the scorpion; renowned for having a sharp-tongue and a prickly sting; like their namesakes they present a cool, detached and unemotional air to the world, yet lying underneath is tremendous power, extreme strength, intense passion, a strong will, persistent drive; they are highly adaptive, much like their animal persona and yet are plagued by insecurity.  Scorpios are masters at hiding their emotions.  But really, all they need is love.

They are known to have a deadly sting, which they will use when feeling threatened. Because, for a scorpion, this use of force may actually cost them their life.  Now for many Scorpios, using their “sting” is also quite heartbreaking. Scorpios truly don’t want to hurt anyone, but if backed into a corner, they will. The month of Scorpio seems to bring out the best and the worst aspects of their personality, and so too for the rest of us as well.  To some degree it may be more intense for a person born under this sign, but often people say to me that this month feels so heavy, or they mention how reactive they feel.  But with this consciousness we can turn the heavy into Light.

When a fellow Scorpio can transform and rise above their trademark personality traits–the tactless truth-tellers, intense bearers of grudges, and the masters of mind games–they can reveal tremendous power and insight that lies beneath.  The lesson is to never count a Scorpio out. No matter the circumstances, you can bet on Scorpio pulling through.

Scorpios also tend to have a lot of judgment for themselves and others. But as we know, judgment only invites the energy of more judgment.  So, in order to counteract this from occurring we need to implement humility and mercy into the month and into our daily responses.  The more mercy we practice, the more mercy and love we invite into our lives.

During the course of Cheshvan we can reach our goals through being of service, purity of heart, compassion, humility, MERCY AND LOVE.  The innate energy to redeem and transform our nature lies in the very energy of this month—to channel our powerful energy into positive goals.

If we overcome the natural tendency toward the negative and stick to revealing more Light in the world, not only can we hope to survive this month, but also we will rise above with new determination. Scorpios embody the available energy of the month, the energy we need to elevate and reveal abundance for the year.

Go get yours!

JOURNAL:

1. An action begins with a thought.  Check your consciousness.
2. Pay careful attention to what comes out of your mouth.
3. Ensure you remain aware of the opportunities available to you.
4. Make the ordinary EXTRA-ordinary

*don’t miss next week’s surprise posting about Mikveh