Pluto, Mars, and The Inner Journey of Scorpio

In this article from the LCM Archive on the inner journey of Scorpio, we explore the personality and Soul-centered planetary rulers of this mysterious sign…

Scorpio Season is upon us once again bringing with it another opportunity to look more deeply into our own psyche than we have ever done before. The enigmatic sign of Scorpio is associated with such intense themes as sex, death, cruelty, rebirth, power, regeneration, money and the deepest darkest depths of our own minds. Jolly good fun! Scorpio goes where angels fear to tread and for this reason is also the sign of priests and psychologists. All seven so-called ‘deadly sins’ can be explored in Scorpio with a couple more thrown in for good measure. So what is it all about? It is time to take courage, dive deeply, and understand the spiritual significance of this vitally important sign and the deepest mysteries of existence.

The following information applies to everyone, not just people with planets in Scorpio. This is an important stage in the evolution of humanity, and it concerns every one of us.

Following the journey of the Soul through the 12 signs of the Zodiac, after the point of balance between body and soul has been reached in Libra, the final struggle takes place in Scorpio. This is a kind of birthing and, just like the contractions in physical childbirth, this spiritual rebirth happens in waves. As the personality gradually comes under the command of the Soul, there are waves of ‘depression’ where the personality feels as though it is being ‘squashed’, followed by waves of rebellion where it fights back. The personality doesn’t give up easily without a fight! The personality isn’t being squashed however, it is being gradually assimilated, as more spiritual energy is able to enter into the being. The end result of this struggle is total fusion of Soul and personality, body and Soul. The personality is the ‘interface’, the meeting place between the body, with all its animal urges and instinctive impulses, and the finer energies and ethereal vibrations of the Soul.

Three planetary rulers, or space-holders, are the guardians of this birthing process, which is vital for the evolution of humanity from an animalistic being into a fully awakened Soul-centered being. Both Mars and Pluto are guardians of this process at personality level, while Mars is the guardian at Soul level. In Esoteric Astrology Mars is considered a great beneficent planet (not malefic as is thought in some Astrological systems). It is through the activity of Mars that this final struggle between personality and Soul is fought and won, with the fully integrated (fused) Soul emerging victorious. Triumph and victory are keywords with Scorpio and it is important to remember this especially when the going gets tough. Mercury is the planetary ruler at Hierarchical level which we won’t explore here except to notice that this again hints at the vital importance of Scorpio for the spiritual evolution of humanity.

“It is in Scorpio that the preponderance of the spiritual energy

is imposed upon the lower personal forces”

– The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology.

The combined effect of Mars and Pluto at personality level serve to bring awareness to the potency of desire working through the form nature and that, although we experience desire, it is not fundamental to our nature and can be brought under control through illumination. At this level Mars governs life-force energy: stirs the blood, agitates and activates our animal instinct, and arouses the passions. It is the fuel that feeds the fire of desire. Pluto, at personality level, brings somatic awareness.  The instinctual felt-sense in the body. Otherwise known as the great revealer, Pluto, is able to hold our animal urges up to the light, for healing and understanding. While in the dark they have control and power over us, once they are brought to light, the Soul has victory. It is this dual effect of Mars and Pluto that bring about both the ‘tests’ and the triumph in Scorpio.

“The tests in Scorpio and the activity of Mars are potent to arouse

the entire lower nature and bring about its final rebellion and the last stand,

so to speak, of the personality against the soul”

– The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The tests in Scorpio are the temptations of desire that keep our attention trapped in the cycles of materialistic existence.  In Esoteric Astrology they are listed as nine, in three groups. The first test is appetite which relates to sex, physical comfort and money; the second is desire and relates to fear, hatred and ambition and the third test is of the lower mind and relates to pride, separativeness and cruelty.

When explored deeply with the light of awareness, these ‘tests’ (which Christian theologists called the ‘seven deadly sins’ and in Buddhism are known as the ‘destructive emotions’ or kleshas) can clearly be seen to be ‘faults’ of attention, or discipline, and are not inherent in our nature. They are distractions which sway us from our path. We can see that it is not the activities themselves that cause problems, but the tendency within our own psyche to become attached, obsessed and addicted to them. Then we make the mistake of identifying with them, and not recognizing our true spiritual nature.

We can see how such obsessions keep us from our spiritual path, and how evident they are as dominating factors in our current world age. It is a mis-use of our Divine energy. While we are ‘lost’ in the pursuit of these activities we remain unaware of our spiritual nature.  In “The Labours of Hercules” by Alice Bailey, Hercules ninth labor, in which he enters a stagnant swamp to battle a nine-headed Hydra, is symbolic of this battle in Scorpio. Whenever Hercules cut off one of the heads of the Hydra, another would grow in its place.

The only way Hercules triumphed was by lifting the Hydra above ground, into the light, whereupon it withered and died.  This symbolizes our struggle with the desires of the personality which have control over us for as long as they remain in the dark, unseen. The relentless activity of Mars magnifies these desires to the degree we can no longer ignore them, and then the activity of Pluto brings them into the light of our awareness.  We cannot change what we cannot see. Once we see and fully understand the nature of desire, and the source of the struggle, it is transformed. The struggle itself lies in our trying to hold onto something which needs to change.

This is similar to the symbolism of the lotus. A lotus usually grows in a filthy, stagnant, swamp. The symbology is that, just like Hercules’ battle with the hydra, our own spiritual essence blossoms as a result of our inner struggles. Interestingly, in addition to being known as the ‘Lord of the Underworld’, the mythological figure of Pluto was also known in some traditions as a Lord of abundance, riches, or wealth. The symbolism here is the spiritual wealth that arises when we emerge victorious from our struggle with our own underworld (our lower nature).

“Soft conquers hard,

weak conquers strong.

The flexible is always superior to the immovable.

This is the principle of controlling things

By bringing oneself into tune with them,

The principle of mastery through harmony.”

– Lao Tzu

Once Pluto and Mars have done their work at personality level, by revealing this darkness to not be our true nature, but a result of the mis-direction of our mind and energy, we are now receptive to a higher octave of Mars which transforms passion into spiritual energy, through awareness, thus revealing our true Divine nature. When Mars has conditioned the ‘passions’ at personality level, and Pluto has brought illumination, Mars at Soul level reveals knowledge through awareness.

At Soul level Mars brings the higher consciousness that is pure awareness beyond the five senses. From this perspective it becomes clear that all our ‘darkness’ is the result of our mis-interpretation of energetic influences as perceived by our five senses and mis-interpreted through our ignorant, fearful and confused lower mind. With the illumination of Pluto we are then able to use this higher wisdom of Mars to perceive through our senses our own Divine energy and that of others. Once this happens we naturally correct any excesses and mis-applications of our energy, and use the power of our mind to direct our energy to the highest good.

“The sage avoids excesses, extremes, and complacency”

– Lao Tzu

In Esoteric Astrology the Tibetan refers to Scorpio as a ‘sign of discipleship’. The word disciple and discipline come from the same root which means learning, or knowledge. With the knowledge gained through these ‘tests’ in Scorpio we acquire deep wisdom and understanding of our role as a spiritual being. We are ready to ‘renounce’ worldly pursuits, those activities that mis-use our spiritual energy, and dedicate our lives to our spiritual path and purpose. As the Soul develops through the twelve zodiac signs, the first four signs are signs of preparation, the middle four are signs of crisis and challenge (for the purpose of growth and learning), and the final four signs are the signs of service to humanity. Scorpio is the last of the signs of challenge.

“The self-indulgence which was initiated in Taurus gives way in Scorpio to the selfless attitude of the disciple; ambition gives place to the executive quality of the soul, whilst attachment to personality desires, likes and dislikes is transmuted into the tenacity of soul purpose. The hidden powers of the soul nature – misused because misunderstood and misapplied and, therefore, misdirected – are superseded by … the practical understanding of the energies.”

– The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

Due to the revelatory action of Mars and Pluto we will all (sooner or later) undergo these trials and tribulations in Scorpio, as we continue our Soul’s journey. The Soul’s purpose in Scorpio is to transform darkness into light. The activity of Mars and Pluto elevates and illuminates, lifting our collective ‘hydra’ to the light so we can see that we are not our darkness, and that we truly are an emanation of Divine love and light.  LCM

 This post is an excerpt from Ruth’s book “Soul Astrology: How Your Rising Sign Reveals Your Soul Path and Life Purpose” Click HERE to read more and/or order your copy.

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