Scorpion symbolism

[seshen]

I have a friend who is looking for some symbolism attributed to the scorpion, which has become important to him recently. He's not into astrology so Scorpio attributes wouldn't mean anything. I'd like to get together a collection of common attributes for consideration.

Comments

[lilairen]

Okay, only one of my books seems to have any scorpion notes; this is from Animal-Wise: The Spirit Language and Signs of Nature, by Ted Andrews, published by Dragonhawk Publishing.

He says the keynote is "dynamic transformation through secret passions and desires"; this is in accordance with the little I remember about the Scorpio astrological sign.

Summary of what he says, not checked against any other sources:

Scorpions should be handled with caution. They're associated with Eden's serpent; in Egypt they were associated with darkness and the sun's waning strength; in Greek mythology, it was a scorpion that sent Apollo's horses running wild when Phaethon was driving them. Transformations via scorpion thus come about in the midst of the chaotic.

Astrologically (I know you said you weren't interested in that, but it's part of the lore and not contradictory) Scorpio is linked to the scorpion, eagle, and phoenix; might be worth looking at the birds too. Its associations are mystery, sex, death, and rebirth. (Ah. It's the astrological sign of English class.)

Scorpions can see, but mostly navigate the world by sense of touch; consider that emphasis relevant. Most of them are nocturnal; many fluoresce under black light, which you can stretch into a metaphor about mystery and finding light in shadow if if makes you happy. ;)

When scorpions mate, the male holds the female's pincers and they go through a sort of dance. Eventually he deposits a sperm package, and she picks it up. The young scorpions ride their mother around until they first shed, then go off independently. His belief is that this means that scorpion indicates periods of solitude punctuated with intense, passionate encounters.