This Week’s Focus

From Libra to Scorpio: Welcoming Change
Issue 42 Volume 8 20 October 2025

Once your intelligence is turned inward, you will understand that life is not something you do — it’s something you allow. ~ Sadhguru

Image Credit: Norma Dominguez

Dear wonderful neighbour and fellow traveller;

The phrase as above, so below is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure associated with ancient Egyptian and Greek wisdom traditions. It originates from the Emerald Tablet, a Hermetic text whose earliest known version appears in Arabic writings from the late eighth or early ninth century. The modern paraphrase is based on a Latin translation of the tablet’s second verse, which states “That which is above is like to that which is below, and that which is below is like to that which is above“.

As we leave Libra and move into Scorpio, it’s a good time to reacquaint ourselves with the Cosmic Man a profound archetype found across the world in various religious, philosophical, and mythological traditions, symbolising the totality and interconnectedness of all existence. A human being is a conscious reflection of the Cosmic Man, capable of experiencing transcendence, self-awareness, and sensitivity to the deeper realities of existence. Scorpio is where this possibility gains momentum — and where it can stall.

In Vedic astrology, the Cosmic Man embodies the twelve signs of the zodiac and represents the journey of the human soul, from consciousness (Aries) to Consciousness (Pisces). Fortunately for us, it is not up to us whether we embark on this journey: our destiny is set — if we are here as a human, we eventually experience our interconnectedness with all existence, in this life or a future one. As with any contract, though, it’s what’s in the fine print that really matters.

God is a rather compassionate fellow and He certainly enjoys a good yarn, so He gave us free will to write our own story. Good, bad, ugly — it’s completely up to us! Yet, God is also very wise. He knew that if He simply opened the gates to His kingdom, we would party like there is no tomorrow. So he did two things to keep us honest: he created the law of karma and he hid the key to his kingdom in a most unlikely place. Scorpio rules both these.

Karma at its root is Sanskrit for ‘action’. In practical terms, it means if you ridicule the new barista for serving you a macchiato instead of a cortado, you have created a ripple in the Cosmos that will eventually find its way back to you. Wise folks have referred to this as ‘you reap what you sow’ or, as my Finnish ancestors would have told their children, metsä vastaa niinkuin sinne huudetaan (shout into the forest and it will answer back). I’d even guess that apple-loving fellow Sir Isaac must have known about karma when he formulated his Third Law of Motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Scorpio is the 8th sign and the 8th sign embraces the law of karma. Scorpio means you may fool someone once and even twice, but in the end, it will be you holding the bag of consequences, the sting of the scorpion. Eventually, we begin to understand that what we do, and what we think, creates the melody of our life. If we are very wise, then we begin to associate change with karma, both our individual karma and the collective karma of which our individual karma is a subset.

In time, with the help of amazing grace or just good luck, we come to understand that change is an opportunity because it is only through change that transformation can occur. Change may come gently or jolt us into hyper awareness. Either way, we make contact with the unseen aspects of our self, what Jung refers to as the shadow mind, that part of us that is usually unconscious. Change brings this shadow mind into our awareness — if we have the courage to look beyond the familiar.

For this reason, Scorpio is the sign that relates to the mystical, the unseen, the ethereal realms. Esoteric arts like astrology, numerology, and tarot cards are ruled by Scorpio and one’s 8th house. This is why you typically find a strong 8th house in the charts of highly intuitive people and those who work with the occult sciences. It is through the mystical that we find where God hid the keys to His kingdom.

There is an old story that tells how God wanted to hide the keys to His kingdom in a not so obvious place. After all, we humans need to work for what we receive or we don’t respect it. A wise archangel suggested the deepest part of the ocean, but God answered that one day, humans would go there. “What about the Moon?” the archangel asked. ‘“The Moon, too, shall know the steps of humans,” God replied. Then God suddenly beamed. “I know! I shall put the keys to my kingdom in a place they will rarely look! The human heart!”

Scorpio holds the keys to God’s kingdom. It is discovered only when we intentionally comb the depths of our own being, but this takes courage — immense courage, for the spiritual journey at its core is a peeling away of layers of who we are not, layers we believe are paramount to our survival. For countless lifetimes, we have invested heavily in our conditioned mind. It has become the castle walls we hide behind with the slightest provocation, be it an unkind word from a friend, a humiliating situation, or simply an unfulfilled desire that keeps us up at night, not realising we seek it from a feeling of incompleteness and separation.

Yogis and mystics “live” in the 8th house for they have combed the depths of their inner world and discovered the keys to God’s kingdom where they reside not as an individual, but as the whole. We, too, can find the key and every human being on Earth will eventually discover the key — this IS our destiny — to know and experience our interconnectedness with all life. Scorpio is the sign that points the way.

This month, do what you can to fire up the courage to face your trials and tribulations like a warrior, not with clenched fist, but with one-pointed determination. Scorpio is ruled by the warrior planet, Mars, and through Nov 4th, Mars will be in Scorpio giving you an edge. During this time, Mars will be with the Sun and, together, you can experience great progress when you stand firm in the face of challenge and leave the comfort and security of the castle. The battle is not within the walls, but outside where you are vulnerable. It’s the battle that most be fought, but one you are already destined to win.

By the way, in case you are wondering, the difference between a macchiato, (Italian origin) and a cortado (Spanish origin) primarily relates to the espresso-to-milk ratio. A cortado is made with equal parts espresso and steamed milk which noticeably softens the espresso intensity. A macchiato is espresso with just a small amount of steamed milk added on top maintaining most of the espresso’s unmodified intensity. Both are like little lattes.

Now that you now, please don’t give that new barista a hard time. 😁

🤗

Warm thoughts and many blessings,

David 🙏🏻
astrologyofjoy.com

Halloween Special! Do you have the courage to open the door to your 8th House? Don’t worry. It’s not a house of horrors; it’s just your karmic past saying, “Feed me!” This month, let’s look deeply at your 8th house, your hidden fears and what you can do to slay your inner demons. Knowledge is power!! Online special £49/hr.

Astrology Monday

Weekly Planning Forecast