As we move through October and head into November in a few weeks, intensity will rule the skies. This is for a few different reasons. We have both Venus and Mars in passionate, intense, supernatural Scorpio!

Scorpio: Passion, Determination, and Loyalty

Scorpio energy loves passion and determination, sex and death, vampires, ghosts, deep secrets and revenge. Scorps like nothing better than intensity and passion. Scorpio (or Scorpio-influenced) friends need to know that you’ll be there for them through hell and back. Scorpio lovers need to know that you appreciate their determination, deep emotions, and emotional bravery. Flakes need not apply. So what happens when we have both Venus (the planet of love) and Mars (the planet of sex, motivation, and aggression) in this intense water sign?

Venus is in Scorpio from September 8, 2010 to November 7^th, and Venus retrogrades from October 8^th to November 18^th. (Venus will slip back into Libra from November 7 to November 29^th.) Venus is the planet of love and value and Venus in Scorpio will force us to ask ourselves about our relationship values. What is working or not working? With Scorpio’s characteristic black-or-white mentality, the relationships that can withstand will truly be able to stand up under the spotlight of Scorpion intensity. Venus in Scorpio – and Scorpio energy in general – must know that intentions match actions. Pretty words will not work with this energy. People with many Scorpio planets must know that you will go deep with them, and support them (and make love to them) from hell to breakfast. The positive sides of Scorpio include passion, intensity, piercing/psychic insight, and emotional fearlessness. The negative sides? Obsession, control issues, fury, and power-tripping.

However, Venus is a little bit out of alignment in Scorpio (Venus is in its natural home in Taurus or Libra, both ruled by Venus.) Venus in Scorpio is like expecting the goddess of love to show up in your bedroom, only to find a True Blood character instead. Love = major, bone-tingling intensity, if not downright blood and guts and things that go bump in the night. (Perfect for Halloween!)

Venus in Retrograde

Any time we have a Retrograde period, that planet is moving backwards through the skies, making the natural lessons of that planet hard to learn. When Venus is Direct, we'll be learning about love, pleasure, and feeling good. When Venus is in Retro, pleasure might feel a little...well...backwards. However, Retrogrades encourage us to redo, recreate, or remake. Venus will be coming on strong this season. Let the buyer beware – new lovers or partnerships formed in a Retrograde are usually found lacking by the end of the cycle. Venus also rules beauty and beautification projects, so with this spicy sign in Retro, Venus pursuits such as clothing, romance, or pampering (for the body or the home) may backfire.

The exception to this rule is things coming back from the past – I wouldn’t recommend starting up with a new lover during a Venus Retro unless the partner is , for example, an old lover returning or reuniting. Any reunion of former lovers (or other kinds of previous partners, such as friends or business partners) is favorable now or may bring closure. We may find ourselves in touch with former lovers or old relationship/partnership issues more so in this cycle. Reflect, renew, and recycle things, but please put off any big decisions about love or money (remember, Venus rules values, which includes money) until Venus goes direct on November 18^th. Even though Venus will change signs (from Scorpio to Libra on November 7^th) , it will not change the fact that it will still be in Retrograde, so the level of intensity may change, but not the position.

Scorpio Mars: The Spiritual Warrior

And what about Mars, God of War? He’s in Scorpio from September 14^th to October 27, 2010. Mars loves Scorpio because it’s in the natural placement (Mars rules Scorpio and Aries – the spiritual warrior and the forthright warrior, respectively.) Mars in Scorpio loves determined challenges, getting to the bottom of mysteries, and trusting personal intuition to overcome hardship or confusion. Let Mars in Scorpio help you get to the direct root of your problems; let him use the surgeon’s scalpel to trim the excess fat away from your life. In the magical and perceptive energy of Scorpio, all things can be renewed. Also, since both Venus and Mars are in Scorpio, they are working together to bring insight about relationships. As I said in the the Blazing Blog last week, Mars is Venus's henchman. He wants to fight for her.

We have a lot of wonderful, intense energy coming our way over the next six weeks. In the end, it can only serve to sever weak relationships/partnerships and to make strong unions (of all kinds) even more productive.

Want to find out how this intense and transformative Scorpio energy is going to impact you? Contact me to find out more.

Also, interested in the brand new Astrology Class coming up at Modern Zen on October 25? Click here for details! Not local and still want to come? No worries. Once the class is over, check back for podcasts from the class!

Image: Paul Garland