Scorpio Evolution

Scorpio Evolution

Instability

Personality and Persona come easily to others. But not Scorpios. They are holding a persona while panicking inside, hoping they don't lose control. Contrary to my classmate girls, I always struggled with a personality and relating to others. I tip toed around personas, sometimes too much of something, sometimes too less of something. Sometimes too humble and sweet but sometimes being a bad girl and bully. It surprised me too how unstable I was. I think it is the fire signs that are the best at holding personas, they can really play a character and convince you they are that persona. While the water signs are the ones who hate Persona the most, they prefer solitude so they don't have to "become somebody" - they rather stay dissolved in the spaces around them than put the effort in becoming a person.

Fakeness

An unevolved Scorpio can get a job identifying degrees of fakeness in other people. As if they are an AI monitor that scans each person for signs of inauthenticity in each context. Who is to determine what is "authentic" though? Is there a universally accepted benchmark for the most authentic personality that each human should embody and emulate? Look at this Scorpio trying to discover the most authentic formula for human personality:

Scorpio and Cucumbers

Evolution begins when Scorpios realize that they are triggered by everything and everyone because they are not trying to do the dirty work of self-analysis, identify the emotions, go back to the roots of their memories, practice skills to neutralize that emotion and wait until most of their triggers are neutralized. So that it does not shock them anymore to see their own void. But this way of life is not very delighting. Who wants to be dwelling in dark feelings and ruminate on past memories for years upon years? It is a painful lifestyle, it robs one off their happiness, especially in a society that encourages positivity and unconditional happiness.

Why Psychoanalyze?

It may be because of their constant transformations and perpetual turmoils. They are always unfolding and becoming. They are uncertain what the next transformation will be. Psychoanalysis, astrology, personality types help them make sense of their transformations. Because the transformations are not random, they are what the Scorpio has absorbed from their environment or their subconscious mind has picked up in a metro ride back in 2005. So, psychoanalysis gives them stability otherwise they might slip into the lands of unknowns. Imagine you have no name and everyone calls you a random name anytime, you would want to know what you are called at each passing hours because you know that your name changes all the time. For Scorpio, psychology is self identity, it is an unnecessary task to be living such an unstable life.

Black or White Perception

Scorpios either idealize someone, or even everyone, or they are cynical about everyone. They are quick to generalize because they can't imagine someone out there does not have the same intention as the person that hurt them, so they generalize their experience with 1 person on everyone - granted their life themes are also darker than average so it makes sense why they can be really cynical. When they idealize, they want unconditional love, perfection, dreamy state of nourishment, as if they want to unite with the Holy Mother, the source of all creations. The immature Scorpio sees everyone as a potential ideal person and gets betrayed. Do that long enough and he treats everyone with disdain and contempt. In Scorpio mind, you are either a black lab or a white:

If they see you as a white lab, they will ignore 1000 red flags, overlook all your flaws, become cute and goofy with you, treat you like a royalty. And then you betray them - OR - your intensity drops - OR - you've been together for some years, then Scorpio will replay every memory in their head and analyze the records with you. Everything will be scrutinized. Your intentions, actions, motives and everything you say will be judged. Then the council will give its decision - you are a BLACK lab. Scorpio withdraws, isolates, undergoes cognitive dissonance, undo everything, destroy all memories with you, analyze their own insecurities and begin healing their spiritual issues. OR, jump into next relationship without any inner work and find another white lab puppy until the puppy breaks their bubble. Quite fantasizers Scorpios are! Water does give intuitive and imaginative capabilities. The mature Scorpio is NOT intense because he begins to see both bad and good in everyone, you are a mixed puppy to them, neither perfect nor flawed. This Scorpio is self aware, has deep psychological insights into their own mind, obviously spiritually inclined and see you as mere human - neither God nor Demon, if both parties are mature and self aware, what a spiritually delightful couple:

Manipulative

Crocodile tears, storytelling, seeking pity - Scorpios love this pattern. They might not even know they are doing it because they are so unconscious. It is their attempt to receive instant confirmation and validation that they are seen, heard, important, relevant. This too can be fixed if they remind themselves that they are relevant even if nobody else says that. I think that Scorpios are the most complicated sign. Their group members Cancer and Pisces are similar but Scorpios are just dark and negative. They constantly dwell in fantasies of misfortune and feeling grief and sad about everything that could go wrong. One could say they are very aware of Karma and how everything that is good is a consequence of something; somehow they are afraid of their bad karma ripening and their good times over. One Scorpio placement is enough to create this perpetually disturbed person.

Maturity

For some reason, Scorpios are quite afraid of bad or wrong people. Maybe because being hurt makes them feel powerless and stupid. I recall scam victims bawling their heart out "I am so stupid I fell for that scam, why was I not alert 😭". It really breaks their self-confidence that they are not capable of decision making. Scorpios live with this fear all the time. They are anticipating your next moves and calculating their own reaction to always stay a step ahead of you. Their power drive is intense and they rather live a fantasy where everyone is subservient to them than face the reality. Also, they can be really demanding "Love me NOW!!!!" "LOVE ME TOOOOO MUCH, I said TOO MUCH". And who can love them toooo much and fill their black holes? Nobody. Eventually everyone will tire of them and Scorpio resorts to filling that void himself. Maturity and healing are a Work of Art. In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, Gregor Samsa turns into an insect one morning and stays in his room for months until one day he disappears. "Metamorphosis" means to transform, from one creature to the next stage. As you can see in this story, healing is never pretty. Your loved ones are disgusted at you, society mocks and ridicules you, people are amazed and even scared of you. Healing is the emotional turmoil, patience, healing, relapsing, relapsing and again relapsing until the wound stops hurting. I think this is how Scorpios heal. I dont know if Yoga, affirmations, healing courses, therapy can fix them; perhaps their psyche will rebirth itself, it is the most psychologically messy thing ever.

For this reason, Scorpio can be the emo, grunge, goth type. Not because they are faking it but because they actually feel that scared of being alive. Unless there are other lighter placements to cheer them up, Scorpios are just...the saddest person ever. They will just make things up in their head and imagine what it feels like to be born as a poor person in the state of Martian civilization with no family and education, just struggling all their life - oh, how sad! 😭 For this reason, they never really finish healing. First they heal their own traumas, then they heal the trauma of all their ancestors and finally they heal the trauma of every single person alive. As a result, they can be empathetic, healers, compassionate and understanding. This is of course only possible when planets placed in Scorpio sign are capable of giving good results and attain enlightenment; otherwise a lot of Scorpios never fix themselves. I think even Aquarius can be emo because of their humanitarian approach and helping everyone with whatever they can, combined with pisces placement they can definitely start charity foundation. I have seen Aquarius + Pisces and even 11h + 12h combination helping a lot of people with money and assistance, they don't even take it back, just giving money to help others open handedly.

To love somebody else in the first place is always an escape which we all hope for, and we all enjoy it when we are capable of it. But in the long run, it comes back. You cannot stay away from yourself forever, you have to return, to know whether you really can love. That is the question-whether you can love yourself, and that will be the test.

Carl Jung, Nietzsche's Zarathustra

Ladies,

With Scorpio/Venus in 8th house/Plutonic/Venus in Scorpio placements/Saturn in 5th or 7th house/Saturnian

How is your romantic life dealing with these placements? Did you tell your long term partner about your past and transformations?

-In my experience, it brings a lot of irrational and impulsive experiences especially psychologically. Do you tell your partner your inner thoughts or keep them secretive?

-Going by the precedent, I am afraid of trusting anyone *completely* enough to tell them my secrets because of fear that people can change anytime and be possessed by their temptations and dark traits.

-I do have a desire to be completely honest and pour my heart out (or may be I just like trauma dumping) but at the same time, I will give away the key to my heart to anyone who knows my inner life and holds power over me. I just cannot take that risk.

-Which means these natives are supposed to keep their secrets to themselves hence the 'mysterious' stereotype since they are actually afraid to be manipulated/dominated/controlled.

-What is your relationship theme like - goofy buddies or mature private couple?

-How do you hold all that secret in your tummy? I just feel like exploding (Gemini moon) with all the things I want to say non stop, all my spiritual insights and revelations. I journal things but the desire to blurt it all out contradicted with need for secrecy just creates this paradox in me.

Hoping to hear some experiences with these placements.

Some Venus in 8th house transformation notes:

May also apply to Moon in 8th house, Venus in Scorpio, Moon in Scorpio but especially to Venus in 8H

* Venus in 8th house is a mystery. The emotions are intense. When she is happy, she is euphoric. And then she starts crying because she just recalled a repressed past memory.

* Venus in 8H is psychologically draining but financially secure. As if universe wants her to suffer psychological turmoil yet feed her and keep her warm. As if the universe compensates for her psychological experience with financial security through parental inheritance and spousal income.

* This placement is eccentric and different from many other placements. This native deliberately likes to be private, secretive and hidden. It is because she wants to keep her life hidden from public view. Not just because she fears evil eye, but also because she wants authenticity in her personal life.

* Did I say authenticity? She has a core natural personality. Intuitive, emotional, sensitive, perceptive, psychically penetrating, empathetic. She is a healer. She knows that anything which is put in public display on social media loses its authenticity. She knows that words spoken in public are insincere. She does not care for public validation, it is depth and natural connection that she craves.

* Since she battles her own complexes everyday, she can also read other people's complexes easily. Life is a constant shadow work for her. Others may be ignorant of their shadow, insecurities and reactions, while this native can read people as if playing a piano, so easily and so beautifully.

* No doubt, this placement is psychologically challenging. The life theme of native revolves around transformation, rebirth, renewal, occult, psychology matters. Everyday is a new chapter in her life. Every morning she wakes up a different person. Since her core is so unstable and transformative, she finds identity and stability in occult, esoteric and mystical knowledge. Relationship is also based in identification with spouse, change in identity after wedding, merging identity with partner, having sex to "dissolve" the ego identification and become one with the universe with each orgasm.

* There is a major transformation in her younger self to older self. Before transformation, she could be impulsive and irrational. After transformation, she is completely changed, has emotional control and psychic insight. She can "see" what others cannot.

* One suggestion would be to not torture yourself with crying sessions to let go of the memories of past. We acknowledge that you are a sensitive person and you had a traumatic life, but you are not the only one with trauma. Almost all astrological placements have emotional trauma, that is just part of life. Venus 8H clings to her trauma, lives in it, keeps reliving it, that is where she self destructs. Try to live in a flow. Acknowledge the past and know that you are not alone. Do not let it fester into narcissism. Understand that even though people don't show it, everyone is suffering with emotional issues secretly - who knows this better than Venus 8H who herself keeps her dragons as pets with cute collars. Indeed, her inner demons obey her, she is that spiritually awakened and aware. You go to her house and find shadow dragons playing in grass.

* So much shadow work makes her fearless, as if she is rugged and unharmed. There is a healing vibes around her. People feel at peace with her. Being in her company is like meditating in Buddha temple, that serenity, safety, security, compassion and kindness. Feminine essence at its peak. Imagine an incense stick burning with its smoke, so serene and quiet, so mysterious and elegant. That is her soul. Always in touch with her emotions, never reactive and never defensive. Just flowing peacefully with the flow of life. Look how poetic smoke is, it makes no noise, leaves no traces, it is poetry to the heart.

* But this journey was not easy. The emotional healer today was once a wounded mess. We never appreciate how much of a difference emotional intelligence can make to human relationships. It changes conversations, there is no competition but understanding. She talks not because she wants to look good or show off her knowledge, she speaks because she genuinely feels a connection to your heart. Connection beyond superficiality. Connection that transforms her listener. Anyone who comes in contact with her is transformed, bewitched, hypnotized. Even the most angry person can calm down in her company, it feels just so safe to be with her. You will be heard and seen and accepted for your flaws and faults and mistakes because in the 8H there is no right or wrong, life is just a music of ups and downs. All fateful detours and blunder mistakes lead to spiritual insights. She does not judge you for anything, her only question is, "How did it make you feel? What did you learn from that experience?"

Now, depending upon the rest of the chart, we see how their life manifests. For eg, If there are significant fire placements, then the native will not be so secretive and like to be in limelight for their image.

But in conclusion, something that I have noticed with this placement is a significant lack of self concept. They are easily influenced by the energy of people, absorb the energy in their environment and may even become somebody else. This is of course not nice experience because then they will be torn apart between their natural core (intuitive) and the false adaptation they just performed, this may lead to neurotic behavior and unnecessary psychological suffering. One tip is to write down the keywords related to this placement like "transformation" "sensitive" "empathetic" "shadow work" "inner work" "secretive" and whenever you feel anxiety in social settings, mentally recall these keywords to create a stable identity/anchor in your head so you do not accidentally get carried away in someone else's energy. They are especially overwhelmed by the energies of air/fire placements that lack watery elements, because these natives are too smug and harsh for the sensitive person. Another tip is to have some will power which can be hard for these natives are pleasure seeking and indulgent too, so perhaps with some practice, behavior and emotional reaction can change. Repeated exposure to environments that trigger your insecurity and instability then practice grounding yourself in your natural core, who you truly are inside.

These natives can even make therapeutic healers, energy workers, witches, can assist you in passing from one stage of life to another, just how psychotherapy or surgery or birth or death works. They are the surgeons (penetrating vision) of the soul (just a joke).

Signs in the Eighth House

Just as the number 8, the 8th house is where one’s karma lies. In the broader sense, this karma could be anything, hence the reason for this house to be called “mysterious”.  It is not exactly known to the person where their karma comes from or where it is going. Since it is the opposite of the 2nd house, where one’s parents’ love and care for each other is specified, the 8th house symbolises the trigger point which caused that love or relationship in general. Meaning, the sexual and the passionate energy. The 2nd house is the comfort zone of people and the relationship with the tangible environment. Meanwhile the 8th house is the psychology, the relationships between the heart and soul and the karma carried out through the parents. The planet Pluto is the ruler of this house. Pluto, in Greek Mythology, is known as the God of the Underworld, Hades. Hades was the first son of Kronos and the first to be swallowed by him. Together with his siblings they banished their father and with Zeus and Poseidon, they drew lots to see who would rule each realm… Hades got the underworld fittingly as his name means “the unseen one”. He was also known as the God of wealth because all the precious metals buried deep in the earth were in his kingdom. Hades is the ruler of the dead but he isn’t death itself. Thus, while he “drinks tears like wine” he does not kill anyone. He is simply the host of the dead and the torubled souls. His realm is a place of freedom from the pain of the world and his Queen, Persephone offers rebirth and a blessed afterlife. But we all know that he kidnapped her even though she fell in love with him later on (a case of Stockholm Syndrome). Hades, even though one of the more humble of the Gods when he wanted something he made sure he got it. Together with his queen they represent life and death and the cycles of nature —and the 8th house represents the transformations we are bound to go through no matter how painful. In the end we rise from the ashes better and richer (soul-wise) than ever. Self-mastery involves shadow work with your lower drives. If you fail to master this energy, it will master you. In other words, the unconscious will run your life from behind the scenes and work itself out through fate. This often manifests as obsessions and compulsions and events over which you have no conscious control which can be seen in one’s 8th house.

♈︎Aries / Mars in the 8th House:

Aries/Mars here is in his big brother’s house so he does not feel too unwelcome here maybe feels a little clumsy not knowing how to deal with such power all of a sudden. The person with this placement is ever seeking ways of personal transformation. Starting with new projects or just anything new is their superpower. However, not being able to finish those passion projects is the cost of this power. When accepting the fact that chaos is inevitable and control is an illusion the person confronts their inner demons, only then the transformation really happens. Either one of the parents might have Aries in their charts (rising or sun). The karma coming from the parents is for the person to become fearless in the face of the new and taking the lead. After a psychological breakdown, the person is completely anew and fearless to start from fresh. Vengeance though can become the main drive and that is when the person needs to be careful. People with this aspect might attract a lot of Aries or Mars energies into their lives - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad. Obsessions might include proving oneself to be the best at something and forcing other people to do whatever they think is the right thing. When they master the need to be always in control they are able to manifest good things into their lives.

♉︎Taurus / Venus (Day Chart) in the 8th House:

When the opposites fill the other one’s place it puts it out of balance. One’s mission is to maintain the peace which that balance is lacking. Taurus/Venus (Day) in a person’s 8th house may indicate that the superpower of this person is to make others feel comfortable and laid back. They put others at ease. The cost for this power is that the chart owners themselves feel uneasy and disturbed by outside interference constantly. This karma can only be eased down once the person starts to value and secure themselves. People-pleasing is something they are good at but not something that they necessarily should be doing. Since there is no sense of feeling secure or comfortable coming from within these people may obsess over material things in order to feed their starving subconscious. The more these people value things outside of their own being, the more backlash they receive from their inner selves.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to fall truly in love with themselves and care for their own well-being. Maybe as a child, they did not feel worthy of their parents. Perhaps one of the parents had Taurus in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element and they might also attract a lot of Taurus energy into their relationships - from these energies a karmic bond is established good or bad. However, overdoing this self-love once it is achieved obviously will have its consequences. Laziness and over-indulgence in the good things life has to offer will bite them back later on. When they find a balance between keeping their own peace meanwhile putting others’ minds at ease as well, they will master the power of serenity.

♊︎Gemini / Mercury in the 8th House:

With this placement, there is this feeling of the “magician” going back to the tarot cards. A master manifestor once the person appreciates the duality within. In Buddhism, this is called “shunyata” the emptiness of inner and outer dharmas. Nothing can exist without everything else also existing. People with this placement must understand that we exist within a web of relationships and once it is well understood one must not misuse this power otherwise the consequences are hard to overcome. These people are blessed with powerful thoughts but depending on the intention set out through these thoughts their own manifestations can get the best of them. A great deal of cleansing of the subconscious is required for this placement since Mercury is a trickster who loves to challenge its subjects just for the sake of it.  There are great power and karma carried through one’s words. These people can have an immense effect on other people’s subconscious as well. Through the exchange of thoughts, they blend with other people and if they did not master this power of theirs they can get lost in those people’s minds.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to watch out what kind of intention they put out to the universe through their interaction with other people. Perhaps one of the parents had Gemini in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Mercury energy into their relationships - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad. These people also gotta be careful about obsessive thought patterns and delving too deep into the matters. The thing they are most passionate about is certainly understanding the unknown but some things are just simply beyond our comprehension

♋︎Cancer / Moon in the 8th House:

Moon is our mother, sense of security and our ancestors. There is a great deal of karma coming from the person’s past. They are deeply connected to it and they are very curious about it as well. Their power is to build such strong connections with people and giving them their sincerity. The cost of this gift though is the fact that most people they give this nurturing energy to might have had banished them in their life before. There is a great fear of abandonment coming from being too attached to people since they have had been left behind before (perhaps by the mother herself). These people might find the solution in never attaching to people ever again but in fact they must build a strong intuition in order to allow the right people in their lives. Otherwise, a sinister feeling inside will sprout because they do not feel the same warmth coming from other people that they think they themselves expose. Forgiveness is a big theme here. They have to learn to forgive the past and not devolve too much into it. Compassion will be their best friend when it comes to fighting off their inner demons which especially come up when they feel the most vulnerable. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to not treat their emotions as if they are burdens and learn to forgive their past troubles and maybe even the parents themselves. These people should learn to not to obsess over the past. Perhaps one of the parents had Cancer in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Cancerian energy into their relationships - from these energies, a karmic bond is established good or bad.

♌︎Leo / Sun in the 8th House:

When Apollo comes to give light to a house that wants to stay in the dark, tensions are high. These people may want to keep their own self identity under shadows. Something significant may have had appeared in their childhood which caused the child to grow too soon and as an adult now the child within is suppressed down to the subconscious. Their own psychology is a matter these people are highly interested in understanding. They like to put light on things that are hidden from them even when they are not ready to see things as clearly as they are. They like to think of themselves as strong people who can handle any psychological or emotional burden which they are and it is their power but they tend to push things too far to the point of they can no longer handle the load. They have got to learn to let other people in so that they can ease the heaviness of their own emotional baggage. Once they let the child within to come out and play they are bestowed with very strong creativity and positivity. Free self-expression will be their escape from their own darker demons and allowing themselves to play. These people are obsessed with other people’s talents and the way they carry themselves - but once they let go of their control on emotions and let their joy run free, they will see themselves become just that. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to take care of the child within. Maybe the parents were not the best at allowing the kids to be kids and asked too much of them hence they had to grow up way too early. Perhaps one of the parents had Leo in their sun or rising and could not manage that energy in its right element. People with this placement might also attract a lot of Leo energy into their relationships - from these energies a karmic bond is established good or bad.

♍︎Virgo / Ceres in the 8th House:

Deep within, there is a lot of anxious energy haunting the person of the chart which strives to be recognized. They tend to over-analyze everything that is happening but will most likely keep this to themselves since they do not like to be viewed “concerned” by other people. They are obsessed with solving problems to the point of disturbance in their own psychology. They have immense powers of healing and finding solutions but the cost of this power is an out of control feeling of being uneasy or unsafe. Through meditation and being open to spiritual matters they can ease this feeling but these are highly skeptical and practical people. They tend to stay in their own way of their journey to mindfulness. They are fascinated by other people’s concerns and problems that they tend to forget their own which only makes their personal matters worst. They have great karma when it comes to dealings of allowing things to be and not interfering with them. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to take care of their own well being and consciousness. Perhaps, as a child, they weren’t properly taken care of by their parents and the roles were reversed in a way. They wanted to fix or heal their parents their whole life but maybe did not get the chance to do that so they are passionate about doing this for other people. One of the parents might have Virgo as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Virgo energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♎︎Libra / Venus (Night Chart) in the 8th House:

People with this placement have got a lot of subtle but potent influence on other people through one on one interactions. They have the power of attracting anyone into their lives and easing their emotional burdens as well. The cost of this superpower though is that if they are not careful with their intentions about the core reason why they want to have an influence on this particular person they might take on their bad karma as their own and obviously no one wants that. Each relationship transforms the person for the better but sometimes the worst. They might feel an intense bond with almost everybody in their lives and this will take a toll on them psychologically. They are also likely to have people obsess over them to point of claiming ownership over them. And another theme with an obsession with these people is that they themselves might obsess over being liked by everyone. They are passionate about peace and harmony and are willing to do anything in order to maintain it even if it means sacrificing one’s free will.  The karma coming from the parents is for the person to practice and teach good manners and bring harmony into relationships. Perhaps, the parents were in an inharmonious relationship in which the two fought a lot without ever trying to bring peace into the situation between them. One of the parents might have Libra as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Venusian energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♏︎Scorpio / Pluto in the 8th House:

The lord of the underworld here is in his full power and in the comfort of his home he is not willing to hold anything back. Scorpio is in search of emotional power and the mysteries of life and death. This cycle between the two is neither good or bad, - it’s the part of nature that demands change and evolution. And the biggest thing with Hades’s character is that no matter what you cannot negotiate with him. The biggest karmic lesson with this placement is to surrender. These people’s power is about using their soul’s energy to transform the self through a confrontation with the powers of the unconscious. The goal is to overcome death and dissolution and avoid falling back into chaos and unconsciousness. Not the easiest of the tasks but the rewards are definitely worth it as Hades is also the Lord of the riches. To enter the darkness and heal the split in your psyche – the wound at the heart of being human – the pain of being conscious is the lesson one taken over from their parents. Perhaps, the parents were in denial of their subconscious’ scream for help and kept their demons hidden away which only caused them to go down a road of spiral. One of the parents might have Scorpio as their sun or rising sign and the chart owners tens to attract a lot of Scorpio energy into their relationships for them to learn their karmic lessons.

♐︎Sagittarius / Jupiter in the 8th House:

The nature of Sagittarius is to be free and in this placement that is the request from the chart owner’s psychology. These are very passionate people who are the rulers of their own territories. They have the gift to find their way to enlightenment and higher knowledge of the truth once they open up their horizons. The biggest karma for them is that it is hard for them to open their minds to things but once they do they are ready to be fired into the future. They are obsessed with the idea of living life to its fullest but there is a tendency to overdo it. Too much of the unrealistic optimism results in facing the harsh reality of the world which leads them to a dark place where they feel trapped within their own minds. They tend to curse their own fate and shun the universe whenever their high expectations are not met. They have to come in peace with the reality of being human in an imperfect world.  But the pain of the wound creates wisdom if they can accept and work with it. The karma coming from the parents is for the person to discover the truth of a human’s immortal soul that releases us from the wheel of birth and death – the quest for enlightenment. Perhaps the chart owner comes from a lineage of teachers who couldn’t finish this task.  One of the parents might have Sagittarius as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Sagittarius energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons. For them to free themselves from their emotional burdens they need to open their minds up and accept the good and the bad universe has to offer and offer help to others to learn their lessons.

♑︎Capricorn / Saturn in the 8th House:

When the sign of harsh lessons and the house of karmic lessons unite their powers the person with the placement meant to go through a lot but in the end, they come out of this struggle of perfecting a human as a dextrous being. The native goes through a lot of challenges which require self-mastery. They crumble down to the ground and build themselves up again, each time they end up more solid and wise. The person is bestowed with great wisdom beyond their years but the universe always demands them to renew themselves so their lives and self-identity suffer from reoccurring earthquakes. They are obsessed with being the best at everything they can and in the meantime influencing other people. They might be especially obsessed with impressing their father and their own father might be their biggest competition in some extreme cases their enemy. In Greek mythology, Capricorn is the Father Time, Kronos… The one who swallowed Hades (and the rest of his children) only to be overthrown by them in the end as it was predicted. The biggest lesson for this person is that they cannot change the outcome but they are sure to be changed by the outcome. The karma these people had inherited from their parents is that the old way of things must be periodically overthrown so that life can be renewed. Perhaps the owner of the chart had parents who were too controlling and stuck in the same cycles and it is up to them to break this cycle so that progression can happen. Meanwhile, they have got to learn to build a solid structure for them so that they will not be damaged when their world is shaken up as it is their karma. One of the parents might have Capricorn as their sun or rising sign and these people tend to attract a lot of Capricorn energy into their relationships for them to learn karmic lessons.

♒︎Aquarius / Uranus in the 8th House:

People with this placement are passionate about feeling united with other people. They tend to attract a lot of friends into their lives and they themselves are very understanding friends but the cost of this is that in order to keep their social circle they tend to either conform to their needs. In order to feel like a part of the group, they know exactly what to do but this also means they often step out of their way to become a part of it. Their biggest fear being, feeling unaccepted they are very accepting of other people and when they work on their people skills these people are very good at influencing others. They are humanists with morals. Their karma will work against them when they deliberately deny these morals in order to please others. The karma they inherited from their parents is to increase in moral consciousness in other people as well as themselves of course. Perhaps the parents were oblivious to other peoples’ issues. One of the parents may have had Aquarius as their sun or rising but was not able to manage its aim of uniting the people and recognizing that all beings are interconnected. With this comes a great deal of empathy with others comes into play. The person has to learn to control this nature of an empath for it is hard for them to distinguish their own emotions and thoughts from the rest.

♓︎Pisces / Neptune in the 8th House:

People who have this placement tend to underestimate the power of their psyche and subconscious in their everyday life. If the mind is in a good state they have the power to manifest good things into their life, if it is in a bad state though, they bring hell down to earth for themselves. The universe asks of them to be conscious of their subconscious, joining of two worlds: the divine and the human. These people are creative in nature and have to take care of their inner world instead of running from it. With a power of great manifestations comes great responsibility for one’s soul journey. As the Pisces energy can be creative and imaginative, as well as dark and destructive. Lurking in the unconscious, always threatening to overwhelm the ordered structures of life. Being this close to the abyss would make anybody nervous and we all know Pisces often tries to avoid a confrontation. But the thing is the forces of the unconscious are usually only dangerous when they’re repressed or denied. And this is the karma the chart owner inherited from their parents who might have Pisces as their sun or rising but could not deal with the Piscean nature, hence it is now both the blessing and the curse (if it is not dealt with careful) of the child. The Pisces fish are a symbol of spiritual liberation, they show the happiness and freedom of the soul swimming in the waters of nirvana. There’s no need to struggle or swim against the tide. People with this placement tend to attract a lot of Piscean energies into their lives to learn and teach karmic lessons.

(Art: “Ixion Thrown into Hades” by Jules-Élie Delaunay)

Planets in the 8th House

Like all the watery houses, the 8th house is mysterious and potent, yet it’s difficult to fully get a grasp of. The area of life that this house represents are usually summarized by worn out key words; death, transformation, regeneration, rebirth, sex, shared finances, the occult, hidden complexes, power struggles, trauma, crisis and the list goes on… from these words one gathers that the 8th is not a light-hearted sphere of life – it signifies struggle and emotional intensity. Having planets in the 8th, strong Pluto or Scorpio influence usually revolves around the same themes – paranoia, the striving for control and a tendency to keep things private and buried in order to sustain power.

I’m not going to discuss the difference of having strong Scorpio-Pluto placements vs. having planets in the 8th house in this post, but since the sign, planet and house are linked and are symbolic of the same themes, there’s a lot of overlap that is to be expected.

A person with planet(s) in the 8th will not act out the planetary principles consciously. Usually, the energy is felt through their aura, quiet but evident, as if the planet makes its presence known without revealing itself. For example, someone with Venus in the 8th might not openly declare affection and love, except in the most intimate of settings, but it’s unquestionably there. Picture the goddess of love living within a person as a body of water. She is there, but she is slippery and unable to manifest through conscious expression in daily life. The reason for planets in the 8th house “hiding” usually has something to do with fear of losing control, of exposing something taboo and risky that could have dire consequences.  We see this phenomenon in movies all the time – a person isn’t conscious of the fact the he or she is in love with a person but it’s obvious to everyone else – this would be typical of Venus in the 8th. One doesn’t dare to express it because it would alter the way of things, it would violate the sense of self-control and expose one’s vulnerability. Pain accompanies planets in the 8th, however benefic, because they impose themselves on the person and puts everything on the line. It’s a little bit like opening Pandora’s box – one can never go back to how things were before one fell in love, yet one resists the power with which one is pulled into a relationship. Even Venus and Jupiter, the most “positive” planets are operating in a way that makes the person feel out of control. Sure, it’s probably more positive to be invaded by love and abundance than anything else, but it can still be shocking and fearful to a person that doesn’t want to acknowledge the autonomy of the planet and has put up rigid defenses against it, only to have them be shattered. In the case of Venus in the 8th, personal love and affection is very private and usually has some kind of trauma or complex tied up with it. Looking at astrotheme’s database of people with Venus in the 8th , Miley Cyrus pops up at the top of the page with this placement. In some of her more personal songs, lyrics hint to her being afraid of love and intimacy. Even in her famous song “Wrecking Ball” she sings about falling under love’s spell and slowly seeing a relationship turn to “ashes on the ground”. If this isn’t typical symbolism of transformation through love I don’t know what is.

With the Moon in the 8th house, the person doesn’t openly express emotion – the emotions erupt volcanically from time to time, and it’s very uncomfortable for the person because there’s a feeling of being exposed and threatened that accompanies this release. Because of the fear that is tied up with emotion, the person might show dislike and defensiveness when faced with other people’s emotional expressions and needs. Sigmund Freud had his Moon in the 8th, which is very telling. He was obviously interested in uncovering the complexes behind certain reactions, presumably because he didn’t feel himself to be in control of his own emotions and inner life. He was certainly motivated to transform and free himself and his clients of the tight grip of the unconscious patterns of the 8th house. He explored the underlying mechanisms of repression, formulated the Oedipus complex and postulated the existence of libido – sexual energy with which the mental processes are invested. The Moon’s placement in the 8th would point to deeply rooted emotional and possibly sexual ties with the mother. The Oedipus complex is after all a desire for sexual involvement with the opposite sex and the presence of repressed incestuous instincts. Freud noted that he had wanted to marry his mother as a child to rival with the father and understood that it must be a universal principle among all boys in all cultures. This has not been thoroughly empirically proven, but it’s certainly reveals something about Freud’s own psychology. In any case with Moon in the 8th, the emotional and instinctual nature is accompanied with a sense of it being taboo and shameful. The emotional nature is experienced to be powerful beyond personal control.

Mercury in the 8th is a another story. Mercury is the planet of communication, thinking and deductive reasoning. When looking up people with this placement, it seems to me that it is common among people who speak up about uncomfortable topics, that which would be considered “risky business” to talk about. Prince Harry has this placement and he has been very open recently about his mental health struggles. Emma Watson has this placement and she has been an advocate for feminism and equality – preaching and advocating strongly with emotional investment when giving the famous UN speech in 2014. Lana Del Rey has this placement and she writes lyrics based on her own personal experiences, not shying away from dark topics like death, heartbreak, destructive and passionate relationships. It seems as if Mercury in this house gives the person a propensity for talking and thinking about that which in uncomfortable, for revealing difficult power-imbalances and dynamics taking place within the psyche. There’s usually a feeling of being cautious of what one reveals, of sitting on information that holds emotional power and that involves other people. With any planet in this house there’s a strong impulse to be aware of other people, in case of Mercury it’s what other people know and don’t know, what they say and don’t say. Mercury in the 8th might be indicative of a person who is controlled by what other people say and feels at the mercy of other people’s opinions – positively and negatively. The narratives and stories of other people might merge with the person on a deep level and fuel one’s own opinions. One might be exposed to challenging, discriminative and harmful opinions, even indoctrinated in them. When speaking one’s mind, one might have to summon a lot of bravery because more than likely there’s a bit of a chokehold that is being felt and effort that is required to break free from deeply instilled thought patterns. This placement could be indicative of a person that likes to think and communicate about deep and taboo topics, reveal and keep secrets.

With Mars in the 8th, one simple interpretation would be “someone who is prone to experience physical violence in intimate relationships”. Either one is the victim of it or the perpetrator, perhaps even a bystander or a protector. The violence, albeit linked to physical action, might just manifest in the form of acting without another’s best interest in mind. There’s usually a sense of being at the mercy of other people’s actions with this placement, but also of having no conscious control over one’s own motivations for doing things, one’s own drive to make things happen. Princess Diana had this placement, conjunct Pluto-Uranus, and she was far from feeling in absolute control of her direction in life. With Pluto-Mars the drive is buried and tied up with the primal survival instinct and latent rage. Her relationship with Prince Charles was anything but smooth and she felt like a victim to greater forces (Pluto-Uranus) making her act in a way that was, most certainly, driven by emotional complexes and not out of conscious will. She also behaved in a way with her compulsive eating and independent streak that was not favorably looked upon. J.F. Kennedy also had this placement, he too had difficulties on the relationship front, mostly because he had a compulsive sexual drive and had a lot of extramarital affairs. This is typical of Mars in the 8th being tied up with emotional complexes – he couldn’t stick to his wife; he had to prove himself and his masculinity through conquering women (he has Jupiter conjunct his Mars and we all know how faithful Jupiter was in mythology). His sexual appetite caused moral problems among the Secret Service agents who were employed to smuggle women in and out of the White House. His behavior was altogether inappropriate but somehow he survived politically as it was kept in the shadows. Diana certainly had her own extramarital affairs as well, perhaps to revenge Charles for his strong tie with Camilla and subsequent declining interest in their marriage. Mars in the 8th is undoubtedly indicative of action taken out of the need to retain emotional integrity, sometimes with unfavorable consequences. Notably, both Diana and J.F. Kennedy died suddenly, Diana in a car accident and J.F. Kennedy through assassination by a bullet. The 8th house is the house of death, and Mars here usually indicates a violent and sudden strike of “fate”.

Last but not least, let’s take a look at the Sun in the 8th house. The same people who shows up when searching for Mercury, Mars and even Venus, also have the Sun in this house; J.F. Kennedy, Lana Del Rey, Emma Watson and Prince Harry, which is not surprising considering that the inner planets never stray too far from the Sun. The Sun represents the ego, the sense of self-knowledge and self-awareness. The Sun is representative of the conscious center of the personality. This suggests that the people with this placement are painfully aware of death and violation, of the destructive nature of reality. While the Moon in the 8th might indicate that emotional reactions or lack thereof stem from deep seated autonomous complexes rooted in survival, the Sun might indicate a sense of self and self-expression that stems from the difficulties and hardships one has gone through. This placement can be understood in the sentiment “who am I without my trauma?”. There’s the tendency to identify with the ordeals of one’s life and how one overcame them (or didn’t). This dynamic is evident in all the people listed at the top of this paragraph. Prince Harry being a very obvious one that people make fun of nowadays – he’s coming out as a survivor of past down ancestral trauma, attempting to work through and shine a light on his personal struggles growing up within the Royal Family, attempting to separate himself from the curses of unconscious programming. Lana Del Rey certainly enjoys identifying and expressing the darker side of herself, illuminating the theme of death and emotional hardship in her songs. Emma Watson also seems to identify with the hurt and injustice present in the world and is a spokesperson for collective movements (Sun in the 8th, Leo in the 11th). J.F. Kennedy has the same Sun –Leo house setup as Emma, channeling his experience of personal hardships into his career and public life. In a sense, people who want to appeal to the masses and make a change on a large scale must be personally invested enough to fuel the movement. In the case of the 8th house being involved with Kennedy and Watson, they might feel as if their sense of self is dictated by other people’s values or that they would have to fight to remain in control of their sense of self. As the Sun relates to the father, the father figure might’ve been quite controlling, demanding and dominant. If the Moon in the 8thsays something about a mother complex, the Sun in the 8thdefinitely says something about a father complex.