This year, find out what makes you tick, Scorpio. Briton Rivière ‘Tick-Tack’ 1881 {{PD}}

Though Self-realization and gaining opportunity seem to be your goals this coming Solar year, dear Scorpio, it behooves you to look below the surface at the desire for autonomy, respect, and the right to declare your territory that underlies all your ambitions. If you lack consciousness of these hidden factors, you may find yourself facing repeated power struggles, rebellion from your underlings or those you care for, and competition over something you feel by rights should be yours–and none of it, should you fail to explore your motivations, will make sense. In this case, the social sphere can be an excellent aid to discovering what is currently making you tick, both by commenting on and reflecting back to you your behavior; they offer knowledge (especially accumulated knowledge from those who’ve gone before), and will point you toward opportunity–but it’s up to you to make the most of it. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

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‘Lady writing a love letter’ Artist Unknown c1750 {{PD}}

Dear Scorpio: What were you thinking!? From now on, every move you make is crucial to determining your life Path. Every thought you think, thing you do, commitment you honor, and cause you support must be flawless, and you can’t make any mistakes, okay? Love you! Signed, the Universe

How did that little love note make you feel, Scorpio? Hopeless, buried under a mound of unreasonable judgments and super-human expectations–or maybe just like you’re willing to try but have already accepted that it’s no-win. The funny thing is, I changed the signature on that note: actually, it was written and signed by you, to you. Now do you see how hard you’re being on yourself? This coming year, through to your next birthday, you may have ridiculously high requirements for your own behavior and accomplishments–this birthday greeting is to tell you not to aim lower, but to be kinder, especially to yourself. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

Featured Solar Return aspect: Mars conjunct Pluto, both quincunx Juno=temper, destructive urges, ego, and energy levels must all be modified in order to serve empowerment goals. Modesty plus limitless energy will take you a long way this year.

Fritz Petzholdt – ‘Étude de roches’ c1833 {{PD}}

Dear Scorpio, over the coming Solar year, through to your next birthday, it appears you might find yourself (even repeatedly) stuck between what’s wise or smart, and a hard place–specifically, a restriction, obligation, fear, or rule that makes it very difficult to do anything other than the wise thing–thus effectively removing what may feel like a large number of options and choices for you. Though you know that’s not the way it should be (and indeed, you should remind yourself it won’t be like that forever), you will need to adhere very closely to your highest values and ideals, and to deal honorably with both home circumstances and with the mate–because you’ll be setting up your own support system, not to mention the vibe, that will carry you into the future. Remain optimistic–once you work the kinks out, the rewards could multiply exponentially. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

‘Young Samurai and Female Attendants Practicing Archery’ (Half of a Diptych) by Utagawa Toyokuni I c1800 {{PD}}

You’re shooting all your arrows in the direction of ambition fulfillment this year, through to your next birthday, dear Scorpio–but is that the best thing to do? Yes, yes it is, just as long as you do a few important things: Be Yourself–I know in a way that’s impossible not to do, it’s just that the more true you are to your own (possibly freaky) uniqueness, the more quickly and easily (and satisfyingly) success will come to you; learn to work with the group–not subordinate to it and not lording over it, but in a relationship where both sides get what they truly need from the arrangement; use your Highest Values and priorities as guidelines for what is and isn’t acceptable–even if it seems like you can quickly deviate from these with no harm done, you shouldn’t, as the damage will be irreparable; and finally, approach events and interactions with a truly open mind, and be willing to take a more objective view when you’re faced with something that makes you uncomfortable–fallible instincts might keep you in the comfort zone and so cause you to miss perfectly viable opportunities. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

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You won’t have to water ambitions down, if you’ll just wait a little. Juan Gris
‘Glass and Water Bottle’ 1917 {{PD}}

You seem to be weighing and measuring your ambitions, dear Scorpio, and trying to decide whether the material environment will support you making your dream happen right now. Though it doesn’t seem like the likely thing, compromise is the idea that will get you where you want to go–not as in watering-down your dream in order to get some traction, but as in taking a considered approach that keeps values and already-established priorities in a position of honor. Do that and and before you know it both significant resources and external aid (in the form of knowledge or possibly social trends or organizations) will arrive and give your goals the needed fuel. Until then, enjoy your year, and take advantage of your current ability to discern the unspoken and ignored undercurrents in communication; you are especially good at reading between the lines, and can learn a lot as a consequence. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

This comment came from reader ‘Joe’: “Rats. I was so looking forward to my own Born Today, but we all need to do self-care from time to time.” So true, Joe, about the Self-care–but I will catch up with ‘Born Today’–keep checking in!

It’s great to be back, isn’t it, Scorpio? ‘Strelnieks’ (Shooter) Janis Rozentāls 1914 {{PD}}

You’re healed–now what do you do? True, you still may be getting your balance, scoping out the landscape, trying to get your bearings–but it’s not like you were just born–you had hopes and dreams before you got sidetracked, and you should take another look at them as soon as possible. Do they still apply? Do they still appeal? Expect that your recent experiences may have changed your goals, may have altered your way of seeing the world, but also may have taken you back toward your original, pre-socialized interests and focus–and this is really an invaluable gift, re-orienting you to what you truly care about. Strengths this year, through to your next birthday, dear Scorpio, are your quick wits and your core values; detriments may be too much insistence on ‘being comfortable’, or on only pursuing sure things. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

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Franz von Stuck ‘Salome II’ 1905 {{PD}}

You have a choice, dear Scorpio, this Solar year through to your next birthday: you can either focus on hurt and ways of rebelling from those who’ve wounded you, or you can focus on developing your most unique skills and, when ready, sharing them with the group. Obviously, any thinking person would opt for the latter, but the problem is, tiny decisions made in the moment, small justifications of the most minor of detours, can lead you very quickly into a spot where you may respond to past hurts reflexively, out of sheer pique. Consciously apply effort to honing those skills and abilities that are most ‘you’, that you specifically show exceptional talent with (and don’t be overly modest–you know what you’re great at!) and your year will prove to be one where you don’t just make progress, but you heal. Happy Birthday, Scorpio, and good luck!

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