Sun in Scorpio

Embrace the seductive influence
of the zodiac's dark detective

It's no coincidence that the year's most haunting holidays -- Halloween and its Latin American counterpart, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) -- both happen while the Sun settles into one of the darkest signs of the zodiac: Scorpio. Read up on this enigmatic sign to find out how the Sun's shady mood will impact you!

Represented by a venomous creature that can sting (and kill!) without warning, the Scorpion of Astrology isn't malicious -- it simply has a volatile side (much like the scorpion's poisonous tail) that gives it a forceful personality. This is partly because Scorpio is the member of the zodiac associated with both sex and death -- so Scorpio definitely has passion in spades!

With Water as its element, Scorpio is one of three signs characterized by an almost limitless capacity to feel, as well as a heightened sense of intuition. But unlike fellow Water signs -- sensitive, nurturing Cancer or dreamy, almost psychic Pisces -- Scorpio goes to the extreme both with physical love and its relentless search to unravel supposedly "unknowable" mysteries.

Blame it on Pluto, Scorpio's ruling planet. In Roman mythology, Pluto was the god of the dead, and his kingdom was the unseen underworld -- most people's destination in the afterlife. In Astrology, tiny Pluto packs a punch by revealing the "shadow side" of the signs, situations and people it crosses. Pluto forces us to face the uncomfortable, inescapable truths (much like death) most of us are happier to ignore. But Pluto also encourages us to explore the hidden realities to every aspect of our lives, which is why it's considered a transformational (if "tough love") planet … and why Scorpio doesn't shy away from digging for the answers it seeks.

Scorpio people can come across as discrete, keeping their own personal worlds to themselves. They can also be open about their feelings to a fault: think of the cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew, an amorous little guy who pursued the object of his affection with such feeling, he scared her off! In the same way, Scorpios can love so intensely that they risk coming on too strong with potential partners; on the flipside, they make fiercely loyal friends and lovers, and they take their relationships seriously.

The Scorpio influence (which we'll feel from October 22 until November 21) can likewise make us reconsider the big, unresolved questions in our lives -- or simply inspire us to walk on the wild side! You may find yourself more expressive in relationships, or taking everything just a little more seriously. This isn't a bad thing: properly harnessed, "the Scorpio effect" can make us separate the superficial from what's most important, can help us get our priorities straight and can add an alluring edge of mystery to how we see the world -- and each other!