💡 Careful — this is a nerdy text for those deeply into astrology (or Scorpio). It explores the subtleties of Scorpio’s symbolism and the imperfections of the astrological system. If you’re not that far down the rabbit hole, better read my article on finding an ideal career.
Introduction
Astrology is an international symbolic system built on hieroglyphic-like symbols. All astrological symbols are universal and generally understandable to astrologers regardless of nationality or personal identity. But there’s an important nuance: the description of an astrological archetype depends on several things — on the astrologer’s understanding of the zodiacal archetype and life itself, on their literary skill, and on the cultural and linguistic features of the language they use.
Let’s take the sign of Scorpio as an example. It’s often described as having several stages of development. But in the English-speaking world, there are three, while in the Russian-speaking tradition, there are four levels. And the differences are quite significant. Let’s look closer.
Scorpio in English
Western tradition describes three phases of Scorpio: the Scorpion, the Eagle, and the Phoenix.
Scorpion. The Scorpion phase represents a less evolved state of Scorpio, where emotions and instincts dominate. People in this phase may show manipulative or controlling behavior, reacting impulsively to external events. It’s the starting point of Scorpio’s evolutionary path, where raw emotions and basic instincts prevail.
Eagle. Moving beyond the Scorpion, the Eagle phase marks a more mature and conscious state. Here, individuals display courage, power, and self-awareness. They become focused, intuitive, and perceptive, often developing healing or counseling abilities. The Eagle is a Scorpio who has learned to control emotional impulses and to use their innate power wisely and insightfully.
Phoenix. The Phoenix phase symbolizes Scorpio’s capacity for transformation — rebirth, transcendence, and higher wisdom. Scorpios at this level undergo inner renewal, rising from the ashes of past trials toward a higher purpose. The Phoenix embodies their ability to transcend ego and material struggles, emerging purified and serving something greater than themselves.
Scorpio in the Russian tradition
In the Russian-speaking tradition, Scorpio is also divided into levels — but here there are four: the Tarantula, the Grey Lizard, the Eagle, and the Dove.
Tarantula. The Tarantula is roughly equivalent to the Scorpion — cruel, aggressive, deriving satisfaction from inflicting pain. Yet, as Avessalom Podvodny notes, in this phase the Tarantula plays the role of a black teacher: it attacks its victims not randomly but for their “wrong” behavior. A pure person is unreachable and uninteresting to it. This reflects the watery, reactive nature of the element.
Grey Lizard. Between the Tarantula and the Eagle lies an intermediate stage — the Grey Lizard. Quoting Avessalom: “The Grey Lizard already senses that transforming the world should begin with oneself and shows fewer openly sadistic tendencies (and when they appear, it feels unpleasant — the first spark of remorse). But it lacks both the skill and, more importantly, the will to work on itself, and feels it’s too soon to act upon the outer world — resulting in passivity.” The Grey Lizard is searching for itself.
Eagle. The Eagle stage coincides with the English tradition: strong, confident, not harming the weak. At this level, the Water element manifests as the Eagle’s choice to guard a fragment of reality — a family, a team, a homeland. Gentle with loved ones, merciless to enemies — that’s the Eagle’s code.
Dove. Instead of the Phoenix, the Russian tradition places the Dove at the highest level. Its symbolism is similar but carries a very different essence. The Dove represents divine spirituality and the Holy Spirit. It follows the principle of nonviolence toward all living beings. It is protected not by its own strength but by its guiding egregore. It doesn’t act directly; rather, its very presence purifies and elevates the spiritual atmosphere around it — which can feel intense or even unsettling. Encountering it brings inner transformation.
Commentary
Scorpio is a zodiacal archetype of vast scope, containing an immense range of meanings. Any description of it can only ever be partial, since the archetype manifests in countless ways. Every portrayal of zodiacal symbols is just an attempt to convey core qualities and set a direction for thought. Thus, one can divide Scorpio’s levels into two, three, four, or twenty — depending on how comprehensively and practically the system works.
But there’s a subtle point: we can’t recognize what hasn’t been described. If a culture of astrology lacks a stage describing the transition between the Tarantula and the Eagle, an astrologer might overlook crucial information about someone at the Grey Lizard level — missing their internal processes and misinterpreting their path. That’s why highlighting this stage seems essential.
As for Scorpio’s highest level — the Phoenix is a powerful and fitting image, but it misses something: the most delicate, spiritual dimension of Scorpio. The Dove’s seeming defenselessness (so unlike the Phoenix’s fiery rebirth) actually conceals divine authority. And in that paradox lies the beauty and higher meaning of this symbol: the Dove’s strength is in its purity and the peace it embodies. This is the highest stage of Scorpio’s evolution — and perhaps of any sign at all.
It’s a bug, not a feature
Classical astrology treats Scorpio’s multiple stages as a mark of its uniqueness. From a Multimodal perspective, that’s simply a flaw in the system. Every zodiac sign — like planets, houses, and aspects — can be viewed developmentally, through different levels of realization.
In the classical astrology of the Pisces era, such differentiation wasn’t needed: the approach was less systematic and more imaginative. Each sign was considered individually, through creative logic. For example, Pisces and Gemini, having two creatures in their symbols, are seen as dual signs — and this fact colors their interpretation.
The astrology of the Aquarius era demands a more structured approach. Zodiac signs are now described not in isolation but through shared structural principles. Beyond the simple polarity of “harmonious–afflicted,” we now consider multiple levels of development or integration for signs and aspects. Hence, in Multimodal astrology, we describe four levels of development for every element of the natal chart: signs, planets, aspects, and houses.
