.: Scorpion :.

Animal Guide Spagyric

 

 

Species:  3 Species - Lesser Stripetail Scorpion (Chihuahuanus coahuilae), Arizona Bark Scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus), Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus sp.)

Secured: Summer 2021 - 2024 in southern NM

Parts Used: All parts were used

Method of Extraction:  Advanced Alchemical lab processes combining Plant, Animal, and Mineral works to achieve the secretive Animal Alchemy 

Correspondences: Venusian, Lunar 

Highlights: Poison Path Work, Emotional Intelligence, Love, Children, Connection to the Spirit Realm, Playfulness in the Face of Death/Hardships/Loss, Assertiveness, Removal of Poisonous People/Places/Things in Life, Death and Rebirth, Transformation, Thriving is Harsh Conditions/Elements/Environments, Psychic/Telepathic Abilities, Willpower, Intuition, Dreams...

 

Stealthy, nocturnal, venomous, and packing a stinger - the Scorpion is a creature of nightmares since man appeared on this planet. Although understandable, most of the fears behind them are misunderstandings as this usually occurs with lunar animals. Due to their ancient lineage and their conservative body plan where they maintained their pedipalps, segmented tail with stinger, and segmented body, scorpions haven't changed much... luckily for us they did get smaller.

 

Scorpions fossil records have been found dating around 435 million to 450 million years during the Silurian period where it was one of the earliest animals to go from the oceans to being terrestrialized with much of its anatomy being still being the same. Called Eurypterids, these sea scorpions are a group of extinct arthropods related to horseshoe crabs, ticks, scorpions, spiders, and ticks. Already we see that from the dark depths of the waters/subconscious/emotions comes the Scorpion onto the plane of Consciousness/light/self-awareness. 

 

.: Biology :.

.: Scorpion Anatomy :.

Their anatomy hasn't changed much since their ancient ancestors and what has changed is a symbol of adaptability to their reality. As with all animals they are important species in ecosystems both helping maintain other animal/insect populations and being food for others.

Scorpions are nocturnal and do very little moving around being mostly silent and attentively listening/feeling for the opportunity of a meal to walk by. They have an exoskeleton made of chitin which provides protection and prevents water loss. 

Their bodies are divided into two main sections: the cephalothorax (prosoma) and the abdomen (opisthosoma). Cephalothorax: This fused head and thorax region bears the pincers (pedipalps), eyes, chelicerae (mouthparts), and four pairs of walking legs. These four pairs of walking legs aid in locomotion and are equipped with sensory structures like slit sensilla for vibration detection.

Divided into a broader mesosoma (pre-abdomen) and a narrow metasoma (post-abdomen or tail), the abdomen contains vital organs, including the heart, reproductive system, and respiratory organs (book lungs).

Located at the end of the pedipalps, the pincers (chelae) are used for grasping, manipulating prey, defense, and even during mating. Situated at the tip of the tail (telson), the stinger is a venomous weapon used for both defense and subduing prey.  Somewhat of a rule of thumb with scorpions is that when they have larger pincers they tend to have less potent venom chemistry where those with smaller pincers pack a more complex and potent cocktail of venom proteins; larger pincers means they can physically subdue prey/protect themselves and those with smaller pincers rely more of the speed and efficacy of their venom. 

Although scorpions sport two median and several lateral eyes these only serve to detect light and some movement. To assist with existence they are very sensitive and attuned to their surroundings being equipped with sensory hairs (trichobothria) that connect to nerves and they pick up scents through a pair of organs underneath their bodies (pectines) which move across the surface of the ground like antennae. 

 

.: Scorpion Physiology :.

Scorpions breathe using book lungs, a unique respiratory organ where air enters through spiracles and gas exchange occurs through thin lamellae within a chamber.

They have an open circulatory system, where hemolymph (a fluid similar to blood) circulates through sinuses, bathing internal tissues and facilitating gas exchange and nutrient transport.

A central nervous system consisting of a brain (cephalothoracic mass) and a ventral nerve cord controls sensory input, motor function, and coordination.

Digestion begins externally as they chew, with digestive juices breaking down prey before ingestion which is similar to how human saliva begins digestion although our salivary enzymes aren't as strong as a scorpion's. 

 Scorpions have a remarkably low metabolic rate, allowing them to survive long periods without food or water. 

Scorpion venom is a complex mixture of toxins, enzymes, and peptides used for prey immobilization and defense, with varying potency among different species.

 

.: Reproduction and Life Cycle :.

 

 

Scorpions are dioecious, meaning they have separate sexes and reproduce sexually, with fertilization occurring internally.

 Mating Ritual (Promenade à Deux) - In finding a mate male scorpions use pheromones and possibly vibrations to locate females. he male initiates courtship by grasping the female's pincers with his own. They then perform a "promenade à deux," a dance-like ritual where the male leads the female, sometimes for minutes to several hours if the males is struggling to deposit his  spermatophore (sperm packet) on the ground.

When he succeeds this he then maneuvers the female over the spermatophore, allowing her to take it into her genital opening. If he's quick he can make it out alive or he will be cannibalized by the female.

 With her eggs fertilized she begins her gestation period which, depending on the species, can take anywhere from a few months to several years. So, while the entire courtship and mating ritual part itself doesn't take long, the broader reproductive cycle can be very lengthy. 

Birth - Scorpions are viviparous or ovoviviparous, meaning they give birth to live young. They give birth to a brood of offspring, called scorplings or nymphs, ranging in number from a few to over 100.

Lifecycle - Birth and Pro-juvenile Stage: Scorplings emerge live and have a soft exoskeleton. They immediately climb onto their mother's back, where they are carried and protected. 

After their first molt (shedding of their exoskeleton), which occurs within a few weeks, they leave their mother's back and begin an independent juvenile stage. Sometimes a juvenile won't leave and will be eaten by the female.

Scorpions continue to molt several times (5-7 molts) as they grow, each molt marking a new instar or juvenile stage. Once they've achieved their final molt they are now adults able to sexually reproduce and depending on the species they can have a lifespan from several years to a decade or more.

 

 

The underneath cuticle layer of a scorpion's exoskeleton, called the hyaline, is UV reactive where UV light is absorbed and reflected back as a visible light glow. No one knows exactly why this phenomenon occurs with scorpions but some speculate reasons such as detection and avoidance of UV light from the sun to stay cool, as a natural sunscreen, to confuse predators that can see the UV spectrum, recognition of other scorpions, and perhaps this somehow aids in mate selection.  

 

.: The Stinger :.

 

 

The stinger, also called the telson, is a sharp, curved, and pointed appendage located at the very tip of the scorpion's tail (metasoma). It's the primary weapon for injecting venom and used for both offense (subduing prey) and defense (deterring predators).

It's a complex structure consisting of a bulbous base containing the venom glands and a sharp, needle-like tip (aculeus) for penetration and venom delivery.  When they sting, the muscles surrounding the venom glands contract, forcing venom through the ducts in the aculeus and into the victim.

 Scorpions can sting multiple times, but it takes time for them to replenish their venom supply. In some cases they can detach their stinger as a distractive defense mechanism to escape from danger but it does not regenerate which will cause it to live a difficult life and lowers it's ability to find a mate.

 

 

 Scorpion venom is a complex mixture of toxins, including neurotoxins, enzymes, and other bioactive substances, which can affect different targets in the victim's body. The most well-studied components of scorpion venom are neurotoxins, particularly those that target sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium channels in nerve and muscle cells. Their venom can also contain enzymes like hyaluronidase (which helps venom spread), phospholipase (which can damage cell membranes), and proteases (which break down proteins). 

The potency and composition of scorpion venom can vary significantly between species, depending on factors like the scorpion's age, sex, diet, and geographic location. 

The venom effects can vary from localized pain and swelling to more severe effects like muscle spasms, difficulty breathing, and even paralysis or death, depending on the scorpion species and the person's sensitivity. 

 

 

 

.: Spiritual :.

 

 

 

Between life and death, the above and below, inhabiting the liminal of beingness exists the Scorpion. Often being active during nocturnal hours the scorpion activates the psychic personality through connection with our sensory centers via silence, stillness of mind, and trust. 

Tapping into this internal space both requires and evolves our emotional intelligence. Emotions don't rule us as we sometimes erroneously believe but rather when we lack mental discipline we associate with emotions in such a way that we are swayed and pulled by the waves and winds of emotional energies and identify with them. 

Emotions are energies that can act as internal compasses and means of understanding ourselves and our realities. A relationship with these energetics can be created through disciplines established with our mental faculties where we choose to act, react, speak, or listen. This is the realm of intuition which is accessed through discipline. Scorpion chooses when to use their stinger and venom with intention because they have to create new venom after each use and if used without calculated intent they may not have a means to protect or feed themselves when needed. 

When we react with poison we may not recover from the kind of damage we have inflicted and sometimes our best move is to not use our words, which can be poisonous, if we did not mean to and at times what has been spoken cannot be taken back as we must deal with the consequences of our actions. This type of awareness is a deep expression of love for both ourselves and others and a sense of playfulness can be had if we aren't emotionally consumed by our own projections. 

This sort of connection to the spiritual realm of our being allows us to take note of poisonous things in our lives whether it's our own, other people, foods, substances, habits, etc. The difference between poison and medicine is always the dose but some poisons offer no positive use if nothing but a strengthening opportunity - at what point do we realize enough is enough and the lesson's been learned? 

An exploration of the psyche via our sub-conscious can reveal many secrets about ourselves and our current state of experience since much of our reality is generated from this place. When we react without thought, when we use our poisons without intention or regard, and when emotions like anger envelope our minds these are signals from much tender things that seek our attention and like a child throwing fits and tantrums that those are undisciplined and immature aspects looking to be acknowledged... it's not their responsibility to know better, this is OURS. 

Sometimes poison and brute force are called for but many times it's for us to learn the touchy dance moves that male scorpion must use with the female where we can lead, listen, and follow even while we lead. We don't want to push or control but rather want to show that we can be present and aware with the subject at hand so it can trust us (and we can also know when it's like to leave before it's too late!). It's a life-long experience with the beautiful, painstaking, at times dangerous, and powerful dance that even with all of our armaments we can decide.   

In our external lives there are, at times, subjects that appear as to give us an opportunity to change a poison into a medicine, to shift pain into joy... transformation. A wounded person may show up with their stinger ready to attack. How can we be of service? Are we equipped for this challenge? The universe only provides as much as we handle and would never give more than that even when it feels almost unfair. Either we're ready to assist or we are being put into situations that prepare us for the future.

The only aspect of scorpion that is Martian (Mars) is their stinger even though many would disagree at first glance. Scorpion's act to birth live young is evidence of it's ability, through trust, to come ready for action and with the Venusian aspect it relies on a powerful mother to guide and protect even if it's for a short period of time where the young develop quickly in preparation for the big world and they will enter the world in complete solitude. 

As scorpion molts it's exoskeleton we too must shed the old and outmoded to make way for our transformations toward maturity. 

As scorpion is selective and intentional about it's usage of venom and stinger we must traverse beyond our emotional projections and venture into our unknown realms where secrets lay in wait for us to choose love - not love over anything else but rather choose love. 

As scorpion protected it's young for a short period of time after birth we must prepare, quickly, for our descent into the world for we have been giving many necessary tools that can favor our independence and maturity, tools such as intuition, psychic awareness, love, assertion, etc. All of which, as with any tool, must be learned in order to wield properly, responsibly, and appropriately. 

Like scorpion we are designed to withstand and survive harsh environments. Is an environment conducive to our life? Can we thrive? Keep in mind that some of us can thrive in places not fit for others just as scorpion can where other animals/insects cannot. Most of us with scorpion guide glow and shine in what many would consider to be inhospitable climates. And just the same; should we stay here? Has the lesson been learned and results of the growth been applied? Is it time to move on? 

Scorpion has been here for over 350 million years with very little changes to it's body and moved from the oceans (emotions/unconscious) to becoming terrestrial evolving with the tools required to literally live in new realities. 

Working with scorpion will be unique for everyone but will always lead to a closer connection and maturity in places we have been prepared for through trials. Love is found everywhere even in the darkest of places outside and spaces from within. Love that grows from the darkness is medicinal for the world under the sun. 

Sex and sexuality are connected to scorpion but in a fashion that needs to be understood. These energies rarely have much to do with sexual intercourse or the use of these energies to try and satiate selfish needs. Scorpions never attract others for their needs and connection happens with all parties intently involved.

The Sacral center is sacred. Are your motives of a sacred intent or merely egoic lust? This powerful center is capable of creation of high caliber which is why it's often misused - care, responsibility, and intention are required to properly open up this region and female scorpions test their possible partner only after sensing information off the other scorpion. Are we BOTH worthy of each other? Scent and sensations are our guides and our developed relation with intuition will give us a 'yes' or 'no' without question. 

Scorpion venom has been used in traditional medicine for a long time and has been the subject of research in modern medicine and pharmacology for a variety of subjects; cancer, pain, immuno-modulation in auto-immune cases, etc. As such the potential for us to learn about our poisons offers a chance to evolve them to a state where they can be useful, beneficial, and of service. Consider the fact that it's venom is either processed first or used in certain doses in order for their venom to be of positive use. 

 The unconscious has gifts if we can bring our conscious light into those realms and bring them back to our living world. We learn to be students and as students we become teachers.