TRADITIONAL SCORPIO TRAITS:

*Determined and forceful
*Emotional and intuitive
*Powerful and passionate
*Exciting and magnetic

On the dark side....

*Jealous and resentful
*Compulsive and obsessive
*Secretive and obstinate

Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. They are like the volcano not far under the surface of a calm sea, it may burst into eruption at any moment. But those of us who are particularly perceptive will be aware of the harnessed aggression, the immense forcefulness, magnetic intensity, and often strangely hypnotic personality under the tranquil, but watchful composure of Scorpio. In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them.

In their everyday behavior they give the appearance of being withdrawn from the center of activity, yet those who know them will recognize the watchfulness that is part of their character. They need great self-discipline, because they are able to recognize the qualities in themselves that make them different from other humans, and to know their utterly conventional natures can be used for great good, or great evil. Their tenacity and willpower are immense, their depth of character and passionate conviction overwhelming, yet they are deeply sensitive and easily moved by their emotions. Their sensitivity, together with a propensity for extreme likes and dislikes make them easily hurt, quick to detect insult or injury to themselves (often when none is intended) and easily aroused to ferocious anger. This may express itself in such destructive speech or action that they make lifelong enemies by their outspokenness, for they find it difficult not to be overly critical of anything or anyone to whom they take a dislike.

They can harness their abundant energy constructively, tempering their self-confidence with shrewdness and their ambition with magnanimity toward others provided they like them. They relate to fellow workers only as leaders and can be blunt to those they dislike to the point of cruelty. In fact they are not above expressing vindictiveness in deliberate cruelty. They are too demanding, too unforgiving of faults in others, perhaps because they are not aware of the shortcomings within themselves, and extravagantly express their self-disgust in unreasonable resentment against their fellows. They do, however, make excellent friends, provided that their companions do nothing to impugn the honor of which Scorpios are very jealous. Part of the negative side of the Scorpio nature is a tendency to discard friends once they cease to be useful, but the decent native is aware of, and fights this tendency.

They are fortunate in that their strong reasoning powers are tempered with imagination and intuition, and these gifts, together with critical perception and analytical capacity, can enable the Scorpions to penetrate to profundities beyond the average. They have a better chance of becoming geniuses than the natives of any other sign.But charismatic "twice-born" characters such as they can sink into the extremes of depravity if they take the wrong path, and the intensity of their nature exaggerates their harmful tendencies into vices far greater than the normal.
Rebelliousness against all conventions, political extremism to the point where hatred of the Establishment makes them utterly unscrupulous terrorists. Brooding resentment, aggressive and sadistic brutality, total arrogance, morbid jealousy, extreme volatility of temperament, these are some of their vices. At the other extreme is the procrastinator, the man or woman who is capable of so much that they do nothing and become indolent and self-indulgent, requiring extravagant praise and flattery from those whom they make their cronies.

Being so gifted, they can find fulfillment in many employments. Their inner intensity can result in the ice-cold self-control and detachment of the surgeon, the concentration of the research scientist, and the heroism of the soldier. Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research, dealing with practicalities, and the solving of mysteries are relevant, can appeal to them. So police and detective work, espionage and counterespionage, the law, physics or psychology may attract them, and they can become masters of the written and spoken word. They may be most persuasive orators and find fulfillment as diplomats or preachers and, if they make the Church their profession, their inner intensity can express itself in the spiritual fervor of the mystic or the thaumaturgy.

Scorpio is the symbol of sex and Scorpios are passionate lovers, the most sensually energetic of all the signs. For them, union with the beloved is a sacrament, an "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.". Their overriding urge in loving is to use their power to penetrate beyond themselves and to lose themselves sexually in their partners in an almost mystical ecstasy, thus discovering the meaning of that union which is greater than individuality, and is a marriage of the spirit as well as of flesh. They are thus capable of the greatest heights of passionate transport, but debauchery and perversion are always dangers, and Scorpios can become sadistic monsters of sensuality and eroticism. Their feelings are so intense that even when their love is of the highest, and most idealistic kind, they are nevertheless frequently protagonists in tragic, even violent romances, "star-crossed lovers".

POSSIBLE HEALTH CONCERNS...
Scorpio governs the pelvis and reproductive and urinary systems and its subjects are said to be prone to ailments of the liver and kidneys, stones and gravel in the bladder or genitals, and other genital ills such as priapism. Abscesses, boils, carbuncles, fistulas, piles, ruptures and ulcers may also affect the Scorpions.

LIKES:
-Truth
-Hidden Causes
-Being involved
-Work That is Meaningful
-Being Persuasive

DISLIKES:
-Being Given Only Surface data
-Taken Advantage of
-Demeaning Jobs
-Shallow Relationships
-Flattery and Flattering

PROBLEMS THAT MAY ARISE FOR YOU & THEIR SOLUTIONS
As with all sun signs, we all have unique traits to our personalities. When these traits are suppressed, or unrealized, problems will arise. However, with astrology we can examine the problem and assess the proper solution based on the sun sign characteristics. As a Scorpio you may see things below that really strike home. Try the solution, you most likely will be amazed at the results. If you find yourself on the receiving end of the negatives below, it is because you are failing to express the positive.

Problem: Suffering from an inferior complex where you feel self disgust and are disdainful of help from others.
Solution: You should try to admit that others, as well as yourself, have weakness and then practice forgiving those weaknesses until you notice them becoming less and less. Unbend and accept that you can be helped in your problems.


Problem: After you get everyone to agree with you and you get your own way, you are still not satisfied with the results.
Solution: Looking deeply within will show you that: having reached the point where you have nothing more to want for in a given situation you then realize just what you were really after. Look within first.

Problem: Disruptive marital relations or a breakup with a loved one.
Solution: You should try not to be scornful of what you perceive as a shortcoming in your partners personality and soften up your rigid, unbending attitude.

Problem: The peers in your group begin to avoid you, or drift away when you walk up.
Solution: If you feel persecuted and put upon you will express it in conversation, this causes people to be 'turned off' of you so try to change your attitude or, guard what you say.

Current Mood: sleepy

#1 ALL MEN WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A WOMAN LAUGH - All men are kids at heart who like to play. If you can't laugh with him, you shouldn't be with him. There is always time for serious talk, but the ability to laugh with someone is often a good predictor of long-term success.

#2 MEN WANT A WOMAN WHO IS RESPONSIVE TO GIVING - When a women is receptive to a man's attempts to please her, he is more likely to take a risk on her. Receiving is how a woman seduces a man. Done consistently, is can also "train" a man. Men by their nature want to please womemn and need to hear and feel her pleasure. It is a woman's repsonse men crave more than anything. A woman who is hard to please inadvertently trains a man to quit taking risks with her. Give a man lots of genuine praise and adoration and he will keep coming back for more. Men like showing off. When you appreciate his gesture, even is he did the wrong thing, you will be gorgeous in his eyes. The way to encourage a man is to always appreciate the gesture.

#3 BEING TOO HELPFUL TO A MAN MAKES YOU HIS MOTHER - Men hate hate hate it when women try to be "helpful." It makes them feel like their mother is talking down to them. Men like to accomplish things for themselves. Being helpful is a wonderful trait but when a man doesn't ask for help, then watch out. Men often label this as controlling or nagging. If your man gets upset with you when you're trying to be helpful, simply ask him, "Does it feel like I'm talking down to you?"

#4 DRESS LIKE A GIRL - Men are visual in a way that is hard for many women to comprehend. Make a man's natural instincts work for you. Wear a dress whenever possible as it makes a woman sit, walk and even act softer. The second area is a woman's hair. In short, men like long hair. If you do have long hair wear it in a ponytail. It makes men think of sex because it exposes the back of the neck - very sexy. The third area of influence is heels. Anything that lifts your heel off the ground. Women walk different in heels and men like to watch them walking this way.

#5 YOU HAVE AN "ON" BUTTON - For the wife who wants to know how to inspire her husband to consistently search for ways to please her. She should say these exact words: "Honey, I want to tell you something that makes me a little nervous. I'm going to trust you with a secret that I am hoping you won't use against me. I have an ON button, and when you press it, I will do whatever you say, and it works every time." At this point, most men ask, "Well tell me...what is it?" To which she should reply, " I'm sorry, but I can't. It's too scary. I'm afraid you would push it in the supermarket and I'd end up having sex with you right then and there, or you might push it when we were in church and I would feel powerless to resist you. I can tell you that it exists, but I can't tell you exactly where or what it is."

The truth is that you ON button changes. Sometimes it is pushed when he says kind words, other times it may be a gesture, like bringing flowers. You'll know he has pushed yout ON button when you feel warm and loving toward him. When he does push this magical button on your soul, you should say "That's it honey" rather than simply "thank you." Once he sees that you really do have an ON button he'll try different things to find out exactly how your button works. Nothing is more exhilarating for a man than being able to make a woman feel pleasure. Even if he never finds you button, the process is alot of fun.

Current Mood: good

1. SEEING YOUR PARTNER THROUGH THE LENDS OF LOVE RATHER THAN FEAR automatically elevates the relationship to a higher plane. When you can get quiet and note when you are projecting fear, you can make the adjustment to see through a different filter. So often we feel indignant or incensed, but upon closer inspection we will find that we are really afraid. Once we assume our partner's core goodness rather than focusing on their "guilt," they will be more free to show us their best, which accelerates the process of shifting our perspective from one of blame and anxiety to one of acceptance and peace.

2. BEING WILLING TO FORGIVE YOURSELF AND YOUR PARTNER, AND TO MAKE AMMENDS WHEN NECESSARY is an ongoing process of cleanup. We all make mistakes; it's human. But when we hold fast to a grudge it eats away at our sense of peace and serenity. If you aren't willing to forgive, you might ask yourself what habit of ego you're attached to. Do you want to continue life with unresolved issues hanging over you?

When we take a stand and refuse to let go of something, we can always find evidence to justify it. Or we can try to make peace. Instead of blaming or making excuses, we can clean things up and move forward. This is not an excuse for staying in a dysfunctional situation, but an opportunity to see innocence. Once we do that, we gain—or give—freedom to move out of a "stuck" place.

3. RELAXING WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH: ASSUMING THAT "THIS TOO SHALL PASS" allows you to roll with the punches. If you know things will inevitably arise to challenge you, you can be more detached when they do. Problems become worse when we dig in our heels and try to force a solution. By relaxing into whatever struggle arises, we remain flexible and open to inspiration and insight.

Even if you have a hard time letting go, you can at least observe yourself taking things very seriously, which in itself helps to detach you from the experience of anxiety. Whatever is happening now won't be happening a year from now, so just keep breathing through the situation and see if you can take things a little less seriously.

4. SEEING IN THE DYNAMIC OF THE RELATIONSHIP THE REFLECTION OF WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN helps bring you back to what is important. Sometimes we get lost in the chatter of day-to-day patterns and lose sight of the soul's mandate to bring us closer to realizing our Oneness. The best way to see where we need to work on things is to observe who we are and what we do within the context of a relationship. Any time you recognize your impulse to create distance rather than intimacy, you can make the adjustment and get back on track.

This relationship, as with all relationships, is part of a curriculum to evolve into our highest potential. We come to know ourselves by how we interact with our partner, and by so doing we come to know Spirit.

5. WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE A PROBLEM, PRAY AND MEDITATE, SURRENDERING THE DECISIONS TO SPIRIT

Praying and meditating aligns your limited energy with that which is all-powerful. Of course we don’t have all the answers, but by consigning our limitations to our Higher Power, our burden is lifted. We need to be accountable for our words and actions and be willing to work through where we are stuck. We need to stay present and forgive. Beyond that, our creative power is fueled by Spirit. By praying, we ask for help and guidance; by meditating we clear our minds so that the answer will become apparent. By moving aside, we create an opening for God to work miracles in ways we could never imagine.

6. HONORING YOUR PARTNER'S PATH AND ALLOW THEM THE SPACE TO FIND THEIR OWN WAY sends a clear message of respect. People need to work things out in their own manner and in their own time. If you try to help where help is not requested, you are signaling your lack of belief in your partner. If you back off and assume someone is strong and intelligent, strength and intelligence are what they will likely find.

Although we are all on this path of realization and expansion together, each of us is unique in our lessons to be learned; the way you do something might be totally different than how someone else needs to process a situation. Rest assured that Spirit is at work in all of our lives, and give yourself a rest from overseeing your partner's personal business.

7. KEEPING UP YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH WORK means you will keep your mind sharp and your awareness keen. Read, study, and attend lectures; don't rest on the laurels of what you think you already know. The moment we think we have it all figured out is the moment things will come crashing down around us. Arrogance leaves no room for intimacy or growth, and is certainly not part of a spiritual curriculum. When you immerse yourself in learning, you will always have new skills and interests to apply to a relationship, and thus the relationship will always feel fresh and relevant.

8. FOLLOWING THE PATH OF YOUR OWN CREATIVITY keeps you attuned to that which moves and inspires you. As you indulge your creative side, you become less dependent on your partner to feel whole. Creative energy is the force that breaks new ground. To sustain love, we need to continually fuel whatever inspires us on the deepest level. Also, creativity balances out the egoic and intellectual side of life; it teaches us to play and have fun. When we engage our passions, we radiate passionate energy and thus maintain the interest of our partner as well as having your own sense of fulfillment.

9. STAYING PRESENT keeps us in the moment which is where life is. Life does not exist in future predictions or past grievances; all we have for sure is right here and right now. Every moment teaches us something, and if we are busily trying to change or control something we miss the grace intended for us.

By allowing the sacred mystery to unfold without trying to tamper with it, we can move through anything with much more ease and simplicity. As we cease resisting, any so-called negative situation or emotion will have the space to work out. And by the same token, when we are completely alert and aware in any given moment, we are open to the subtle miracles happening all around us. By staying present, we will see our partner for who they are; we will hear clearly their communication and respond to it astutely.

10. BEING GRATEFUL for what you have zeros in on what is working, which in turn magnetizes more of the same. Where you put your focus is where you direct your creative intention; so if you want abundance, be grateful for the vitality you have now. If you want a soulful relationship, be grateful for the soulful moments. Gratitude is like a seed you plant; it grows more as it is watered and nourished. Show your partner what you appreciate in them and let them know that they have a positive effect in your life. The acknowledgement of good will call forth more of the same.

Current Mood: contemplative

"The future has not happened yet. The past is over. Your eternity is right this moment."

A short quote that speaks volumes. Too often we dwell on the past and it hinders our ability to go forward in life. We can't change the past, but we can make the choice now to not look over our shoulder so that it becomes our future. So leave all the emotional baggage in the past. The future is not here. All we have is right now...this very moment!

Current Mood: contemplative

Who: Dominique, Teresa, Kape, Kiki, & Carrie
What: HK - Tokyo
Where: Tokyo, Japan
When: 24-26 December 2006

Flew into Tokyo on flight CX504 where Norris (the driver) met us and drove like a maniac to the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku. The hotel had a modern and warm ambiance whilst the room itself was japanese chic. The Aesop amenities and high tech gadgets were definately favorites. In Japan where gadgets are de rigueur, who would want to live without a shower with high pressure multi wall jets and a high tech toilet with heated toilet seat, bidet, washer and dryer??? Not me! It's going to be hard to go back to plain old vanilla showers and toilets.

Needless to say, one and a half days is just not enough time in Tokyo but what I did see left me wanting to come back for more. The vibe is Times Square in New York on a smaller scale where you won't even notice it's night time with all those lights from stores and surrounds. All the major fashion houses have flagship stores here but be prepared to drop a wad of cash as things are generally more expensive in Japan.

For all you gastronomes out there, there is no shortage of good food here. If you want to rock your skinny jeans then skip this paragraph but if a muffin top appearing doesn't concern you then read on. If you're up for a little fun and good food then Roppongi Robataya (www.roppongi-robataya.com) is for you. The chefs here will cook whatever you see in front of you (fresh seafood, vegetables, ginko nuts, meat) and it will be tasty. Wash it down with cold sake in a box and you'll be undoing the top botton of your pants in no time. This cosy joint even entertains the odd celeb or two. They closed the doors for Brad and Angelina a few months ago and there is a signed box from Sascha Cohen (aka Ali G & Borat).

I'll definately be back in Tokyo sooner rather than later. Next stop, Sapporo...

Current Mood: blah

"Many women are emotionally autonomous. It's time for guys to catch up"

The attribute that is most threatening to relationships today is many women's ability to be emotionally and psychologically autonomous. In many cases, women can actually do it themselves, which leaves alot of men asking where that leaves them?

Many men deal with an inability to cut an emotional umbilical cord. He feels under-nutured by women, thinking he isn't okay unless someone other than himself is stoking the fire of his emotional welfare.

Should women pretend to be needier? No. If they can provide for for themselves what they need and want, it is a man with whom thay are equal , who will make their lives complete

Current Mood: groggy

This is great for wasting some time. Click on the link and find out.

http://www.crushcalculator.com/cc.cgi?id=1087283680kjf

Is it possible for a man and a woman to co-habitate together... just as friends? Or is it as the term legally suggests, "the living of a man and woman in a supposed sexual relationship." Are we naive to think that men and women can live under the same roof, sharing duties that come with setting up home with another and not develop that special bond? That bond that comes with knowing each other's little idiosyncracies and daily trial and tribulations? On that note, Goodnight.

Current Mood: groggy