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The Eagle and Scorpio
(some of the following is based on information gleened from the description given by the Native American "Medicine Cards Deck")(Native American Eagle Dancer Kachina from Dr Z's private collection of kachinas)
For many Native American Indians, the majestic eagle reflects the power of their all powerful Great Spirit and that of humanity's connection to the Divine. She reflects the unique ability to live within the realm of the spirit, and yet remain connected and balanced within realm of the earth.
It's of interest that this particular Native American Indian concept of balancing spirit with matter is an archetypal (universal) theme that has continually reverberated throughout the vast halls of human history.
By way of a small example of this... the 3rd century AD Christian theologian, Origen, spoke of this quality of balance between spirit and matter. Origen felt that this was the highest good and example as shown through Christ: the ability to simultaneously place one foot firmly in the heavens and the other foot solidly on the earth...
Experiencing The Fullness Of Life
Among virtually all of the many Native American Indian tribes, the feathers of the majestic eagle are considered to be among the most sacred of all healing tools. It's said that the eagle represents a state of grace achieved through hard work, understanding, and a completion of the tests of initiation.Applying this to Scorpio, it's only through the trial of experiencing the extreme lows in life, as well as the extreme highs, and through the trial of trusting one's connection to the Great Spirit, that the right to use the essence of Eagle medicine is earned.
Take Courage
The eagle is able to soar high above the earth and, thereby, sees the broader tapestry of life.As a living and powerful archetypal symbol, the eagle is a vivid reminder for Scorpio to take heart and gather courage in their fierce battle of personal fears. The image of the eagle teaches Scorpio to broaden their personal sense of self, and the eagle encourages Scorpio to go beyond the limited horizon of what is visible from the ground.
Short History Lesson
Regarding Scorpio's historical association with the majestic eagle, it's hard to say just how far back in time this particular association goes... everyone just glibly claims that it goes back to antiquity and then quickly moves on...For example, Rabbi Joel C Dobin, DD in his fascinating book, Kabblistic Astrology, simply tells us that in ancient times, Scorpios were (personality-wise) depicted as being either eagles or serpents.
However... the association of Scorpio with the eagle likely has its roots going back to the late 2nd century AD when St. Irenaeus (circa 120-202 AD) first associated the four living creatures found in Ezekiel and the Book of Revelation — a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle — to the four Gospel writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
"As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings... As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle." (Ezekiel 1:4-10)
"Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, 'Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.'" (Revelation 4:6-8)
As pointed out at Sacred Destinations (great catch on their part): Other early Christian theologians making this early association included St Jerome (circa 347-420 AD) and St Augustine of Hippo (circa 354-430 AD). However, all three writers applied the symbols to different evangelists, based on their various interpretations.
St Jerome's version, however, was the one to finally stick: Matthew (man), Mark (lion), Luke (ox), and John (eagle).
Very early Christian art (9th century AD depicted here) shows this continuing association of St John and his unique Gospel with the eagle, symbolizing the spiritual heights to which St John rises in his Gospel. St Matthew (man - top left), St Mark (lion - top right), St Luke (ox - bottom left), and St John (eagle - bottom right).
A man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle... do you perhaps perceive a potential pattern appearing at this point?
Best Guess
This is just my best guess... but it's most likely that at some later time astrologers (many of which throughout the past 2,000 years have themselves been Christian) naturally appropriated this rich symbolism for themselves.Notice here in this traditional Renaissance Tarot of Marseilles Trump card of "The World" that the four astrological elements are depicted. They are represented by the four fixed Zodiac signs: Leo - fire (bottom right), Scorpio - water (top right), Aquarius - air (top left), and Taurus - earth (bottom right).
What Are the Odds
Need I say - that not all (or maybe many) Sun Sign Scorpios are able to full, faithfully, and consistently access this noble and healing energy of the archetypal eagle?In fact... I suppose I have to grudgingly admit that if you've ever been on the receiving end of a typically Eagle type Scorpio during a brief and/or momentary "lapse"... then it's probably easy to feel that the archetypal concept of a healing Eagle Scorpio is nothing more than wishful thinking... it's not...
The Eagle"He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ringed with the azure world, he stands."The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls."Tennyson (Mars, Uranus, Vertex conjunction in Scorpio in the 5th house)