Transforming Bitter to Sweet

Welcome to the month of Scorpio.

Everything in this universe exists in polarity: Wherever there is potential for darkness and negativity, there is equal potential for Light and positivity. When the kabbalists call this month “Mar Cheshvan,” meaning “bitter Scorpio,” what they are really saying is that during this month, we have the greatest potential to transform bitter to sweet.

"Everything in this universe exists in polarity."

Traditionally, we think of the symbol of Scorpio as the scorpion, but there is actually another creature associated with this sign: the eagle. While the scorpion can be vengeful, jealous, fearful, and self-sabotaging, the eagle is the symbol of truth, freedom, and strength. The eagle can fly high in the sky, yet has the vision to see every detail of what is happening on the ground.

As I’ve said, this is truly a month of duality. People born under the sign of Scorpio can be extremely jealous, resentful, and full of fear—like the scorpion. But once transformed, they can be some of the most creative, magnetic, and deeply insightful people on this earth.

For those of you with a Scorpio in your life, let me give you one piece of advice: If you have something to say to him or her, say it straight. Don’t sugarcoat it; don’t beat around the bush. Scorpios detest pretense; they have deep desire for truth, for the bottom line. They don’t have time or patience for anything in between.

For all of us, this “to the point” energy can bring us forward. Scorpio is a good month for business and an equally good month to see whether our relationships are real and lasting or whether it might be better for us to say goodbye and move on. It is also a good month to reconnect with the bottom line—the ultimate purpose of our spiritual work, which is as, the great sage Hillel said:

“That which is odious to you, do not do unto others.”

“That which is odious to you, do not do unto others.”

Quite simply, if we want someone to greet us with a cheery “good morning, how are you today?”, then this is how we should greet others. Whatever we want in our life from others is what we need to extend to them. We can’t just expect people to treat us in a certain way because we think we are x,y, or z. Inevitably what we put out there is what we will receive in return, even if it is not right away.

We may not get to the place of loving everyone, because none of us are the same. We come from different cultures, different backgrounds, and different belief systems. We vibrate on different frequencies. Nevertheless, our essence is energy, and that energy exists in everyone and everything. Each one of us has a spark of the Creator within. We need to respect the other person in our picture—be it a friend, acquaintance, employer, employee, or even a stranger—because of that spark.

This month, let’s stop thinking about how we don’t want people to behave towards us, and instead start thinking about how we do want them to behave, and then extend that behavior to others. By being the kindness we wish to see in the world, we can transform bitter to sweet and make it a good month.