the ARTstrology of Scorpio Season with Britten LaRue

In this episode I had the joy of talking with my dear friend, astrologer + art historian Britten LaRue about the astrology of the season and what creative invitations this special time brings.  Britten hosts an amazing astrology podcast called Moon to Moon, where she generously offers her soulful insights into astrology and everyday life. She also has been working on a series of astrological workbooks called Living the Signs.  

In our conversation, Britten offers powerful insight into the season, specifically about the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn at the Winter Solstice, which is essentially bringing us a birth portal. So now is an opportune time to prepare by releasing, dreaming, shedding, and listening to what’s trying to come through us.  

Living the Signs Scorpio workbook by Britten LaRue

As a listening educator, I find this time of the year is perfect for deepening our listening skills.  Frost and snow often blanket the earth and the people tend to spend more time indoors.  This quiets the soundscape, offering us a chance to sit with silence and listen deeper.  It also offers us the opportunity to listen to our interior. To notice how we listen and what filters we place on our world.  For those interested in starting a listening practice, I recommend starting with a 3 minute timer and journal and just noticing what arises.  Listening as non-judgmentally as possible.  

In addition to listening, Britten also shared how astrology is a tool of attunement so we understand the energetic invitation at hand and how to work with the signs, not just as a way to self-identity but as a way to explore and expand into other ways of being.  Personally I found this so healing, as much of what I had unknowingly internalized about astrology was really limiting, and Britten’s ideas of attunement through the signs had me feeling free and inspired to explore the invitations of Scorpio.  

A deep part of ARTstrology was to explore rituals and creative practices that would help us connect to the energies of the season.  Along this vein, Britten shared how she meditates on her own death and the concept of Momento mori, which means “remember death” and “remember that you will die.’ She offer that daily practices on death contemplation can be really helpful right now, and help you reconnect to life and gain vital life energy. 

#13 in the Major Arcana, Death. Pagan Otherworlds Deck.

For myself, I’ve spent the last several years using death as a compass to navigate challenging life situations and make plans for the my creative work.  Whenever I’m in doubt about what should I do or where should I place my energy, I ask myself: how would I feel about this at the end of my life? This single practice has been integral in helping me stay aligned with my personal truth and sacred values. 


One particular piece of this episode that especially opened my world, was this idea of how death is tied to creation and creativity.  I have worked with this concept before in many ways, but Britten shared that the life-death-life cycle is the story of Taurus-Scorpio-Taurus.  That in fact we can’t truly have Scorpio without Taurus. That really lit me up, as I think it’s been easy for me in the past to get very singular about death.  To not hold death and life simultaneously and allow them to inform one another. 

Britten also shares that at the core, Scorpio is very much about our bravery, being willing to sit with deep sight and profound truths that might be uncomfortable. She mentions that creativity that channels this is especially helpful.  For me, this echoes art forms that are interwoven with social justice, decolonizing, and dismantling work.  I think of Kehinde Wiley, Buffy St. Marie, Nick Cave, and nayyirah waheed. 

Some of the other artists that came to mind were painters Francisco Goya and Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as composer Igor Stravinsky and his piece The Rite of Spring, which has a very Taurus-Scorpio vibe.  Think death, destruction, and primal pagan dancing on the earth energy to till the soil for new life.  It’s amazing and one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever played. 

Plate 15 from "The Disasters of War' (Los Desastres de la Guerra): 'And there is no help.' (Y no hai remedio.) 1810, artist Francisco de Goya y Lucientes

I sincerely hope you enjoy this episode, as it was a joy to talk with Britten and share creative ideas about art and astrology.  Let us know if you create anything by tagging us with #artstrologyscorpio

To listen to the full episode and connect more with Britten’s work, visit the links below.