Sunlit Shadows: Marigold’s Myth and its Symbolism to the sign of Scorpio
The Flower of the Underworld
The Marigold, with its bright color and earthy aroma, draws the soul’s attention in the same way the sun in Scoprio signifies the alchemical process of death and rebirth. The sun in Scorpio, bringing light into very dark places and Marigolds, “cempasuchitl”, the universal flower of Dia de los Muertos, share a symbolic and archetypal meaning connecting the upper world with the underworld.
In many parts of the world, this sacred celebration, “Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos” occurs during Scorpio season on November 2nd, where marigolds and other offerings are placed at the altar as an “Ofrenda” for loved ones who have departed, including our pets. Those who celebrate the Day of the Dead holiday, which began centuries ago with the Aztecs, believe that departed loved ones return to the land of the living for two days, and the scent of the marigold attracts the souls to the altar showing them the way to our home. Beyond the Marigold’s color and scent, it is also linked with the sun in scorpio, as a symbol to honor the dead and the promise of light through the dark.
The Marigold flower “flower of the dead” was tied to a Romantic Aztec myth surrounding two lovers, Xóchitl and Huitzilin where one tragically died.
Xóchitl and Huitzilin grew up together as children and knew each other all their lives. They were inseparable and everyday they climbed to the mountaintops to present flowers to Tonatiuh, the Aztec sun god, as an offering. The god seemed to appreciate their offering and would smile from the sky with his warm rays. On a particularly beautiful day at the top of the mountain, they swore that their love would last forever. One day, Huitzilin and other warriors in town had to leave to defend their lands against some rebels and Xóchitl couldn’t say goodbye to her best friend. Like all warriors, the time came when Huitzilin went to fight in the war and died. Xóchitl was overcome with grief and prayed to be reunited with him. She decided to walk one last time to the top of the mountain and implore the sun god Tonatiuh, to somehow join her with her love Huitzilin. The sun moved by her prayers and threw a ray that gently touched the young girl’s cheek. Instantly she turned into a beautiful marigold flower of fiery colors as intense as the sun’s rays, while Huitzilin’s spirit returned to her as a hummingbird. The fragrant scent of the Marigold became a signal for Huitzilin’s spirit, guiding him back to Xóchitl each year. The lovers would be always together as long as cempasuchil flowers and hummingbirds existed on earth. (1)
In Aztec culture, Marigolds were used in rituals, symbolizing the cycle of life and death, much like the Scorpio’s journey of destruction and rebirth. The flower’s bold color and fragrance are reminiscent of Scorpio's intensity, as well as its transformative power to bring forward hidden truths to light, much like Xóchitl’s transformation, bridging the realms of the living and the dead.
It was said the fragrant scent of the marigold guided the spirit of the dead lover back from the underworld and the vibrant color was said to represent the sun, which in Aztec mythology guides the spirits on their way to the underworld. A concept that aligns well with the sign of Scorpio, representing the bridge between worlds, from the known to the unknown, life to death.
The Aztec myth of Xóchitl and Huitzilin, reminded me of the Lover and the Warrior Archetype from James Hillman’s book, A Terrible Love of War. Hillman suggests the nature of war is not simply about conflict, but also about connection and often times distorted. He explains that it can be described close to a romantic obsession with death and transformation, but it can also be deeply psychological and mythological. The Aztec myth of Xóchitl and Huitzilin embodies this duality, where love is bound to loss at war and a yearning to reconnect across realms.
Huitzilin’s death in battle and Xóchitl’s transformation into the underworld can be seen as an archetypal journey that blends the Lover with the Warrior archetype, where love finds a way through death itself, just like Romeo and Juliet. The Marigold, a symbol of love and memory, represents a connection that transcends life and death, much like Hillman’s archetype of the warrior who battles through destruction to reveal the soul’s terrible beauty.
Marigolds not only honor, but also celebrate the cyclical process of life and death, a Scorpio signature. It’s a flower that captures the essence of Mars' rulership in Scorpio: strength in vulnerability, reverence for cycles, and the power of memory in spiritual transformation. The Marigold flower and the sign of Scorpio together invite us to respect life and death, to honor our past while allowing transformation, and to embrace the beauty in every stage of existence.
Video of my ofrenda below via Tik Tok:
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTFgVuW3s/
(1) Paraphrase; Xóchitl and Huitzilin Myth, the Legend of Day of the Dead Cempasuchil Flower, https://www.inside-mexico.com/the-legend-of-the-cempasuchil-flower/