Let’s be completely honest – a lot of astrology jewelry out there is a little (okay a lot) on the cheesy side. So when Numinous contributor Louise Androlia (a.k.a. Louniverse, author of our spookily-accurate monthly Tarotscopes) revealed that she was working on a zodiac collection with British jeweller Jessica De Lotz, let’s just say it felt like something in the cosmos finally aligned.
With a vintage feel, the gold and silver pieces are each set with a precious stone and feature signature illustrations by Louise. Titled As Above, So Below, the collection includes necklaces, rings, earrings, bangles and brooches, as well as collar pins and cufflinks. Which means there’s something for everyone – of every sign!
As well as the signs of the Zodiac, the duo have created select pieces featuring the infinity symbol and the awakened eye – and each come packaged with an illustration by Louise and an empowerment sentiment. So if you were in the market for a new talisman for fall? Just sayin’…
With a Mercury retro period and two eclipses to navigate in the coming weeks, is the Cosmic joke on us? Ash Baker shares a grounding and balancing yoga sequence for Libra, to foster harmony and equanimity in the chaos. Main image: Brittany Alcorn.
LIBRA September 23rd to October 22nd
Ruler: Venus Element: Air Modality: Cardinal Anatomy: Kidneys and lower back
7th sign of the Zodiac
Venus, cosmic queen of love and the ruler of Libra will be energetically present throughout the heavens this month. This is a time to focus on cultivating harmony, balance and peace within your life. So much change is coming upon us. Mercury will retrograde from October 4th – 25th, during which time we’ll also experience a lunar eclipse on October 8th and a solar eclipse on October 23rd.
Now people tend to run for the hills when Mercury retrogrades, but personally I prefer to use this time to pause and deeply reflect on all the changes that may be occurring within you and around you. Those changes may come apparent as the eclipses also stop by to say hello.
Eclipses are known for removing something in your life, may it be a fear producing attitude, a toxic relationship, or whatever is blocking you from getting your dream job. Thankfully, all this cosmic drama is going down in the month of love and harmony. Use the Libran energy to find balance in the crazy, cultivating gratitude for what is, and peace with what isn’t.
The poses below have been chosen to help you find your inner calm and be your very own Venus.
Goddess Pose :: Utkata Konasana Come into Tadasana, standing Mountain Pose, at the front of your mat. Step the right foot back as if you were about to do a lunge. Instead, turn your whole body to the right, making sure your torso is in the center, right above the pelvis.
Step both feet to a 45-degree angle, with the toes out and the heels in. Take a deep inhale and as you exhale bend your knees directly over your heels. Make sure your hips are in line with your knees. Bring your hands in front of your heart in prayer.
Allow yourself to feel the heat being created from the strength in your legs, and with each inhale imagine scooping up that fierceness from below and exhaling it into your full, gorgeous heart. Hold for up to one minute.
Warrior Two :: Virabhadrasana Two Come back to Tadasana. Step the right foot back three-four feet. Turn your right foot to a slight angle with the toes out and the heel in. The left foot should be pointed forward.
Inhale and reach the arms up and out in line with your shoulders like wings. Your torso should be facing the right side, arms extended above your legs. Simultaneously exhale, and begin to bend the front knee so it lines up with the ankle. If you’re a beginner, lessen the bend in the knee but never take it further than your ankle.
Look directly along the length of your left arm, chin aligned with your left shoulder. If you gaze down, you should see your 1st/2nd toes. Make sure your torso is directly above your pelvis.
Reach your arms out wider and feel them lengthening. Press your feet down into the ground, gathering energy back into the body. Hold for 30 seconds, up to 1 minute. Come back to Tadasana and switch sides.
Cat / Cow Pose :: Marjaryasana & Bitilasana Come to hands and knees. Make sure your hips are right over your knees and your elbows are directly above your wrists. Keep a slight bend at the elbows.
As you inhale, arch your spine and pull your chest through your shoulders creating an opening in your collarbones. The chest and the sitting bones reach upward.
Exhaling begin to tuck your tailbone, press the hands downward into the floor and round your spine. Feel your shoulder blades spread wide across the back. Repeat for five rounds.
Scales of Peace Meditation Find a comfortable seat. Prop yourself up on a blanket so the hips are higher than the knees, creating a slight pelvic tilt. Take a moment to notice your natural breath, but don’t change it. Just soften into your energy.
After a couple of minutes start to deepen your breath by following a count of five seconds for the inhale and five seconds for the exhale. Really focus on expanding your belly on the inhale, and then drawing the belly button inward towards the spine on the exhale. Try five rounds of this deeper breath.
Now bring your hands to your heart and think of something in your life where you want to create balance. Hold that in your heart space for a moment. Then picture what it would look like if it were in balance. How would that feel? Keep breathing with that feeling.
Stay here for as long as you need and allow yourself to arrive at answers that may assist you in creating actual balance in your chosen issue. Try doing some journaling afterwards to create action-worthy ideas to help bring equanimity into your life.
Monthly Mantra: “I am the ruler of my own harmony.”
I love to chat with you about your scopes and how your month is going so find me on Twitter and Instagram @louniverse and facebook/louiseandrolia
Libra / Libra Rising – The Two of Cups
Happy Birthday! While you’re celebrating the start of your solar year (hooray) this is a great month for you to do some spring-cleaning of the heart – it’s going to be good for you. I want you to mop up any recent waterworks and really take a good look at who you’re currently spending the most time with. I feel like a few relationships, romantic and otherwise, could have left you feeling frazzled? No-one wants a burned out heart, especially not when right now you have all sorts of more powerful intentions to be spending your life energy on.
So, back to the people in your life right now. Who are the most frequent visitors to your chat list, inbox and roaming mind? And are the conversations lifting you up or pulling you down? I always believe it’s important to keep a regular check on the balance of relationships – not because we need to ‘rid’ ourselves of people, but more to do with the idea that if others are in our lives to help us grow, we want to make sure we are surrounded with the elements we need for that growth to cultivate.
Let’s work with the elements. Earth for the material world, work and practicality – Water for intuition and emotions – Air for ideas, personal power and thought patterns – Fire for passion, drive and igniting your spirit. Inner balance is about a combination of these elements, and often we find them in the people around us as well as within us. What element do you feel you need a top up of right now? And who might bring in that for you?
Equally, look to yourself and how you might seek the soul mate in your own soul. It does help to be your own best friend, so if you’ve been judgmental of yourself recently then it’s time to make self-kindness a non-negotiable. Is it that easy? It can be if you decide to be stubborn about remembering that your mind, body and spirit are the most valuable and magnificent tools you have. So how can you work with them more considerately?
Meanwhile this is a great month for new friends, new collaborations and new relationships – hence the need for a little clear out. Once you’ve realized what you no longer need and what might be on your wish list then you have a clearer space to notice those new folk when they come a knocking. Enjoy the process.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse And shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Scorpio / Scorpio Rising – The Moon
I see you doing some final undercover exploration this month, but you are further out of the darkness than you think. Whatever you are currently struggling with, remember there is an answer already within you. It may be a long lost knowing, a letter direct from the past or a connection to your highest self that you haven’t become aware of yet, but it’s there.
You are nearing the end of a cycle and it feels like you are almost at the point of giving birth to the new self, because of course the highest symbol for the Scorpio is the Phoenix. In order to make the most of your given sign, you are advised to be unafraid of change and tto try to surrender to patience, recognizing that timing is diving and that things won’t always happen on your clock.
So, as you begin this new month the clear road ahead is beckoning and the Sun is ready to rise again. You are poised for a shift in your own spiritual awareness. For some of you it may be the first experience of really knowing and sensing what’s right for you, while others of you may be preparing for some truly magnificent new connection to the divine. Does that sound a bit dramatic? I don’t think so because I know you know what I mean! Your own interpretation and understanding of this will be exactly right.
Either way, that third eye is tingling and you might be getting ringing in your ears as you start the final shedding of your skin before your birthday month. While you navigate the busy to-do list that’s in front of you, keep the protection visualization that I taught you last month in mind. It will continue to be helpful as you perhaps feel more energetically sensitive than usual.
It’s also a key time for creativity – working with color in whatever way draws you in could be particularly healing over the next few weeks. This might mean painting a wall to gaze at, collaging to your hearts content or even just expanding out of your strict all black clothing policy. Fruits are ripening to be picked, and it seems you may also be nearing the end of a process of manifestation with the mist slowly clearing in order for you to receive some serious clarity before the month is out! A final word – be gentle with yourself and compassionate and kind to all the cobwebs in those darkened corners.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Six of Cups
A month of reflection is in order for you, as you continue to be propelled forward by the changes that have been taking place within and around you recently. I feel that you’ve probably come to a crossroads of sorts in how you are going to tackle the next phase of your life. If that sounds heavy, remember it’s a natural part of life when we look at our journey being made up of cycles. It’s important to regularly check in and see what needs to check out!
You can do this over the coming weeks by taking a small escapade into the past, but don’t pack your bags as you aren’t staying there. As you cast your eyes over days gone by, focus on the aspects of yourself that were or were not present, and remember the feelings that accompanied the experiences themselves. If you’re standing here feeling like a part of you is missing, can you remember a time when you felt slightly different? Consider what thought processes hadn’t you formed yet, or what anxieties weren’t present.
Look at your former selves as friends and companions helping to guide you ahead, as opposed to aspects of yourself that you perceive to have lost. It’s all the same journey. You may also experience a number of nostalgic appearances in the present day, a person from the past that you need to make amends with and an odd number of synchronistic moments. But – most of all – old friends or even acquaintances can really help you right now.
Whoever you feel drawn to will probably have some advice that you need, or perhaps someone in your circle has a unique way of looking at things. If so, ask them to reinterpret your thoughts and hand them back to you – it’s a great way of receiving that ‘ah ha’ moment more quickly than you can alone. Even if you don’t feel super connected to your intuition right now, always be aware of what you think your highest self might need – in other words, don’t reel in old worn out relationships just for some drama.
It’s also a great month to pick up old projects you left due to bad timing – make sure they still hold the original passion though, as if not, you have plenty more ideas waiting to spark up. Finally, enjoy anything that can calm you in an instant – a favorite song on repeat, comforting words, good food and tight squeezes.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – Ace of Cups
I’m so happy to see such a light and bright card for you this month, and feel it really pulls on the new beginning that seems to have been only a hint in the distance for so long. This is a fresh start, especially from within. It feels like a shedding of skin for you, as if you are now able to release yourself from some of the pressure that you tend to put yourself under.
This is a month to explore a completely new aspect of yourself and you can discover what that might be by getting out of your comfort zone. To start with though, you need to make sure you have some clear space for yourself. I know you can tend to block up all avenues with to do lists and huge plans, so here’s a tip: Always leave a little breathing room, because then all your ideas can grow and be even more great that you’d even imagined.
So yes, this sense of space…I feel that there is a nice clear field allowing you to put more energy into your social life and relationships, and that includes the one you have with yourself. This is Water energy, which is all about feeling feelings and listening to your inner dialogue – without judgment. That’s when the breakthroughs will come (and yes, maybe the waterworks, but that can be entirely wonderful thing.)
Externally, the month is about surrounding yourself with the people you adore and welcoming in those whom you feel a positive gravitational pull towards. You’ve outgrown the part of you that magnetizes towards stress and it’s far better to have a few key soul mates than try and please anyone and everyone. It’s also a perfect time to allow yourself to lean on others for support – again, gently releasing that feeling of having to do it all alone.
Reframe what being vulnerable means to you. It doesn’t mean you are being weak, and it doesn’t even mean that you can’t do something. You don’t need to follow others advice word for word, but if you open up this space then some unexpected pearls of wisdom may appear.
Back to those feelings – use them for anything and everything, let your body tell you where to go and how to move forward. When you need to make a decision shout it out loud and see how your body responds – it’s kind of amazing.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – The World
The next few weeks represent a significant shift into a new cycle for you and probably one that you are deeply aware of, or have a desire to bring in. It feels to me that somewhere within you there is a sense of boredom that needs to be addressed. I believe boredom, frustration and even general anger is a misplacement of the Fire energy – it’s a call from your higher self to expand in someway. How are you not giving yourself the best chance right now? In what ways are you standing in your own way? What is it about your environment that needs to change? It’s time to round a few things up.
You can take care of this by being your the master of your own life and not settling for what just doesn’t feel right anymore, especially if there seems to be an unnecessary struggle involved. You can find it easy to sink down deep into your own pit of despair sometimes, but it feels like right now even you aren’t so interested in spinning the same old story over and over again. Great news because it means you’re at the top of the mountain and able to receive clarity and take a few leaps of faith.
You know that I always like to work with feelings and when you are tipped ready for a new phase in your life it helps to be guided by and trust in what feels, quite simply, good inside. That can often be arrived at by just being present with what right now feels all sorts of wrong – I trust you have something, whether it’s a job, a thought process or a relationship to work with. Know that it’s okay to move forward. The leap of faith is sometimes just about saying “yes” to adventuring forth into a new chapter your story.
It might seem that you totally resonate with everything I’m saying but that you also feel very much stuck in a spider’s web, bound up and not sure how to make the first moves. It’s a good time to ask for help and guidance, from people you find interesting and those who make a living out of helping people make fresh starts, or even just thinking what the future you might like to see you take a chance on. As for some for simple day-to-day advice: Just show up and be present.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Pisces / Pisces Rising – The Queen of Swords
Are you feeling a little bit sassy right now? It feels to me like you’re stepping more into your own skin than you have this whole year put together – as if finally the dust is settling. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re feeling amazing of course, but it does means that you’re present, and with that comes the air of being able to take a shot at anything. Welcome to a polished up version of your own experience.
Your past and recent past are a great source of power to you this month, and contrary to your ability to easily feel overwhelmed by what’s going on around you, there’s a great sense of you being able to take it in your stride. You get it: That relationship that recently ended, well of course it wasn’t right for you. The job you left, yep, same it was just a stepping stone to the ideas you have right now. Everything is woven together, always, it’s just whether you can view it that way or not.
Now you’re in a place to really own your story and be grateful for how it’s brought you to this moment. Clarity is a rather nice thing to experience, and I feel that this month will bring many moments of it. They could be those subtle ‘ah ha’ moments or total blasts from out the blue, where you feel like you’ve received information that has been waiting years to arrive. Enjoy these connective moments as you get to experience what personal empowerment feels like.
I also feel like you may have a lot more of the Fire element coming in, and it’s good for you because it’s going to balance out your Water rather nicely. Just make sure to direct the flames into something productive rather than any random blasts of jealousy, frustration or frantic panics about the past. Think of the scratchy feeling in your chest as a place to strike a match and get creative with how you can light yourself up.
Movement is good for you right now: Bikram Yoga might be a really interesting way for you to get grounded if you haven’t already tried it, and in terms of bright ideas, walking will help you get in tune with your intuition. So just grab your keys, head out the door and pound the pavements until you feel something shift. And there it is!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Aries / Aries Rising – The Eight of Cups
A little more of an emotional month than recent times for you bold leader, but I feel it will make sense after all the epiphanies and changes of late. You see of course, the time has come where you’re ready to let go and be carried into a new phase. So are you ready to move on?
You may be feeling a little reluctant to close the curtains on some situations around right now, especially those involving other people. You like to reserve hope that everything will always work out, and so can be reluctant to do anything you deem as “giving up.” So how about just shifting the perspective here and honoring a bit of divine timing. If something isn’t really working right now, especially in the career stakes, then perhaps it’s just not aligned right? You aren’t giving up, merely surrendering to create a space for things to work out exactly as they are supposed to.
You see this month is all about movement and letting go is what creates that. And by the way, all these emotions I’m talking about don’t have to be tinged with sadness – you may well just be feeling all those feelings, up and down and round about the entire spectrum of being a human. Where there is elation that things have shifted but still a bit uncertain, just know it’s okay to keep walking. The ground will stabilize eventually.
I’d like to also remind you that you are never alone, even though you like to be able to look after yourself and be 100% independent All. Of. The. Time. Right now is a good time to practice your tools of vulnerability, because your fellow peers and work colleagues might have some sage advice ready to give you. Try surrendering to letting someone catch you or even snuggle in that little bit closer (cats and dogs do make good pillows btw). This doesn’t mean that you’re no longer in a safe place – it feels good to share and blast the dust off too.
I’d also like you to give laughter and fun a serious shot this month. It’s amazing how a well meaning giggle at the Universe often works wonders to lift you out of what seems like sinking sand. Sometimes as you roll your eyes and go “really?” you get the option to really see the bigger picture. In that moment, as you look up, you suddenly open a few doorways to new possibilities. Go wild!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Eight of Swords
An almost comedic confusion is present for you right now as you declare to yourself that you are so stuck whilst not noticing that the wall in front of you is made of soft clouds that you can walk right thought. It’s called the art of getting out of your own way – and charming yourself away from your stubborn lower self.
I’ve tapped on this feeling a few times for you in the past year, encouraging you to really shed your skin and slack off the old fears and self-sabotaging entrapments. It’s funny how they appear right after a bout of success and celebration, right? Well it’s just because hopes and fears are the same thing, a lot like failure and success – they’re all parts of that door marked THE UNKNOWN. You’re tempted to stand there and not knock, because omg what if? But how about don’t even bother with that nagging fearful voice and you just go straight to your higher self and let it remind you why you are even at this point in the first place?
Yeah – we know why, because you’re seeking something new and exciting and adventurous. You want to feel creative, social and abundant. You want to have fun, you want to feel well, you want to explore. See how light and bright these things all feel? Let them be your guiding light out of the jungle within and around you.
There also might be a bit of waiting about this month, which isn’t a bad thing – because you still need some rest to calm your recently frazzled nerves. I always like to think of this as a calm before the storm, some reshuffling (yes into that shiny, sparkling new skin) before next month when I’m pretty sure there may be an acceleration of action. It feels like the light is bright and exciting ahead, even if right now it just seems to be coming through a crack in the wall.
You are ready for it, so just do all the clean up before launch time and know that even the wait is still a form of movement. Meanwhile as a final thought, avoid at all costs comparing yourself to others right now. Seriously, it’s so below where you need to be at! Sometimes you just have to trust in your own adventure. Stay on your own path, it’s a good one.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Gemini / Gemini Rising – The Hermit
A lovely card for you after a load of recent stress and change. This is your battery pack month! Plug in and recharge, yes please take a seat, in fact lie down if you have to. It’s time to release the pressure on yourself to “be fine,” and just be okay with whatever it is that you’re feeling right now. Challenges smooth themselves out a lot more quickly when they’re allowed to be free from you standing there judging them.
Allow October to be an exploration of your senses, rediscovering what it feels like to be you and reminding yourself of what makes you smile and feel alive. I’m always reminding you what a benefit it is for you to take up a meditation practice, just to get better at valuing your time, so really take some time to space and listen over the coming weeks, rather than fill up your days with chores and too many activities. The inner self needs a place to stretch, and often that means just plonking down on a cushion and taking one deep breath.
Meanwhile, when you are in this exploration of space, you can think about the changes that are still surrounding you in the present day and how you might like to move through them in a more peaceful way. Give up the paralysis of the analysis and adopt an “it’s okay” attitude, knowing that time expands if you let it. There are some moments of clarity up ahead as you filter through what’s coming and what’s going.
You may find yourself face to face with patterns that you’ve repeated over and over again. They could show up as stories you’ve always told yourself about your health and your body, or relationship dramas that you feel like you can’t escape from. While you’re in this safe and recharging space, consider that a lot of moving forward is about simply allowing yourself to. Give yourself permission to be free from past guilt, shame and anger, allow yourself to be free from worn out negative thought patters and allow yourself to be compassionate to your journey.
When you’ve rested up it’s time to emerge back into the daylight. This month isn’t about hiding away, so definitely do come back out and play. As you slot yourself back into a more usual routine, enjoy putting into play all the lessons that your inner self has taught you
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Cancer – Death
Change is upon you again, of which there has been a lot of it this year, but don’t worry no one has been exempt – it’s a time of spinning cycles for everyone. Mastering the art of change really is quite the feat, but also an elegant journey that can really change your life for the better. You might feel like you are allergic to change right now or recoiling at the idea of having to navigate a new space. It’s funny because I can feel that many of you have just stepped into a brand new and bright, more opportunistic and happy place, but it still feels kind of terrifying right?
This is totally normal. Just because something is new, different, or unknown, doesn’t mean it’s bad or that things might mess up at any moment. It’s just a new perspective to master! You can utter a sigh of relief right now, okay?
So yes, moving on – just think about your own personal transformation and what is hidden within you dying to be revealed. Are you hankering for a major career adventure? A move across country? Across the world? What do you want? How do you want to feel? Ask yourself questions but don’t put pressure on yourself to know the answers, because that’s where the exploration comes in. It’s only when we get wildly obsessed with thinking we “need to know” what the outcome is that the whole adventure itself becomes a chaos. What if the seas are just supposed to feel a bit wild right now?
You don’t need to be afraid of your fears, remember? In fact those guys, what jokers, can’t you see them sitting in the same room with all their crazy and restricted ideas? Your plans are a whole lot more interesting, exciting and expansive than what they have to offer you, so how about you give peace a chance.
It feels really nice to look after yourself you know, to put your mind, body and spirit first, to not seek drama and stress but to just think about what might work for you. Let this month be all about rekindling self-compassion and turning up the volume on your intuition so that you can really resonate with what is working well for you. Oh yeah and enjoy the process too. Just open your arms up and rise up fresh and new for another go at life.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Leo / Leo Rising – Page of Swords
A fresh start and a brand new perspective is on the horizon for you Leo. This month is all about rediscovering your own truths and then stepping fully into them, willing to give the new you a shot. I’d love for you to continue to let go of any restrictions you might have put on yourself – I know it can be a trait of yours, to hold yourself back and judge your own feelings and ideas. Instead, think of this part of yourself as something that can flow, evolve and change – just as you are here to do.
I’d like you to spend time this month in meditation or just being quiet within your own company and to practice breathing in a new sense of self. It’s an act of heightening your senses: getting more in tune with your body and it’s feelings, remembering that they can be your truest guides. Then take a good look at your mind, and what kind of conversation is going on there. And finally your heart. What does it want right now? What will make your spirit light up?
Paying attention to each and every part of yourself is what will help you rise up and claim your experience today. Which means not dwelling on or obsessing with the past, not hanging onto anger and resentment of others and not practicing any extreme worries about the future. How can you work more in the here and now? The present moment is the only place that is active – stop and check it out.
I feel you also have some personal situations to work with now, which might be something to do with your personal power. Is there someone in your life has too much say about what you’re doing, or is unsupportive of your actions and ideas? Allow them to have their say, but know that you still can act on what feels right for you. They’re probably speaking from their own fears so be compassionate, but then move onwards with your own empowerment in mind.
On the flipside of this, it’s a great time to get connected with those who get your brain and intelligence activated. Even if it’s just one person you can have an expansive conversation with, allow time for them because it will give you a great confidence boost, not to mention uplift your spirits.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Virgo / Virgo Rising – Three of Pentacles
A perfect follow on to last month’s back to school feeling. Where you were prepping, planning and brewing, now it’s time to launch! I assume you have something in the works – exactly when do you not, right? It’s a fantastic few weeks for collaboration and working with those who you find the most interesting and inspiring. Make sure to keep some space for learning though – in fact never assume you know everything, because there’s always a new string you can add to your bow, if you are willing.
In fact, some of you may have been stepping back into education itself – how’s that going? Or are you now in the position of being the teacher when you once were the student? It’s all part of the same cycle – a wonderful rotation of knowledge. You are certainly in demand this month, and your brains, talents and physical person itself are required. How? I’ll leave that with you for a moment to resonate with. It might be that as a parent or a friend you are experiencing having to be the bearer of kindness on the regular. It may be that you are blasting out a brand new passion project and waiting for people to line up to receive it. You may also be considering how you can teach and share more than you have ever done before.
Overall, I feel you are nicely aligned to work in new and wonderful ways and to definitely step quite far out of your comfort zone and your usual controlled habits. Yes, free yourself from the old restrictions that don’t seem to be working anymore because there is a new and better routine available to you.
Have you got some new notebooks to hand? I feel like your brain may be literally bulging and the best way is to open up a blank page, let it all fall out and treat it with a judgment free eye – no dissecting just appreciating the things that your subconscious feeds you. Then don’t worry about having to take action on everything right this second!
Let your passions breathe so that in turn they get a chance to evolve into exactly what is right. Finally, this has such potential to be such a great time for you so fully dive into showing up for your experience, let life be your guide and have fun exploring.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse Shop my new Zodiac Talisman Jewelry Collection here!
Ellie Burrows has a confession. The mood of the Autumnal Equinox has got her turned on to the idea of…commitment? Portrait: Mikal Marie Photography
I’m hanging in the balance.
It’s the Autumnal Equinox and we’re halfway between rosé in the sand with a tan and cashmere socks and Schnaps.
For the Earth, the Equinox represents a point of balance. This year, for my heart, it’s the tipping point.
June, July and August are releasing their hypnotic hold on me. My rear view mirror is filled with the boys of summer and their hard bodies at pool parties. No more fist pumps to summer jams or kisses that taste like Pina Coladas. Goodbye to short shorts and tiny dresses. Gone are the days of sweaty hands up my skirt and sticky rolls in the sheets while blasting AC to bring down all the heat.
Fall means I’m 90 miles from mistletoe with just one stop for turkey. It’s about back to school, back to work, a return to obligations. It’s time for knitwear and leggings and with them along comes all sorts of longings. We’re plunging into colder climates, descending into darkness, and harvesting in order to hibernate. And all that impending cold just makes me want to snuggle up and pair down. Fall always sings songs of commitment and for the first time in a long time, I want to sing along and settle in with a romantic partner.
When I initially sat down to write this article, I wanted to explore the transition from a Summer Fling to a Fall of Love. The original pitch was something about “turning your Montauk share into a home ownership.” In New York City, the hot months have an echo and it sounds like “dating in the summer is hard.” Trying to get a relationship off the ground in high season is like trying to swim against an undertow. Everything is in motion and everyone is gone on the weekends. But when autumn arrives and beach rentals end, the restaurants in the city are filled with hopeful singles once again trying to figure out how to keep their beds perpetually warm for winter.
Telling my readers how to turn a steamy summer hookup into something more substantial felt like teaching them how to take a cold shower. When you let the hot air out of the balloon, it floats to Earth. It felt strange to try to decode the alchemy of love, because it’s a magical process of transformation and the infinite combinations make it impossible to boil it down to a single formula. The heart is just not a transactional place.
But something is shifting in me and it’s right on schedule with the Earth’s rhythms. In my own personal Equinox it feels like I’m on a seesaw suspended in air at zero degrees. From this place of balance, I can see exactly what’s changing in me.
I never really dated with the purpose of finding a boyfriend, a husband, or “the one”. Like masturbation, I date because it feels really good. I learn by experience and it’s always been up to the experience to determine its own purpose, a purpose that only comes into focus in hindsight. I always felt that being attached to outcome when it came to dating was a hindrance, a one-way ticket on the disappointment express. However if I’m being really honest with myself, my lack of vision was buying that same ticket at a cheaper price.
It seems rather silly to think about it now, but the idea of what I actually wanted out of dating never factored in. I think I may have flat out ignored it. I always thought I would figure it out along the way and that my wants, whatever they were, would reveal themselves to me in the process. Yet the only things that were continuously revealed were my “don’t wants.”
I want a man that’s mine. I want to wake up in the morning next to someone and I want that person to bring me black tea. I want to have a raging argument, walk out of the house and know that he will be there when I return. I want it all. I want to be alone and I want to be together. I want to be alone together.
This year, I’m not sad to see the dog days go. I’m leaving my summer playground in search of something more. I’m going to harvest my experiences and move into the winter of my being where it’s the quietest. Deep inside of me there is a burning desire to be in a devotional partnership. Somehow admitting that on the Internet is scarier than talking about my aroused vagina. It feels outrageously vulnerable, like standing on the street, in the middle of an epic blizzard, totally naked waiting for him to bring me a jacket. But, saying it out loud feels a million times hotter than playing it cool.
Confession: My Burning Man Experience was too full-on to be called fun, says Ruby Warrington. But when it comes to life lessons, a week on the Playa delivered pure gold.
So I wasn’t planning to write about my Burning Man Experience (BME). And not because ‘what-happens-on-the-Playa-stays-on-the-Playa,’ but because I have been embarrassed to admit that I didn’t have THE MOST AWESOME TIME OF MY LIFE. I feel like this is the response my friends all were all expecting when they asked, with the utmost and cutest enthusiasm, to hear my tales; ‘OMG how was it?!?!?!?!’ Because ‘I had the time of my life,’ is pretty much the standard response when you ask people about their BME.
But Burning Man is HARD. It forces to you face yourself in ways we have devised so very many modern distractions (television, the internet, flushing toilets, retail therapy) to avoid. It is also a hot, horny, fear-and-loathing-inducing humdinger of a festival, and considering the only way I could ever do Glastonbury was by staying in a local B & B where the owners gave us a glass of chilled Chablis before we headed into the fray each day, I should perhaps have guessed that my BME would kind of be a challenge.
But if I’ve learned ANYTHING this year (thanks to this lady in particular), it’s that challenges are what we human beings are here for! And that a fully textured life is always about the road less travelled. So friends, followers, here are the vital and sometimes evolutionary lessons my BME taught me:
We are hopelessly addicted to stuff: Witness hundreds of Burners buying up literally the entire contents of Walmart in Reno in preparation for a week of ‘radical self-reliance’ in the desert. Next year (oh yes, there will be a ‘next year’) I pledge to make ‘minimalism’ my motto.
Enforced fun can still be fun: We’d been on the road for pretty much 40 hours straight (give or take a whiskey-infused power nap) by the time my friend Sophie and I made it through the gates to hunt down our fellow campers – leaving my husband Simon in what was shaping up to be an 8-hour wait in ‘will call’ for his ticket. As a BM ‘virgin’ it was the greeters’ job to make me lie down on the Playa and make a ‘dust-angel’ to mark my entry. I was not in the mood, but getting to lie down for a minute did put a smile on my face.
Anticipation is the mother of the anti-climax: Even if you haven’t been to BM, you know what BM looks like, right? This is because we live in the information age, goddamnit, and sites (like this one) won’t stop publishing pictures of Black Rock City and its freaky-deeky population. I actually kind of hated myself for not being ‘in awe’ of what I saw out on the Playa my first day. Was I that jaded? But I basically saw exactly what I saw in the images and YouTube clips I’d GORGED on before the event. In fact, if you haven’t been to BM and you think you might go at some point in the future, maybe stop reading now. The joy of discovery is a beautiful thing.
Just follow the signs…
But nothing can prepare you for the TRIP that is your first night on the Playa: Thankfully you can’t photograph a feeling, and here’s a sensation you’ve never got to experience before and will never experience anywhere else. It’s just you, your bike and a sea of LEDs. No roads, no rules, no edge separating Earth from the rest of the Universe.
Being an Aries with Sag rising and Cancer Moon makes for a very conflicted camper (see above re. Glastonbury): The Aries and the Sag want PARTIES, PEOPLE, ADVENTURE! The Cancer needs ALL MY CREATURE COMFORTS, INCLUDING LOTS OF PRIVACY, ALL THE TIME. Yikes.
And…if you have a Water Moon, try to camp with at least one other Water Moon: My gift to my beautiful fellow campers was a personal astro reading, so I had all their chart information ahead of time. And wouldn’t you know, I was headed into a desert storm of pure Fire and Earth. Which of course made for the most incredible camp set-up (fully functioning kitchen, hand-washing station, outdoor shower – with curtain, evaporation pool for our grey water) and a consistent party vibe (mushrooms for breakfast, a carefully calculated six cans of beer per person, per day, plus a seemingly limitless supply of spirits). But my goodness, the outpouring of emotions when I finally managed to track down my friend Tali, and her blessed Scorpio Moon.
I am a total music snob: Tali says it’s because I’m an Aries, who she always admires for our “discernment” (erm, I believe “arrogance” is another adjective associated with my sign). But I also blame (again) my Cancer Moon. To make me move, music has to have soul. Worse, anything that can be loosely categorised as dubstep, breakbeat, trap, minimal techno, EDM or drum ‘n’ bass actually causes a physical reaction in my body that feels a lot like anger. WFT? Even if I’ve taken really amazing drugs (not that I necessarily think drugs are amazing, see below). Unfortunately, these seem to be the preferred genres of most DJs manning the art cars and sound systems at BM, providing a 24-7 soundtrack to life on the Playa straight out of my worst musical nightmare. But thank f*** for a camp called Basshenge!!! Pumping out a soulful, heartbeat bassline that kept me dancing in the dust ‘til dawn, I <3 Basshenge.
Sound clash is sleep deprivation for the soul: The only thing worse than waking up to a full on trap set happening right next to your RV at 9am, is a full on drum ‘n’ bass set happening 10 feet away at the same time. Note to organisers: my friend Gina had a lovely idea – “an hour of silence” every day. (Note to self: add a set of noise cancelling headphones to the minimal ‘must-haves’ list for next year)
“Love is Love”, especially in the desert
“No critters live in the desert”: How cool is this – apparently there’s a special camp in BRC for people to drop off random animals and bugs they find in their camp. This is because, seeing as the desert conditions are too harsh for any living thing to survive (erm, no shit), any “critters” have to have travelled in with you. Even better, there’s some kind of Dr Doolittle animal sanctuary outside the Playa where they all get deposited after the event. What a fun time we had imagining how that little man-made ecosystem is progressing year-on-year!
But BRC is actually a very safe place for humans to live: Discussing the medical room stats listed in the Black Rock Gazette one morning, our camp-mate Bryan (a professional anaesthetist – which, yes, makes for some very interesting conversations about recreational use of ketamine) was able to confirm that the incidence of accident and injury is way lower than the average American metropolis. Despite the lack of rules and policing, and the disproportionately high incidence of all-day intoxication in BRC.
A mini torch makes the best MOOP: Okay, I might have fallen off my bike riding over it out in the deep Playa, but having a mini torch to strap to my Vega Jewelry crystal necklace was a revelation – literally! Mainly down to no more hold-your-breath-and-guess moments in the porta-potties in the dead of night. Yay PERSONAL ILLUMINATION!
The Playa is not a beach: It is a beautiful, uncompromising, arid, dust-bowl. Not to be confused with somewhere to kick back, relax and sink a few cold ones before cooling off in the surf.
Hedonism is one of the deepest expressions of human spirituality: Since when did hedonism get such a bad name anyway?? In the dictionary, it’s defined as – the belief that pleasure or happiness is the most important goal in life. The fact that people will go to so much effort in the pursuit of this ideal, suggests to me a serious pleasure/happiness-unbalance in our daily lives. And being happy means being better equipped to want to contribute to other people’s happiness. This is one of the best BM lessons of all.
Men, even gay men, think very long, wavy hair is sexy. Even if it’s green: I have never received more compliments from the opposite sex than the night I donned this wig. This must be why women get addicted to hair extensions. And doesn’t it say something interesting about gender representation? No matter how progressive the humans, the Disney Princess vision of female beauty still holds sway.
“Radical self-expression” = a lot of costume clichés: See top hats, striped meggings, faux-fur moon boots, leather bras…and green wigs. Turns out most of us humans actually prefer to conform, and a couple of days into the 80kg dressing up box of sequins, wigs and fake tattoos I’d lugged from Brooklyn, I too became acutely aware that I was actually putting together a series of ‘Burning Man outfits’ that were less about an expression of my own personal style than a desire to fit in. I worked in fashion for a long time, I know what that is. Next year I’m just gonna pack a bikini, some Teeki yoga pants, and my boiler suit (below), which is what I ended up feeling most ‘me’ in.
Basically, the best boiler suit ever
I might have had my Burning Man moment a decade (and a half) ago in Ibiza: Between the ages of 24 and 32, I made a twice-yearly pilgrimage to the ‘spiritual’ party island of Ibiza. And daytime dancing at Distrikt, downing shots of Whisky with old gay dudes in leather skirts, riding out at night into a sea of LEDs, allowing myself to merge with the Cosmos out on the edge of the Playa…was basically flashback central to then. What I got from ‘the Ibiza years’ was a sense of connection to a tribe of likeminded hedonists, a deep respect for the numinous beauty of nature and a lot of dancing in the sand beneath the stars. Sound familiar? So now I know I’ve ‘been there, done that’, time to set some new intentions for my BM experience next year.
The best Bloody Mary’s are frozen Bloody Mary’s: But what you don’t get in Ibiza, is some dude named Dave serving up the most incredible frozen Bloody Mary’s (just freeze the mix and stir in lashings of vodka as it melts) in exchange for a sweaty hug. In Ibiza the Bloody Marys will set you back $25.
In no way, shape or form do drug highs measure up to spiritual highs: I first took E when I was 14, and it helped me understand a whole other plane of human existence (not to mention get out of facing my feelings about my parent’s divorce). It took about 20 years for me to realize that seeing as that veil had already been lifted, I would never experience the same sense of ‘enlightenment’ from drugs again – and that in fact, taking drugs is kind of like opening the door to your soul to an unknown entity and handing over the controls (which is why a lot of drug highs feel so scary). There are lots of drugs at BM, and part of my brain (the drunk part) still believes in those kind of highs. But experience – mainly experiences of the numinous variety – has shown me that when your soul is allowed to navigate its own route to bliss, there is no fear, there is no comedown and there is UNLIMITED POTENTIAL FOR PERSONAL GROWTH.
But take enough and you might experience time travel: So my friend-who-shall-remain-nameless met a ‘medicine woman’ dancing at Robot Heart, and asked; ‘what can I learn from you?’ They spent the next 24 hours together out in the deep Playa, during which time the medicine woman gave my friend ‘more drugs than I’ve taken in my life – cocaine, LSD, mushrooms, molly’, and my friend claims she experienced time travel and understood that immortality is entirely possible. Those are the kind of drug experiences I guess I would like to have, but am basically scared s***less of.
Even in the deepest of Playa, where you literally feel like you are on the edge of the Cosmos, a tweaking raver from Liverpool will hunt you down and try to fill your head with her relationship problems: Know that you do not have to let this totally kill your mushroom buzz, and that it is always within your power to simply stand up, kiss her goodnight and ride away.
Sunset: navigating the duality of night and day
Life is an exercise in duality: Clean, dirty; give, receive; high, low; hot, cold. All of which it feels like BM is set up to make ABUNDANTLY CLEAR.
Whiskey Flats RV park (Hawthorn, NV) is the Park Hyatt of RV parks: Okay maybe our perspective was somewhat skewed…but man, I could have kissed the pristine, floral-scented toilet when we stopped off here on our way back to Vegas to clean our RV and empty the putrid ‘black water’ tank. Oh and they also have free coffee and a Laundromat!! I’ve always loved doing laundry. Doing it here was like doing laundry on ecstasy. This is the website in case you need it for next year.
Digital cold turkey isn’t difficult: I’m addicted as the best of us, but I can honestly say I didn’t miss social media or email ONCE during my BME. I even found it hard to let it back into my life, like I’d got a newfound respect for exactly how DICTATOR-LIKE it is. The sense of serenity that comes from being offline is blissful, and observing my online life from the other side I was able to witness the physical, emotional and intellectual hold technology has on us. But, you know, now I’m fully back on the juice and loving it.
I am actually obsessed with the Body’s Ability To Bounce Back (BABB): Okay it’s taken a week to muster the brain cells and the discipline to get this post together, but that’s a lot to do with the fact I’ve also spent a lot of time marvelling at how GOOD IT FEELS to inch my way back into the healthful, spiritually aligned, fully embodied state I usually seek to maintain (a.k.a. get over the comedown). Bryan (the anaesthetist) said he still marvels daily at the BABB, how our organism is consistently seeking to bring itself into balance. Seriously, gotta love the BABB.
Even in the most Mystical of Worlds, I am very much a Material Girl: But I’ve always been pretty upfront about that one, hey.
My life is really freaking awesome: Since my return to the ‘default’ world, I’ve been feeling THE IMMENSEST AMMOUNT OF GRATITUDE FOR – in no particular order of wonderfulness – being clean, fresh water and the sewage system, work that brings me so much satisfaction and helps me define my ‘edges’, electricity, the bond I share with my beautiful husband, groceries, my cat purring, blowdries, the Internet. And an event like Burning Man, for helping me TRULY appreciate the fact.
Naz Onderoglu of Williamsburg’s new global style hub Soot & Tusk gets the spiritual scoop on Ilgin Utin’s India Trippin’ collection. Because it’s always about the journey…
If an open door beckons to you, please stumble in. On a recent stroll through Williamsburg, BK, we did exactly that, and soon found ourselves in fashion heaven – aka Soot & Tusk, a new boutique bursting with cool creations from independent designers across the globe. Founders Naz, Noyan and Veranika are as international a line-up as the clothes that lines the racks, and leads come from everywhere; “we travel, ask our friends or search all over the internet to find like-minded labels. So spread word, we’re looking for new designers all the time!” says Naz.
Designers like Ilgin Utin, whose incredible India Trippin’ collection is featured in this post. Erm, obsessed much? We asked Naz to reach out to Ilgin (modelling her own designs here) to get the inside scoop…
When were you last ‘India Trippin’? “I spent four months in India this winter, searching for what money can’t buy and finding my lost spirit, which it’s easy to forget about in my Western life. I had come to a point where I’d lost all interest in material life and my career goals had become meaningless. I realised I had been living in future, not in the moment, and my India trip helped me reconnect with the ‘now’, as well as my creativity.”
How does the country inspire you as an artist? “Initially it helped me remember the artsy mood of my childhood, but I also found a spiritual connection there which made everything meaningful again and I came to a conclusion that I had to integrate my spirit with my material work. In India, the colourful, fancy and extravagant material expressions are reflections of inner beauty, infused with this ancient, immortal culture of imagination. Seeing real people applying this creativity in their lives, I also figured out that you don’t need to do any research on the internet to be able to understand everything.”
What’s the most mystical experience you had there? “I had this foresight that I’d find a guru who will lead me on a mystical tour to unknown places and states of minds. But it wasn’t about this. There was no big mystery, I simply felt more grounded and connected to nature, as well as the consciousness that we are all a part of.
Really, no stories? “Well okay. I was traveling alone in Coorg following my passion for spices and herbs, and I ended up staying on a mountain homestay with a local family. When I met the guy he told me I was the only Muslim traveller that had ever come there, so he was so excited to introduce me his family. I went their 100-year-old house on the mountains, where there were no neighbours, only nature. On meeting his amazing family, I ended up stayed there for a whole week as they insisted.
“I quickly fell into remote village life, speaking Hindu with the mother, being a sister to his son. At nights we had deep conversations about life, and he would tell stories which were basic and pure, but also so illuminating. Of course, he didn’t know I was in a search of guru, but he told me ‘you can stay here as long as you want, we don’t expect anything in return you, but take me as your guru!’ This made me understand that everybody is a guru, from whom I could learn self-realization.”
Describe the woman you are designing for – who is your muse? “A woman with lots of confidence, with no hesitations and who doesn’t want to hide in the crowd. She likes to be noticed, but she shows up as her inner self, her child spirit. She is very much optimistic, colorful and enjoying life. I don’t have muses, but imaginary characters that I design for. She’s the woman that I want to be.”
What’s your astrological sign, and how does it help define your aesthetic? “I’m an Aquarius, and I think defines my personality, my lifestyle and my mentality. I believe I am really creative, free spirited, independent, reliable, outgoing, sophisticated and individual because of my sign. I know I born this way. My aesthetic is something I’ve developed by visiting and experiencing so many different cultures, and I’m always in progress and expanding my vision.”
Getting dressed in the morning, what’s your ‘fashion mantra’? “I never prepare my clothes the day before. So my mantra is; ‘put on your mood!’”
For more information about when Ilgin Utin’s India Trippin’ collection will be available contact [email protected]
I love to chat with you about your ‘scopes and how your month is going, so find me onTwitter and Instagram @louniverse and at Facebook/louiseandrolia
Virgo / Virgo Rising – The Eight of Pentacles
Happy Birthday! This is such a dream card for you as you’re probably in ‘back to school’ mode already, right? I also love the flow from last month’s Two of Wands, as I feel it’s a call for you to take action based on the dreams and ideas you’ve been cultivating.
I expect many of you are itching to get a personal project off the ground, get started with a new job – or perhaps leave an old one! It’s a great time to get into action mode, but don’t panic if things play out differently from your original plan. The way that things transpire will be exactly as they should. I know that’s not alway an easy concept for a perfectionist like you, but it really works quite beautifully. All it requires is a little releasing of pressure from yourself to allow things to flow more easily. It is an exercise in freedom.
The start of your solar year is like our own personal new year, so why not take time over the first few days of the month to check in with your own internal radar. What is coming and what is cycling out of your life as you transition into this new life phase?
If your friendships and romantic relationships need a little work then now is a great time to be willing to see them in a different way. Getting along with another person can be like learning a new language; instead of shouting over and over hoping they’ll understand, how about putting some compassion into really listening to them? Their viewpoint is also valuable, and sometimes it’s an amazing discovery to find that you disagree and that it is totally okay too. Allow your relationships to evolve, and surrender to what feels good for you – meaning what feels good for your soul, not your ego.
Be open to welcoming in and respecting the unknown this month. A good way to do this is to look back and practice gratitude for the past year and especially for your childhood. And if, like so many of us, are feeling the bumps of change right now, then please be easy on yourself. A time of change is not supposed to feel relaxed – in fact, it feels the total opposite! It is imperative that whatever you’re doing and wherever you’re at right now you make the intention to be kind to yourself. Judging yourself or your journey is what builds blocks in front of you. Allow your moods to guide you, one feeling to the next. Remember every feeling is of value and you are unique but not alone.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra Rising – The Five of Swords
This is a perfect card to guide you on from the last few weeks into a new and more empowered space. As things shift and change in your own environment you now have a chance to reconnect your mind, body and spirit. It is possible that you are feeling a little off balance, perhaps even physically unwell. It can be scary to feel so ungrounded, but know that this is normal when your life is moving into a new cycle.
I feel this month is all about you, you and more YOU! So if you’re used to hiding in the sidelines or just being everything for everyone else, then it’s time to come back home. You’re not here to just give out, you need to be able to receive too, and it starts with you realigning yourself with your feelings and intentions.
This is especially significant if you are emerging from a relationship and have that ‘just stepped off a battleground’ energy around you. Try not to split yourself into pieces by seeing different versions of yourself scattered in the past. You are all you and everything is of significance to take you forward. Instead think of this as a great time for detoxing the mind and body, and ,alongside that, simply having some fun.
So how can you care for yourself more effectively? To start with try and avoid fitting yourself into a box or following someone else’s life plan, especially where health and diet are concerned. Think about your body and what it needs, consider what feels right for you. This can be a trial and error process and that’s okay, just work with yourself and experiment with everything that resonates with you.
If you’re feeling anxious about the past and worrying about hard times repeating themselves, again, this is very normal, but know that you are always evolving and that it’s within your powers of perception that you can really trust in that. Allow time to just be you, be in you, be with you. It’s the safest place you can be. When you have reclaimed your personal power you may find that blocks dissolve and you feel a little more like putting an action plan in place.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio – The Four of Cups
I hope you’ve been working with the word ‘expansion’ this year, because it’s such a helpful tool for you. In any given experience or moment we can look at things through a small, restricted tube, or from a 360-degree viewpoint. So what’s your vision like today?
If you feel in ‘stuck’ mode, then begin to think of everything as being stretchy – life as lycra – remembering there is always a possibility that you perhaps haven’t seen yet. Not only is this a more positive place to start from, but it’s actually something we can work with. I often look at the closed sentences we create for ourselves and think to myself; ‘I don’t want to live in that kind of space, I want something to explore.’ So make this your mantra for the next month – ‘I am willing to explore.’
I want you to adventure within your own time frame, moving around your own puzzle pieces and creating and recreating all the time. Any moment you feel bored, it’s only a call for expansion. Any time you feel afraid, it’s just a call for freedom. You are in a time of wild and exciting opportunity, especially on a personal note, and there are many people who need you and appreciate you. There are also new romantic prospects perhaps closer than you realize – I’ll leave that one to you to investigate. So over the next month, allow yourself to open up to new contacts and to being a light for those who are in murky waters.
However, it’s also imperative that you up your energy protection skills. I just read that snails have a special type of slime that’s reserved for protection, how cool is that? Snails are totally my new spirit creatures! So how about visualizing your own version of this. Close your eyes and see a bight light within your heart centre, representing your highest and brightest inner light. Now see it expanding from your body, covering your whole being with an iridescent, protective second skin. This is your new power source, both for protection and to enhance your ability to feel comfortable in your own light. Let me know how it goes! Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Death
I feel that it’s these later months of the year where you’ll be navigating and noticing the most shifts in your life. It seems like you’ve been building up to something, and the next few weeks are where you can finally start taking action. If you are poised ready to or launch a new something or other (wait! have you been keeping something on the secretive down low?!), then this is the perfect time to embrace it fully and without obsession over perfection. Trust that if you are moving forward from an honest and passionate place, then everything is as it should be. Keep walking forwards instead of trying to rewrite the past, and avoid delaying yourself because of a fear of failure, which of course is just a fear of that unknown space ahead of us.
Remember that none of us are exempt from fears, so try and avoid judging your feelings as you’ll be the most supported when you stay present with any worries that come up and wrap your arms fully around your challenges. Know that during a time of change you’re not supposed to feel grounded or relaxed, so be easy on yourself and up your self care practice.
For some of you there may be some moments of clarity or personal epiphanies over the next few weeks as you fully connect with how your own personal stories have been weaving together. There may be moments where you need to stop and forgive yourself and other people – maybe linked to a few situations from the recent past. Remember that forgiveness is nothing to do with letting someone ‘off the hook,’ but rather it’s the act of freeing oneself from restrictions. As you practice this idea of freeing yourself you will find that it opens up a new space for opportunity and personal growth.
Finally, keep yourself aware of how you channel your fire energy. If you feel bored, frustrated or self-sabotaging, this is misplaced fire and a call for you to expand. It might be that you need to shift your outlook by being willing to see more options, or it might represent a need to pay attention to a passion that you’ve hidden away. Think of this month as an option to explore and take an adventure through your own psyche. Who knows what you may find!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – The Two of Wands
This month you’re invited to step back into a more creative and adventurous place. It’s a month to retire to your manifestation station and get quite serious about redesigning your life. You’ve been quite hard on yourself recently, as well as managing a lot of external stress, so it’s time to reshuffle and realize that you do have some power in this process.
It’s so easy for us to feel like a victim, and imagine that things are happening to us. It’s equally easy to start restricting ourselves without even realizing it. How often recently have you been using closed statements like; ‘I can’t’? And external statements that start with the dreaded; ‘I should’? It is within your own ability to expand yourself so that more options are available. There will always appear to be a block in front of you if you are wearing blinkers. But what about the expanse around you? This is the space I want you to be willing to explore.
It just doesn’t cut it anymore to be unkind to yourself or pile the pressure up and up, so it’s time to get creative. Start from the bottom. How do you feel today, and how do you want to feel? Where is the block that is separating the two? Is it a fear centered around a ‘what if’, an ‘I should’ or an ‘I can’t?’ I believe that we must rewrite our own inner dictionaries so that we are no longer using words that aren’t stretchy or empowered. Replace all the above with an ‘I feel’ in order to see how you really resonate with what is going on around you. It is time to fall in love with yourself again.
You will benefit from working with your own inner spark this month and honouring your back burner ideas. What projects or plans have you sidelined and replaced with things you thought you ‘should’ do instead? It’s time to bring them to the forefront, with no pressure. Remember how as children we always just had hobbies? Where as when we are adults we often feel that everything has to have a point or an action plan attached, so that we forget about just being expressive or having fun. It’s time to go back to doing what simply makes you feel good. Okay?
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – The Emperor
The month ahead calls for some good old-fashioned order and planning, and this is probably just what you need if you’ve been feeling quite out of control recently. This isn’t however a call for control freak mode, instead showing you that well placed balance and order have the ability to set you free. This card brings in Mars energy, all about your drives and passions, posing the question of how you want to move forward and helping you be aware of what might be holding you back.
The themes of protection and preservation are present for you too, and I’d like you to reframe these phrases so that they sit in a positive light for you. Protect yourself not by cutting yourself off from the world or other people but by choosing company that uplifts your spirits rather than pulls on your fears. Preserve your energy by not placing it in any space that feels restricted. This might mean that you remember to pick and choose career choices to suit you rather than to please others, and that you work on getting more comfortable with the presence of your own fears.
With such a strong archetype in place I can’t avoid the possibility that there is a strong masculine energy in your life right now. This doesn’t have be a male, but the energy has a very powerful presence over you. I want you to address whether you feel consumed by someone, or even overpowered by a situation? If so, then here is your chance to take this energy for yourself and channel it back into your own life force – as opposed to feeling like you’ve been depleted.
This is where a sense of structure will help. Think about where you feel weakened and what you could do to support yourself more in this situation. It might be that you return to a wellness practice that has helped you before, take yourself on a holiday or put yourself fully into a work project or idea that has been on the sidelines. Either way this is a reminder that whilst the feelings of external pressure can be huge, there is always a part that you can play to shift your perspective and be kinder to yourself. Make falling in love with yourself a non-negotiable, and practice forgiveness for every block that you become aware of.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces Rising – The Three of Swords
An interesting reflection of last months card, here is another three which calls you to expand in a slightly different way. The last few weeks you may have been planning new career adventures or just checking in with that inner call to share or teach. I feel that this month is about releasing old pain and disappointments in order to be really present with what your soul desires.
Disappointment is one of the strangest human emotions and links very closely to a victim mentality. For someone as intuitive as you, it is easy for you to feel overwhelmed because you can often soak up everyone else’s emotions without even realizing it! This might recently have come in the forms of a fear that others behavior is to do with you, that you have done something wrong, and also feelings of self blame. It’s important to note these types of feelings quickly and shift them within the moment. Remember that you have personal power and your journey is yours to explore and co-create. Acknowledge where you feel let down but don’t judge yourself.
I feel that some of you might be stuck in repetitive romantic patterns, and again the key to unlock these is in reclaiming a sense of empowerment. Check in with how often you are externalizing your life to be about someone else and know that this is your experience, and that is actually quite exciting. By freeing yourself up from any expectations you have placed upon yourself, then liberation will appear in the form of a wide-open space to really get to know parts of yourself that you perhaps didn’t even know existed.
Try and work constantly with the term ‘I feel,’ so that you are always connecting mind and body and reforming a stronger internal confidence structure. This month is all about transcending pain in a new way, and I do believe that we can feel empowered within a challenge by claiming it for our own. Somewhere in your life right now there is a situation that is acting as a catalyst, ready to rocket you off to a fresh and more evolved space. Remember growing pains are normal, and you are writing your own life story; now imagine yourself as the hero, and ask how might you save yourself today.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries Rising – The Six of Cups
A nostalgic card for you this month Aries, and a call to check in with how you are currently viewing the past. The past is there to be appreciated but not re-written. You are someone that likes a task and likes to be productive, and I feel that these next few weeks aren’t about combing through the history books, but instead just being present with where the past might be having a negative effect on your plans.
What mean is, I feel you might be trying to delve through your archives to find out why something turned out as it did or perhaps even just trying to predict a possible outcome for the future. Slow down. I repeat, slow down and let the past be your mentor, a gentle energy that comes with solid advice and assurance. The best way for you to be nostalgic right now is to forgive and be compassionate to anything that has been difficult for you recently. I definitely feel that there is some emotional energy with you right now that is very strong, and may have caused you to feel much more out of balance than usual – even with your health. Keep being patient and kind to yourself. Your mind has to be a judgement free zone because then you can move forwards, knowing that your story is perfectly crafted just as it is.
Meanwhile, the benefits to the next few weeks are that you may have a push forward with a career project, something that needed space and is now ready to align with your time zone! There is also the possibility of using this energy to connect with old friends – and no, this does not mean texting ex lovers, rather reconnecting with those who you miss in your circle. I feel there could be a friend who needs some comforting words from you right now, so remember the art of helping if you feel a little helpless yourself.
I also love the idea that you can use this time to reconnect yourself to old hobbies and passions, perhaps picking up that paint brush or doing something that your inner child would approve of. Let the light and positive energy of your past guide you forward and be ready to hear the answers that old times bring forth in the present moment.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Three of Cups
This is such a shift from the energy of last month, where I was encouraging you to get really present with all of your fears. We now have a space for celebration and lighter joy. I feel it’s a pull to get you out of your comfort zone – have you been a bit of a home hermit recently? I think that there are people that would appreciate your company, and not to chat about work, just to relax and try and see the lighter side of life. If you’ve been in a very challenging space recently then this is a reminder that it’s okay to still laugh and smile, even if you feel dragged down by difficulties and sadness. Don’t however put any pressure on yourself to ‘have fun.’ It’s more about allowing yourself to tip-toe on over to something that feels good and might just plant a smile on your face.
Meanwhile, this is a card of congratulations so it could be that you finally release a project you have been working so hard on, and get to experience the elation that comes with giving birth to a new idea. It’s a good few weeks to take a mini break or holiday, and if you haven’t been out of town for a while relaxation is fully encouraged. I also feel that this marks a shift in perspective for you, as if perhaps last month helped you face up to some things that seemed so scary and you saw a way to cope with them or to change your thoughts to support you rather than attack you.
It is certainly the month to make the most of life – the phrase ‘life is short’ is important to contemplate because it can release us from silly judgments and worries and free us up to appreciate everything that is present, especially the people we love. Get in touch with some of your most supportive friends, feel free to share if you need to but make sure to honour the art of giving and receiving and check in that they are okay too. I feel that everyone needs a bit of a boost right now, and we can all play our part.
On a final note, take some time to sit and soak up how amazing you are. Sometimes you forget to do this, and now is a great time for personal gratitude. You are AWESOME, so deal with it!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Gemini / Gemini Rising – The Chariot
Yep, you are still in a time of change! So release any pressure from yourself to be feeling super grounded and relaxed. It’s okay! Life is going ahead, it’s likely that this month brings together the results of things that you have been building up to or working on this year so far – and this is good news. It is only difficult if you lay back and forget to participate, so hold on and remember to fully engage. The lessons are all in the balance. If you can work out how to care for yourself and be respectful of your adventure then you will be just fine.
Last month things may have felt a little more out of control, so you’ll be pleased to know that this month some of the movement is based on your own will and power! At the forefront is a call for you to slow yourself down to a step-by-step process, so that the mists clear and things make more sense. I feel that there have been a lot of external opinions recently, advice from here, there and everywhere, and with that it’s easy to feel lost.
In order to emerge from this wind tunnel you have to be working with your ‘will’ and not your ‘won’t.’ This means it’s time to let go of the stubborn part of yourself that says you ‘can’t’ change or ‘things will always be like this.’ It is a call to be more expansive and allow yourself to evolve into a better stage of your life. Don’t be afraid because life is supposed to move forward, you are supposed to constantly shift, and now it’s time to go for it!
Think of all the ways you can be proactive this month. How can you take charge of your health and well being in new way? What bigger part can you play in wanting to feel good? What can you change about your inner dialogue to make your mind more manageable? What would you like to leave behind as you move onwards? It’s important to post yourself these kinds of questions often, but also to give them to yourself pressure free. This isn’t about restrictive disciplines, but about wanting to honour the life you have been given.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer Rising – The Page of Swords
You are navigating through the same waters as last month, which is all about your own personal power and inner truths. I feel some of you have probably seen things change already and are enjoying how much more empowered it feels to be making choices from a place that feels good. As you move through September, there is a call to really stay aligned to your own clarity and wisdom, especially with a lot of opinions from others forming around you. Stay true to yourself and try to not detour into fear or be swayed by trying to do things from an external ‘I should’ kind of space.
There may be lots of gossip in your midst, and so follow this simple rule: Drama doesn’t exist unless you participate in it. This is simple but it can be easy to be swayed, and again it is a call to stand in your own shoes. The reason it is so important to be embodied is that when you are fully connected to yourself you have the opportunity to see the lessons that the past is shouting out to you. I feel that you might have a few ‘ah-ha’ moments come riding in over the next few weeks, as you see how things link to each other and how you ended up standing right here.
I want you to also be proud of yourself this month as you move forwards, it feels like you are really stepping into a new cycle after a lot of ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ over the year so far. You are aware that you had lessons that needed to be learned and now you are ready to really play your own cards and continue to discover what is hidden within you. It can be difficult to stand fully in our own power – in fact it’s one of life’s lessons to really go for it and not be afraid of what others might say or what might happen if you really shine.
If you stay connected to your mind, body and spirit then you can always bring forth the highest part of yourself, and with that are then able to see the lightest and brightest path ahead. You are still evolving, so don’t expect yourself to ‘know everything’ – we are always supposed to be learning, teaching and sharing. So pat yourself on the back and keep on walking.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Leo / Leo Rising – The Ace of Pentacles
What a perfectly smooth transition from last month – that question of how you were going to further your own experience is perfectly complemented by this month’s card, which signals new beginnings and bright opportunities.
So I’d like to talk to you about how you decide which options to pick and how to make the decision that’s best for you. This is all about respecting a desire to feel good and experience joy – it’s not about beating others or being directed by your ego’s fears. Lucky you if you have a huge selection of options or ideas in front of you, but it can still be overwhelming. So scale yourself back to a pressure free zone and begin from considering what you desire right now. We are dealing with what you want to experience on this earthly plane, so yes we can cover career, but really this is more about your experience on earth itself and what you would like to learn and discover.
I feel over the next few weeks you are going to have the opportunity for many fresh starts, some of which may already have been creeping in like new relationships and friendships. This is an empowering energy and so I want you to be very active in directing yourself and exploring your own internal and external landscape. Think of every day as a clear canvas to start creating from. This is not a time to ignore your own ideas or sideline passion projects, in fact it’s actually a great time to bring back to the table an old idea that got left behind. Expect the unexpected and be open to taking what feel like unusual opportunities. Just know that if something feels right, then it could be just the opportunity you needed.
Finally, there is no need to be afraid of a fresh start. The unknown is merely something that you aren’t familiar with…yet. It is not a place to fear, and your perspective can be shifted by thinking of everything as potentially exciting, rather than fearful. Consider how the sun sets and rises every day but the light and patterns from the clouds in the sky are always slightly different: the scene is always the same, but different.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
I love to chat with you about your ‘scopes and how your month is going, so find me on Twitter and Instagram @louniverse and at Facebook/louiseandrolia
Leo / Leo Rising – The Ten of Pentacles
Happy Birthday, sweet beast! So you’re about ready for a switch up. Something’s got to give, something’s got to go and you need to reshuffle yourself back into your home zone – it’s time to step it up. What does that mean to you? I’m talking about upping your game. Is there a wobble of anxiety or a fear of failure that comes with that idea, to go bigger, to be greater, to feel better? I want you to approach your nerves this month with a shift in perspective, and turn that wobble into a wave of excitement – an unapologetic urge to keep seeking what lights you up and ways to brighten your experience.
For those of you feeling stuck somewhere that you don’t want to be, then now is the time to believe in change and know that you are allowed to pull things apart and put them back together again. In fact, your inner soul is calling out for you to do exactly this. You aren’t here on this planet to be hiding from the things you feel the urge to dream up and pursue.
It’s human nature to find a comfortable seat in an uncomfortable space – and you know what that looks like, right? But when I talk about upping your game, it’s about stepping out of your comfort zone, knowing there is something more for you to reach for. So the message this month is simple – it’s time to honor that emotion. Change is good, and it’s even better when you bring it in yourself.
If you’ve been struggling against the tide and are feeling a little on the edge of a victim mentality, it’s okay. We all quite frequently want to wave our hands in the air and go, ‘wait ARE YOU SERIOUS?!’ So over the next few weeks, just check in with yourself, all the time. Maybe you’ll see where it feels like you’re erring slightly off course – and be able to ask yourself, have you been stopped in your tracks on purpose? Perhaps this is your chance to carve out a new space for yourself, a better space.
Finally, the art of sharing is important this month. Your story is what makes you unique, so yes, keep something for yourself. But also recognize that you might experience the most healing when you allow yourself to be vulnerable to the influence of others. Writing will be on your side too, so get up every day and journal, or ‘brain vomit’ as I like to call it! Let your subconscious spill onto the pages. You might just find the answers you’ve been looking for.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Virgo / Virgo Rising – The Two of Wands
Hey traveller. You really have been all over the place recently, physically and emotionally, quite the adventurer. You kind of get a kick out of it but there is definitely an inner yearning for some boring old peace and quite now! I can’t promise that, but I can remind you how to check in on your journey and how to thrive while moving at super speed.
Even when you’re up to your eyeballs with work and general overload it’s important to find a way to carve out a space to breathe. And yes, conscious breathing itself is an awesome practice, but when I say breathe I really mean just make some space for nothingness. Like full on nada, zilch, nothing at all. Lying on your carpet staring at the ceiling. You want to always have a corner of your internal white board sparkling clean and free. Why? Because otherwise how are you ever going to see your way out of a problem or expand yourself to your next power zone!
So yeah, let’s take a look at what you’re manifesting – that old trick, what does the word even mean to you? I feel it gets thrown around a little too casually these days, and we can harness it much more elegantly I think. You are filled with ideas, I know you are, so think what the patch of land you are building on looks like at the moment. Groundwork means literally securing a safe and impassioned space to build something from, so do a quick rec and check your balance. Are your actions fully aligned with your highest truth and best intentions? Which idea feels the best to you? Which idea holds the least amount of fear and ego driven ‘what ifs’?
It feels to me like you are about to shift into a new perspective around a career and passion project or situation. You may be letting something go (woo hoo) or feeling your way around a familiar scene and wondering how to pep it up. Try not to be too frantic for change; there is a sense of easing your way in that will help you over the coming weeks. Avoid panicking and remember to be grateful for having got yourself to this place. You are exactly where you should be, so stand proud and tall and just take one step.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra Rising – Five of Cups
Did you feel some changes or shifts last month? That Judgement card is such a calling to rise up that it can often bring in a wobble via the Universe, with the intent of shooting you off in a new direction. Unfortunately when that happens we often have no idea why we’ve been shoved over. You want to get up and march on, full of empowerment, but aren’t quite sure what the purpose of it all is.
So this month I want you to try and see where you feel like you’ve been let down or knocked about a bit. Is there a point right now, perhaps in a shift in career or relationship focus, where you feel a bit like ‘um, well what was the point of that?’ It’s easy to feel that life has tipped you up and wonder where the hope is.
But I want you to not feel like you’ve taken any steps backwards, or are slipping back into a role from the past you didn’t really like. Each day is always a new start, and the past is never a blueprint for your future. Feelings of loss and disappointment are supposed to feel uneasy, so make sure that if you are feeling a wobble that you sit down and feel those feelings. Or write it out to get out your anxieties out of your mind and body – you don’t need to be pacing round having debates with your own ego mind, so speak, shout, announce your fears, and they won’t seem nearly so overpowering.
Then it’s time to have a think about what the redirection might be. Usually when we feel a bit lost, it’s because a pause in energy is offering us a moment to recalibrate. In order to do that you must think about how you are connected right now and if something needs to be shifted, or maybe the ways in which you aren’t connected to your experience at all.
Take some time this month to try and align yourself with your spirit – which really just means giving time to your passions and remembering why you are you. What makes you feel ‘in your skin’? What projects have you hidden in the shadows because you think you ‘should’ do something else? How have you been holding your true spirit back in your relationships or friendships? Ask your soul self the questions and be brave enough to take steps from the answers that you hear.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio Rising – The Princess of Wands
You’re back on the manifesting train again, hopefully because you have some of your fire back now that Mars has moved into your sign. Do you feel ready to move? The great thing about the energy for you this month is that it’s a wonderful combination of desire and action. You know there’s no point in dallying around, and if you actually want to see things change and move onwards then you need to put in the work. I’m not so much cracking the whip here but more encouraging you to make plans and stick to them!
Everything that you want needs a space to grow from, so this month is the perfect time to be reshuffling and making space. If you are planning to move house then it’s time to get ready. Clean up in your current situation – what bills need paying, and what old belongings could you sell or donate? Get your energy ready to shift and then when the time comes, you’ll be ready. It’s essentially a process of making things easier for yourself. Instead of being so super active and quite the procrastinator, let’s go with the super powered Scorpio energy this month ok?
So think; what isn’t working right now? And how can you shake up your structure so that you regain a sense of flow? It can be easy to tune too much into the ‘I cant’s’ or ‘why is this happening’ moments, when what you need to do is at least embrace the option of expansion to see your way through a challenge. It might be as small as just saying to yourself; ‘I know there is a more expansive way of viewing this today.’ It’s time to see where you are in your own way, step back and take a look from a new viewpoint. From a different perspective, it may be obvious what you need to move in order to make space.
Over the next few weeks practice the ultimate manifesting practice. I believe it goes like this: Intention – What are you aiming for? What do you want to feel like? How can you honor your journey more? Then, Action – Make moves in the direction of your dreams, practical measures. Finally – Surrender rather than obsess. Keep everything in the day and work moment by moment and see how things suddenly seem to weave themselves together.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – The Princess of Swords
In what ways are you not connected to your inner truth right now? I’m feeling as though you’ve allowed your own personal power to slip to the sidelines. This may have manifested in a variety of ways – a dip in confidence perhaps? Are you finding yourself more judgmental of yourself and others recently? Feeling neglected by life? There is a need for you to recalibrate your inner strength this month – and not in the way that you might usually go about it.
There is often a tendency to just ‘pull yourself together’, stand up put on a brave face and say you are fine. Sure that does work, but it’s not addressing what’s at the heart of the matter, and doesn’t really nurture your whole self. I want you to go within, big time! This is about upping your relationship with your inner soul system and choosing not to ignore your gut.
I’m often wary of using that word – ‘gut’ – because sometimes the ego likes to join that party. I want you to start to focus with on just checking in with how you feel and how your body feels. Notice what or whom you feel you are pulling away from and start to think about why. If you find yourself with all sorts of ideas and opinions about other people, remember that everyone is a mirror.
If you are speaking negatively about someone then it’s going to be pulling something out that you’re actually feeling about yourself. It’s a good month to do some autonomous writing; open up a notepad and just brain spill out on to the page. You might discover that it’s your own inner dialogue towards yourself that needs clarifying and brightening in order for the world to seem a little less cold.
So back to your own sense of empowerment; check in with how much you’ve been taking on that you haven’t really felt connected to or inspired by. Quite a few things maybe? Being spiritual means quite simply, ‘to honour your spirit.’ So how can you do that over the next few weeks? Go back to basics and connect to your passions and interests and allow that to boost your inner strength. With this in line it’s a lot easier to step into your power, own your experience, feel less threatened and ultimately, have more fun!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – The Seven of Swords
Last month I encouraged you to allow some stillness and take some rest – with that, I feel that you may be facing up to some old fears surrounding issues of trust. I want to talk about how much you trust yourself right now and how much you have faith in your journey, because I feel that you could be feeling a little lost. It’s almost as if you don’t trust in your own viewpoint or knowledge, and that often comes in when we have disconnected from our mind and body.
You have had a busy stretch of year and a lot of climbing uphill, not to mention a lot of trying to please others going on. This is draining and it translates into a lack of confidence so easily. The thing is, you are no less brilliant than you have ever been, you haven’t lost your personal power but you may have left it on a shelf somewhere out of reach.
I’d like you to try to reconnect to your feelings of potential, remember what your hopes are, and remember what makes you feel good. Stop trying to be something for everyone else. If you are connected and aligned with your self fully then everything around you will sit better – work, friendships, health and relationships. It’s time to reclaim your power and your personality, no one can take these things from you but it’s easy to give them away or forget they are yours in the first place. You might be feeling wary of who to trust right now, or how to make a decision – perhaps you’re worried about making the wrong choice somewhere along the line? Again, this is only a reflection of the state your inner system is in, so consciously choosing to have faith in your own steps will help you to find your balance in the external world.
You’re not here to play small, hide behind yourself or to not participate in your adventure. Take note of anywhere you are sidelining and reel yourself back in. Have you been looking after your body? Have you been listening to your intuition? Have you been honoring your passions? Make some plans to get connected, sit still and listen to what is going on – if you are jittery and don’t want to be by yourself then keep sitting. Get comfortable in your own uncomfortable, it’s time to check back in.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – The Prince of Cups
How committed are you feeling right now? Across the board; what are you inching yourself away from? Where are you hiding? What are you missing? In order to experience the changes that you wish to see you must get present with the fears that these questions unearth within you. If you feel unable to commit to something or someone there is a need to go deeper and work out why, because it’s not about what’s happening externally – it’s all about you.
You are head first in your journey right now, which is why I want to make sure you are wide-awake. It’s easy to think that life is passing you by, but this only happens if you aren’t present for the experience, or aren’t actively invested in the adventure. Being a dreamer is wonderful, but you need some action in there too, otherwise it all gets a bit never-never land and you can feel let down and lost. So it’s time to really sink your teeth in and be ready to really feel everything, and maybe that will include having to feel the negative or sad feelings that you don’t want to. But it’s okay. You are on your way to a new sense of material and spiritual balance so you need to attend to both.
On the spiritual side, getting seriously connected to your spirit is easier than you think – it really just requires you to be respectful of your own passions and take note of your feelings. Try not to block yourself in with ‘I shoulds’ and ‘I cant’s’. Instead, remind yourself of your potential and of what you have overcome in the past. In the material world check in with how fulfilled you are at work and in your relationships. Is there a spark of excitement for something of someone that you haven’t really even addressed?
Romantically this is essential, to be honest with your own feelings and not be scared of failing, not hide in your shadows because of a fear of rejection. The more you are in your own body and truth the brighter you appear. Don’t be afraid of being vulnerable; shift your strength to an attitude of just trying. Life is happening, your life is happening, all you need to do is show up.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces Rising – The Three of Pentacles
Oh hey over there Pisces, rise and shine! You’ve been through the mill this year, but then again that’s often what being a Pisces is all about – you soak up everything and yet you know everything, so it’s a back and forth shift between feeling overwhelmed and super powered. Keep reaching for the latter.
So on we go. This month is all about the rotation of learning and teaching. You are talented, you have talents and you have passions, many more than many people, and it’s essential you recognize them now. I believe it is our duty to share our spirit with others, because it helps them get more spirited themselves, and we do this via sharing skills and sharing knowledge. You are being called to rise up and accept master status of your own life, okay?
Yep, that means hatching a new plan for the next few months, and you don’t have to do it alone. You see the great thing about being so creative or just having so many ideas is that you can let your energy be fuelled up in the positive way by collaborating with others and simply asking for help. It is essential for you to recharge alone, but you know there is a fine line between alone and lonely, or just plain isolation. When you’re home alone, it can feel like you aren’t being appreciated by the outside world, which in turn makes you want to retreat an hide. But it’s actually time to step out. So tame the ego part of the inner dialogue that wants to be recognized. Simply make it your intention to share, and it’s from here that you might receive the respect that you are hoping for.
You’re also in a fine position to be laying foundations for what’s to come – and lifting out of a bit of a low period. Actually we all are, it’s been an odd year so far. So allow yourself to shake it out and shake it off a little, and choose to believe in yourself and your potential to get up and do what you want to do. Just recognize that opportunities don’t always appear in the form that you want or expect them to, and that to receive the best you need to think and be as expansive as possible. Be wide-awake and ready.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries Rising – The Emperor
After last month’s spin of the wheel do you have a little more of a sense of direction when it comes to where you’re going or what you want? Either way, this month is going to crack the whip on you and get you further into the driving seat. Whenever this card comes up we really need to respect order, discipline and prepare to work with the divine masculine!
Whaaat, how do we do that? Okay, so this card is basically pure Mars energy. Your ruler, Mars is the planet that governs our impulses, passions, sex-drive, and all things action oriented; it’s your truest source of power. Mars has just moved into Scorpio, a sign it also has great affinity with, and so it’s likely that you (who is always at the forefront) have a bunch of things you just want to get done. Now.
So, have a think about how you can set the pace in a way which is a) Going to be productive and b) Not going to burn you out and blast you to the floor. I think you can channel this masculine Mars power into a force of protection for your material and spiritual health. It’s time to step up and be strict, but not in the boring overpowering (Saturn) way, but by doing what you do best – channeling your stubbornness into a super power. I know you can get behind this. So I want you to be hell bent on being good to yourself, on nurturing your journey and devoting time to what feels good. You are also going to tap yourself on the shoulder and say ‘get on with it’ and not listen to your fears and their limiting ideas.
Procrastination, after all is just a fear of change and the unknown, it’s a fear of failure and of success. The reason we hold back from pursuing what we want is because we sure as hell don’t know what it will look like when we get it. Scary! But you know what, maybe things will turn out even better than you hoped? Standing in the background just wishing or waiting won’t ever bring the results that you’ve come to desire and respect. So preserve and respect your life force by making the most of it. Get things in order, clear your office, clean up your inner dialogue and blast away any negative energy you’ve been carrying around. Get to it.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Devil
This card is moving through the zodiac in my readings here, and it’s easy to see and go ‘uh oh… what does THAT mean?’ But it only ever highlights something that we are completely and utterly aware of. Yes, The Devil brings in our fears and our temptations, but with that a great opportunity to face them. I like to laugh at my own fears and their tiny ideas. I like to hang out in their company and choose not listen to them. I like to walk up to them in the street and say ‘hey,’ but not stay to chat.
You see the thing with fear, it’s always around. It’s an everyday thing, but we tend to give too much energy to it. We use fear like a swimming pool and dive in and let it wash over and under us. It’s so easy to fall in the pool and it’s terribly difficult to climb out.
So this month I want you to practice just listening to what the fears that come up are, then sitting with them, not running in the opposite direction or trying to fight them, but just being present with them. Now have a look at what your go to temptations are. It might be certain thought patterns, a habit you repeat or something negative you indulge in. Look at any addictive or obsessive tendencies and be present with them and try and not judge yourself. To overcome the parts of us that we perceive to be the darkest we have to shine light on them and, actually, love them. None of us are without our demons.
The thing about our own Devil is that he gets in the way, distracts us from our better path and highest self and detours us towards fear. Your job this month is to note where you are switching direction and try and liberate yourself. Sit with the word ‘freedom’ and see what it means to you. What would be mean to be able to untie your own bound up self? Remind yourself that you aren’t a slave or a victim to yourself or anything and your intention to be well and kind to yourself is everything. Ultimately this month, be considerate to yourself, know that anxiety and stress are normal, you are not broken, and there is nothing ‘wrong’ with you. Allow yourself to feel free.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Gemini / Gemini Rising – The Wheel of Fortune
Like many of us you are in a period of change, and over the next few weeks you might get a little bit more in touch with where you cycle is spinning. You of all signs can often caught up in the whirlwind, and can either be flying high or feeling utterly overwhelmed. It’s time to make the choice to really balance out a bit. This can be done via feeling your way through life a little more. Instead of wanting to know what everything ‘means’ just focus on how you are feeling about every situation that is coming your way, the highs and the lows.
Last month I was encouraging you to expand yourself into a more magical state of mind, and this is an attitude you can hold onto as a permanent part of your mindset. Now, you are called to participate in your adventure even more so, and to really welcome in the change and shifts that you are a part of. I feel you’ve reached a turning point, and you will soon know exactly where you are at. This might relate to something obvious, like a new job opportunity or moving house, or something subtler like a shift within your mind or body. When the wheel starts spinning it is always stressful – so know that, and don’t expect yourself to be feeling relaxed and chilled out during these stops and starts. Be kind to yourself and just be present with it all.
On the empowerment side of things, where are you placing your energy? And where are you placing your will? Beware of sidelining and getting caught up in bells and whistles, false promises or your own ‘shoulds’ and ‘coulds.’ Remember that Destiny is only your partner in crime, and that you do get a say in things. Try to not resist change, and remember that good change still feels strange because it still ushers in the unknown – and that this is okay too. We don’t want to stay wrapped up in situations that aren’t good for us, just because we’re comfortable and familiar with how they feel.
Finally, don’t fret if things aren’t moving at the speed that you’d like them to. Amp up your intentions and put in some actions, then allow the Universe to give a helping hand. It’s all feeling a little mysterious but clear skies and clarity are en route.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer Rising – The Ace of Swords
This month is all about clarity and pulling yourself together so that you can really feel good. It’s likely that the last month was quite active with ideas and creativity and now all that air activity is bringing forth the best your mind has got! I believe in the power of just one thought. Once we go beyond that we can dive into fear and anxiety territory – a.k.a. overwhelm. But sense of clarity that comes when you pair your intuition with your intelligence in one pure thought is empowering and exciting. Is that what you’re seeking right now?
To find these moments of empowerment we need to work on our own sense of trust. After all, how will you know when you know if you don’t trust yourself enough to believe the guidance that comes from within? I’d like you to set aside at least five minutes each day to sit and listen to your inner dialogue, to be quiet and to give yourself space. Yes, it’s what some people call meditation, but it’s also whatever you want it to be. You can’t do this wrong, but I can’t guarantee it will be comfortable. Sometimes our sharpest insights come from sitting and feeling fidgety and feeling uncomfortable. So sit down with questions and intentions.
What are the areas of your life that you need clarity on? I feel for some of you there are shifts in career and feelings of self worth, so you may need to sit down and summon some self-confidence in, to remind you that you can trust in the changes you are bringing in. For relationships it’s time to listen to your own truths. Are you on equal ground? Is there a proper balance happening? Do you feel you are giving some of your power away? Asking yourself questions is a powerful way to reclaim your present moment and the strength to make decisions.
Notice if you are using the dreaded ‘should’ word and experiment with shifting your dialogue to something more expansive, something that embraces possibility and opportunity. Keep connecting your thoughts with your feelings, and watch how your body always responds positively in a moment of truth. We often refer to epiphanies as only happening once in a while, but when you are truly aligned in your holistic self then all thoughts can be this powerful.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Guru Jagat is the outspoken face behind the Ra Ma Institute, the only all kundalini yoga studio in California’s Venice Beach. She talks to Madeline Giles about her vision for the Age of Aquarius, life on the 33rd parallel and outsmarting the Global Elite. Conspiracy theories or conscious debate? You decide… Images: Lisandra Vazquez
I moved to Venice Beach from Brooklyn on December 30, 2013 – and by January 7, three people had already mentioned Guru Jagat to me. I learned she founded and taught at Ra Ma Yoga Institute, the only all-kundalini yoga studio in Venice. Since I a) loved kundalini yoga (I practiced in New York, but not consistently) and b) operate by the rule of three – meaning if I hear something mentioned three times or more, I take it as a Divine directive to do it – I went to her class as soon as I could.
Guru Jagat begins each class with a 20-minute lecture seated in front of Ra Ma’s 60-inch gong (which was initially made for Van Halen). Whether she’s talking about astrology, her most recent meditative conversation with a Pleiadian priest, the influence of the Global Elite, the Piscean Age vs. the Aquarian Age or her all-white, probably vintage, always amazing attire – I always find myself laughing (she’s really funny!) and learning SO much.
I adore Guru Jagat because she isn’t afraid to talk about things most people disregard – and I, for one, want to hear all about how that one Lady Gaga song is actually a mantra used to control the masses (more on that in the Q&A below). Yet beyond that, and perhaps more importantly, she has an incredibly ability to make people feel like they belong.
I’ve experienced this firsthand several times since first stepping into Ra Ma a few months ago. In class, Guru Jagat acknowledges and personally welcomes all her students, whether they are first-timers or regulars. She offers a free dinner after Sunday night class, free daily Sadhana, endless amazing events, specific classes and workshops based on the planetary cycles, and magical, high-vibe mantra music via Ra Ma Records (she sings, too!). To me, Guru Jagat is a true embodiment of what it means to thrive as a magical person in a modern world.
In a world where many spiritual teachers (not that Guru Jagat would ever call herself that) walk their talk solely on social media and stage, Guru Jagat is setting a new example. She’s devoted to her students’ growth whether or not the livestream camera is on, and it’s a palpable aspect of her presence. If you’re unable to make it to Ra Ma in person, I highly recommend experiencing her classes online via Ra Ma TV.
Tell us about your journey into kundalini yoga. How did you become this cosmic warrior queen of Earth? “Well, I’ll tell you…I had studied with the Osho people, the Encounter groups – I was doing the New Age circuit, yet when I walked into my first kundalini yoga class, I felt a massive opening of my crown chakra. New Age savvy as I was, I didn’t know what was going on. I later learned that’s not an uncommon experience for first-timers – the kundalini energy moves up the spine and that pressure opens up the crown chakra, which attributes to elevating your consciousness. I was lucky enough to be around when Yogi Bhajan was still alive, and I got major transmissions from that by studying with him in New Mexico as much as possible before he passed away. I’ve been trailblazing the forefront of the kundalini revolution since.
What do find most valuable about the kundalini yoga teachings? Kundalini yoga is so accessible to anybody. It literally has more mass appeal than any other type of yoga, because anybody can do it – and by that I mean people in peak physical condition all the way to paraplegics can do some form of the yoga. This (points to turban) has kind of kept people from it, but at Ra Ma we’re working to debunk it without watering it down or apologizing.
That’s what I love about your classes. They’re so unique without comprising the integrity of the teachings, plus you lecture on subject matters that most people choose not to acknowledge – like the concept of the Global Elite… “A bunch of people are joking that they’re going to take my quote and make it into a t-shirt, which is: “If the Illuminati can do it, we can do it!” It would be an amazing t-shirt! Basically, the whole Aquarian Age – this age of consciousness – is about taking our power back. The Global Elite know how to use the lunar cycles, the astrological phenomenons and the grid of the planet (latitude and longitude substantiates the grid). That’s their specialty, and they’ve used it in a certain way – and now, the Aquarian Age is about the masses accessing all that power and using it in a light way. The Age we just came from was all about the Elite having the power to control the masses, but now, thanks to the Internet, there are no secrets. Now the masses have the opportunity, and kundalini yoga helps people access this power and use it to evolve consciousness.”
You’ve mentioned in class about Ra Ma needing to be situated in a certain location so it can be on the 33rd parallel. Can you speak a bit more about that? “Venice Beach is situated on the 33rd longitude degree, which also goes through all these other occult places on the planet. Kennedy was assassinated on the 33rd parallel, Yogi Bhajan’s yoga school in Florida is situated on it, and in the 2004 election the night before the debate, it made national news that Bush chose to spend the day in the middle of a Florida field with 40 farmers, while Kerry was touring around the major cities of Florida. Even the newscasters were like; “what is Bush doing?” Basically, he was specifically put on the 33rd parallel to soak up the energy – but that’s another story! Anytime you get the number 33, you’re working in the sixth dimension of reality – it’s a power place, a vortex. Yogi Bhajan told me when he was still alive that [my yoga studio] had to be between certain blocks on Lincoln Blvd. [in Venice] – and as particularly close to Rose Ave. as I could get it. If we were north of Rose, we would be on the 34th parallel, so it literally had to be here.”
What are your thoughts on people who dismiss things like this as conspiracy theory? “Kundalini is the yoga of awareness, so practicing it we become aware of this information. It’s about what we do with it that matters. If you want to put yourself on this frequency, you actually see that the whole world is conspiring for your greatest good, and once you activate your brain centers in a certain way – at a certain vibrational frequency – you can’t go back to sleep. For lack of a better metaphor, once you go in and say, “I’m an addict” or “I’m an alcoholic,” you’ll never be able to go and use again the way you used to. I feel that a lot of the conspiracy theory rabbit holes are being used for fear mongering and money making, however, and that’s obviously not what we’re about.”
What is your vision for a society that fully integrates the teachings and energy of the Aquarian Age? “In the vision of the Aquarian Age, there’s enough for everybody and the reason we’re here is to serve others. Our [collective] vow is to be actively and generously giving our gifts to the world and each other, and so everything we do becomes a creative and manifesting act. That sounds very utopian on some level, but it’s also very ordinary. In the Piscean Age, everything was compartmentalized. People said things like; “this is my yoga practice and then I go do whatever I do” – which was usually not in alignment with the yoga practice. Everything had a split and a chasm and a compartment. In the Aquarian Age, everything is integrated seamlessly.”
“My vision and my interpretation of Yogi Bhajan’s vision is that we are integrating all the activities of our regular, ordinary, householder lives into very extraordinary, spiritually connected experiences. Meaning that every moment, everything that we’re doing throughout the day – working, picking up kids, doing schoolwork or whatever we’re doing – we’re actively bringing elegance to the moment. It sounds poetic, but the actual practice is very intensive. It’s meditation in action. From that space, the more we are able to experience glimpses of inner peace, the more the world is going to experience glimpses of world peace. It’s totally and completely related.”
With all the changes happening in the world, how can we adjust? Especially for people who aren’t open to practicing kundalini yoga? “The sound current and the breath creates a buffer, and in this technology we believe the sound current puts you at a certain frequency that then determines who you meet and who you don’t meet. Like frequencies are going to attract each other, so the more developed your frequency, the more sophisticated the interactions and opportunities that come your way are going to be. That’s why we’re focused on getting our songs and mantras out on Ra Ma Records. So many people are listening to my songs that would never go to a yoga class, but they’re getting an infusion of energy. Same thing with Ra Ma TV. I’ve gotten an overwhelming amount of emails and messages around the fact that people are having their parents or sisters or brothers or kids listen to my lectures. They’re not doing the yoga, they’re just watching the class, and they’re getting a transmission of energy through the sound current of my voice.”
Which is kind of amazing… “We kind of downplay Ra Ma records and say, oh it’s just this fun little project – but it’s one of the most important things we’re doing. The songs on Ra Ma Records Volume 2 (released this past summer solstice) are all crossover tracks. Every single one could be played on the radio, and it’s going to happen. The thing is, the Global Elite also know how to use rhythm and sound to control the masses. It’s no coincidence that nobody knows any of the words from Lady Gaga’s biggest hit except for; “ra ra ra ma ma, ra ra ra ma ma” – it’s a mantra. So, if they can do it, we can do it!”
Check out Guru Jagat’s classes from anywhere in the world via Ra Ma TV. For a full schedule of classes at the Venice beach studio click here.
And just like that Mercury is on the move again – so for any of you who’ve been waving your fists in the air, expect normal service to resume. I hope you don’t have too much cleaning up to do! In contrast, I feel that July will bring action, movement, force and vigor. The waiting and surrendering seems to be dissolving, the picture sharpening, as life gets just a little clearer. And so we prepare to gallop on ahead. I’m all in, are you?
I love to chat with you about your scopes and how your month is going so find me on Twitter and Instagram @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer Rising – King of Wands
Happy Birthday month, sweet Cancerian friends. July is waiting for you to take it by the hand and go off and adventure. You’ve been clearing space and there is now an almost overwhelming pull from within you to tap back into your own creative self. In recent months there may have been more material world ins and outs and ups and downs than your intuitive spirit could handle. Of course you could handle it, but you may have been feeling exhausted and off balance. It’s now time to reclaim your heartiest of hearts. Are you ready?
So, you’ve been letting go, surrendering and giving up what no longer works for you. Keep at it – we must remember that we are constantly in a cycle, preparing for the new and the better. In order to move forward you must have faith in your own ability to regenerate and step into you’re a-game. You know the place? The one where you have the wildest of ideas and the will to follow them through? That is where you’re moving your bags to, that room of wonder and weird and joy. It’s time to place some intentions and interest in doing what makes you feel good, what makes you feel inspired and alive. In fact, focus on that this month – FEELING ALIVE. What turns you on? Who lights you up? How do you tune into your own inner light? These aren’t always the easiest questions to answer but it’s fun trying.
Your ability to ‘have it all’ is boosted right now. So what does that mean to you? I like to think this means bathing in what we have while striving for what we feel is for our highest good. It’s not about piling everything back into this space you’ve created and then mirroring stress from times past – no, no, no. How about stepping into a newer and more confident you? Confidence is gained from feeling empowered. Empowerment is gained from being embodied. To get embodied you need to pay the upmost respect to your journey and your soul’s desire. Go in the direction of your biggest ideas, know that you can fulfill them, but don’t forget to balance the working hard with the feeling good. Self care can’t be put in the back seat any more, it must be prioritised in this day and age.
For inspiration, look to the dreamers and the entrepreneurs around you. Who do you know who is always stubborn about blazing their own path? These people are your guides this month and ultimately your mirrors too. When you see the stories that you want, know that they are also yours to claim. Finally, you will find love via lighting your own spark.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Leo / Leo Rising – The Five of Swords
As you approach your birthday, which is of course your own unique New Years day, it’s a good time to pull yourself together. I mean that in the kindest of ways – that it’s the right few weeks to revamp, re-camp and reset. I feel that you may have been a little energetically and emotionally scattered recently, perhaps from the push and pull of others’ opinions – words from all directions. It’s easy to kind of collapse into a less whole version of ourselves sometimes. However, your goal is to feel grounded and present within yourself, so it’s time to clean up!
When and where do you feel like a victim? Are you holding on to a circumstance and blaming someone or the Universe for ‘doing’ something to you? We all have these low points, where we feel so out of control that we kind of fall into the lap of our inner demons and let them start ruling the show. Your experience is yours to love and to embrace, to claim. This month, try to not be self-destructive just because it feels like an easy option. While a positive approach to a challenging situation can seem like impossibility, know that it’s a starting point for a miraculous change in perception.
If you’ve been suffering with low self esteem, again don’t be the victim or the bad guy in your own story – let this be your moment to foster a kinder approach to yourself. Speak to yourself with only your highest voice. You know that bashing yourself never leads to a great feeling of enlightenment so how about a gentle ‘It’s okay’, ‘you’re fine’ once in a while – fake it until you make it, as they say.
Remember that life isn’t a game of winning or losing; you don’t have to prove yourself to anyone or to yourself. Playing the game is about you feeling good, standing in your own shoes and embracing your own oddities and unique traits. Over the next few weeks sideline comparing yourself to others, or fighting to ‘be the best’ and focus on celebrating what makes you YOU. With this practice in place it will be easier to notice a sense of grounding and confidence coming back in, served with a smile, of course.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Virgo / Virgo Rising – The Five of Pentacles
Sometimes the Wheel of Fortune brings in shifts and changes, which is why I spoke with you last month about honoring the cycles of life and participating in your experience. Did you notice any shakeups? Often during a period of change it can be easy to get really locked into material world stressors in our day to day and veer away from nurturing our own downtime – which of course is exactly when we need it! Balance is no laughing matter. We need to place positive energy in all avenues of our adventure so that we feel the most empowered – and so that we can also laugh, because we are having so much fun!
With a fair amount of attention being placed on your career recently you may have dredged up a need for some serious spiritual downtime. There’s a fine line which often reveals itself during hectic busy times, when it’s easy to sometimes neglect your inner soul system because you’re feeling an external need to be ‘on top of everything’. Know that the finest practical moves come from having pure and clear clarity of thought – which is only achieved from being fully aligned with your highest self.
So this month honor your inner pilot light! It’s flickering and needing your attention – reconnect to your own divine self. How do you do that? This is a question only you can answer but I can tell you that it requires you to allow yourself some time to be still, reflect and just be. Even in the most hectic of days you can give yourself some moments. For a meditative journaling exercise, ask yourself; ‘In what areas do I feel like the alien or feel isolated? Are there are any parts of my highest good that I feel like I have abandoned?’
It may even be that you felt too emotional about a situation, and so cut yourself off from it. In these cases again, it’s about addressing the balance with some Earth energy, and celebrating your material world experience so that you can reconnect to your self-soothing spirit. As you respond to these inner calls you may notice that they reflect back some clarity into some of the challenges you see in the world around you. Repair within, thrive without.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra Rising – Judgement
I feel that you’ll notice the strongest shifts this month than you have for quite a while, and you’re ready. The energy that arrives for you is all about standing in your strongest self and highest source of light. I want to face the rest of the year in complete embodied empowerment. Wouldn’t you like to feel that too?
So where you do you see yourself? What are you walking towards? Where are you going? What are you feeling? Are you standing in your own shadow and playing small, or are you wide-eyed and open and ready? If parts of yourself feel uninspired or you notice in some situations that you aren’t quite ‘in it’, use these questions to help feel your way through anything else you need to let go of. When we move on from things that aren’t workable we just create new space for manifesting something better – and we all like the sound of that! I want to give you a nudge, because you may be wavering on the sidelines of a big decision or veering away from making a huge change because it seems scary. This is the time to stand up and be counted, and why not? You are good enough and you deserve to follow through with your biggest goals and dreams.
Instead of judging yourself with a negative perspective, try it from a positive viewpoint. This can be done by simply shifting your dialogue – for instance, if you hate your job, instead of getting down on your own abilities and losing self confidence the message may just be that it’s time to up your game and move to something that works for you. There is always a way to make an empowered move.
If your spirit feels like it’s flagging, then love it and love it and love it some more. Light yourself up in all the silliest ways that you know how. Write a letter to your life and ask for what you want, remembering that you are the co-creator of this amazing existence! Everything is aligning and you are always exactly where you are supposed to be. Choose to wear a pair of new lenses this month. Be willing to see everything in a new way and see what you can unearth.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio – The Nine of Cups
How do you feel about the term; ‘Be careful what you wish for?’ I don’t believe in bringing warnings into our daily practices but I do believe that we have strong energies within the words that we choose to use! And I use the word ‘choose’ here because being mindful of your voice is one of the fastest and most effective things you can use to change the experience that you’re having. This is a month for nurturing your words and your thoughts to not only to call in your dreams and desires, but also to honor and respect the decisions that you’ve been making. In a year of highs and lows and multiple surrenders, your highest self is now ready to celebrate YOU.
It’s also time to relax into this regenerated version of yourself in order for things to settle. To keep your energy clear, notice where you may be closing yourself in with your words, it’s easy to restrict our own flow sometimes purely by crowding ourselves out with a ‘can’t, won’t and what if’ mentality. Clean up your language inside and out to allow in limitless expansion.
Emotions and feelings are on the forefront over the next few weeks. You may be hovering between feeling overwhelmed and elated, so try to recognize that they are one and the same – a new rush of energy for you to direct as you like. Channel that downpour into your creative activities, whether they be exercise, art or a crazy wild passionate love affair. It feels to me like you’ve been restless and relentless waiting for something to move forwards, and it may just be that you’re pushing yourself out of habit. Know that a turn is coming and try not be mad that things aren’t always happening on your time frame – everything is actually exactly as it should be.
The word ‘glory’ is coming through for you right now, and so sit for a moment and have a ponder what that word means to you. I’d like you to be rejoicing in your own talents and achievements in equal measure, as well as being grateful for the opportunities you’ve been given and are about to receive. And so back to the phrase we began with. You are in a powerful month to see your biggest hopes play out in reality, so why not…make a wish?
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – The Magician
Following on from last month where I encouraged you to set your adventurous sights high, you now are moving to a place where you must stand strong and claim this story that you’re writing. Consider the word ‘fate’ and what it means to you – personally, I feel we must empower the word by acknowledging and acting as though we have a hand in everything we see. I wrote in your 2014 Tarotscope a mantra for you; ‘Destiny is my partner in crime’. Take this on board as your ruling truth this month as you step into a new sense of inner power.
Now, at this point I want you to keep your ego in check! Remember that by succeeding in your career or making breakthroughs from your challenges you have made a personal victory. By all means be grateful and remember that these experiences are given to you to share and help you on your journey, not to place yourself on a pedestal. You may indeed find that others are looking to you for advice this month on how you got where you are – so here’s a little reminder to be the teacher not the preacher.
If you are looking for ways to expand your skillset, then consider how you might be able to share a little further and wider – Is there a book waiting to be written or a workshop you want to create? Explore your potential, with respect and kindness. If you’ve been feeling scattered, then here come a few weeks to call back in your core passions, a time to remind yourself who you really are. Let loose any comparisons or jealousies towards others and embrace what makes you tick. Your life force is powerful beyond what you may realize, and it’s waiting for you to come out and dance. It’s not the time to play in your shadows.
Last month I wanted you to manifest and plan, and now it’s action time. It’s the time to “just do it’ – and you know exactly what ‘it’ is! As one of the Five Sutras for the Aquarian Age, Yogi Bajan taught us; “When the time is on you, start, and the pressure will be off.” This is your calling for July – it’s time to take that first step, knowing that you have all the resources that you need within you. Allow it and the path will form.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – The Four of Swords
I wasn’t surprised to see this card turn for you, as it sums up the past few months and cements all the lessons your journey has bestowed upon you. Last month we talked about balance and priorities, and over the next few weeks I feel that you’ll be settling into some new ways of thinking and I’m excited about this. The emphasis is still upon rest and regroup though – it’s like you’re in a masterclass for the art of getting comfortable with space and stillness!
So more of it, but this is also the card that always shouts out to me ‘the calm before the storm’. In other words, by no means freak out if things aren’t going to your time frame (aka full speed ahead!) and enjoy the mellow road because swift moves are soon to be upon you. You are essentially perfectly placed to be gathering your strength for new projects, swift communications and heart bursting adventures. Are you taking a vacation this summer? Even if you feel that you have ‘no time’ to, then remember that even one night away from home or out of your hectic comfort zone could be just the down time that you need. A lone retreat with your social media and computer switched firmly off can calm down the buzz and allow you to get some real sleep. Speaking of which, how is your sleep right now? That is the area I want you to nurture, so experiment with your pre-slumber routine and find out what suits you. I say this because I feel that any anxieties you have may be popping up at bedtime, or even in your dreams. Keep a notebook by your bed to jot down lingering thoughts and midnight epiphanies – those can be dealt with in the morning.
Now that we’re at the mid-year point you can also think of this month as time to look at your foundations. The ground you stand on, live on and walk on is your place for growth, comfort and grounding. How do you feel about where you stand? Always remind yourself of your journey and don’t waste your energy on anything less than the essentials. In areas where you just feel like giving up, consider, is ‘giving up’ actually just the surrender you need?
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – The Hermit
This is a fitting card for you to take on as a mentor, my Aquarian friends. How often do you choose to bash your self-confidence rather than acknowledge your own inner power? A few times recently, it feels. You’re a person of so much wisdom, and yet can hide from it or go easily against your own grain. Over the next few weeks it’s likely that you’ll be called upon to honor your highest self – a great lesson to learn and embody.
Independent confidence is benefitted from moments or periods of isolation, although it’s not about hiding away. Your right now is about appreciating the re-charge moments, and learning to love your own downtime because it can reconnect you to your inner guide and source energy. When you feel tired, you feel like you’ve been drained of life right? Your life source needs a recharge right now – but remember, the art of meditating, for instance, isn’t learning to block your thoughts it’s just opening up a space to stop and listen.
How can you alchemize the challenges that you are experiencing into wisdom to move forwards with? Try to not perceive everything as a block in front of you, even when, oh yes, it looks and feels like one. Is it simply a redirection towards a healing or a better experience? Often it is, but we have to have faith in that. So realign your belief in your journey, and how you want your story to play out. Then start with your inner dialogue – how are you speaking to and about yourself? Pep it up to the more empowered version – even if you feel like it’s a cheese fest write down some of the qualities that you love about yourself or what employers of partners may find attractive, then accept them as the truth. You are worth every moment of the experience you want to have.
Socially it might be that the next few weeks can teach you the power of the one-on-one and small group activities – you don’t always need to please and entertain everyone. A lesson in independence is to enjoy and thrive by yourself and with just that one person – for it is here that you can get comfortable with basking in your own light.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces Rising – The Devil
Oh boy, times of change just bring all the bubbles to the surface don’t they? The last four months have been a string of big events, full on wow experiences, ah ha moments and for some of you a feeling of crushing defeat. It’s like all the big guns have come to your party and this month it’s time to say hello to those that you didn’t invite!
The art of managing anxiety and fear is learning to get comfortable with your uncomfortable. I always say that fear should be treated like an acquaintance you see in the street – you must always say hello but not stop to chat. However it’s that saying hello part that’s the hardest, for it’s so much easier to run from the devil on your shoulder than allow him to sit beside you. Over the next few weeks start to practice welcoming your negative thoughts into your space and choose to learn to not be afraid of them. Think of fear as something that’s completely dissolvable and has no tangible roots. This is why, when you’re in a time of change (new job, new relationship, break up, house move, health issue and so on), fear rears up – because change also has no roots, you’re in the limbo zone. But hey guess what? It’s okay to not feel okay.
This is a time for action though – less of the hanging around and more of the full power ahead and I CAN DO IT attitude. If you feel stuck, then this is only highlighting where you feel restricted. These ties are like distractions, trying to lure you away from following your highest self and brightest path – so don’t fall for your own tricks. You know what they are.
You’ll feel so liberated the moment that you say ‘no more’, whether it’s to your limited mindset, a tendency to indulge in too much of what you don’t need, a decrepit old fear or an experience that isn’t serving you. It’s time to free yourself to do and be everything you’re afraid you can’t do or be. What if you can have everything you wish, and it’s just a matter of claiming and allowing it? Instead of overindulging in the old negative habits, use the positive aspect of your ego and stand in your own strength. Light up.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries Rising – The Wheel of Fortune
The perfect card for the mid-year point and the perfect card for you, the Astro leader. July throws you into a whole new cycle, are you ready? Um yeah of course you are, but I mean are you really on it? I say this with the nudge to honor the word new here – so how about this time you do things differently? Are you with me?
So, as you launch yourself into the next six months’ activitym then you at least want to start by feeling confident – so absolutely no playing the victim in your own adventure, okay? I feel you could find that you are very much becoming present with areas in your life where you like to play the saboteur – and let’s face it, we all do it. What are you not starting because you have placed a few too many ‘what ifs’ in the way? What limiting stories have you told yourself recently? Where do the ‘I cant’s’ lie for you? Do you feel like a part of you has been diluted somewhere and needs revving up? All of these questions are yours to sit with and choose to fuel your inner Fire. It’s you element after all.
I call on you to ask these questions because I feel that right now is the best time for you to be changing patterns; there is a sharp energy about you that brings with it the intent to shift! It’s sometimes easy you see to spin in our own circles and feel like that’s ‘just the way things are’, but who’s idea was that? Hell, who says you can’t just go out there and bring a new method to your very own personal brand of madness!
I love the idea that it’s your own life force and drive and desire that can spin your wheel to the next stage, bring in the change that you are ready for and help you shape the days ahead. I can never help but be cryptic with this card because I always see it kind of hovering above, just throwing questions at you and trying to force you to play your own game – a total tease in fact. So answer the questions you receive honestly, and just be ready, and above all, interested in the possibility of great fortunes ahead of you.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Queen of Cups
How was last month? Did you dive in and reclaim your life force? I hope so as July softens and brings forth more intuitive and emotional energy, and it’s time for you to get comfortable with that. The questions I want you to pose yourself for the next few weeks are; What needs to be nurtured? And where do I always put the most pressure on myself?
One of the quickest ways to check in with how you are speaking to and treating yourself is by checking whether you’d look after your nearest and dearest in the same way. I want you to nurture yourself the way that you would your most loved friend, your child or your partner. This is a self-soothing therapeutic practice for your soul – so go all in.
With all the connecting to your superpowers that’s been going on recently your intuition will be heightened, so take advantage of this by testing out your ‘going with your gut’ response – this is the quickest way to affirm that your actions are indeed on the money. I do have a feeling that you may be called up as a bit of a life coach for friends and family over the next few weeks, and perhaps this is why you want to be really in tune with your mind, body and spirit. If you’re not feeling up to scratch personally, then it will be easy to want to avoid others’ demands or get irritable when people ask for your time. You want to be able to be the sage advice giver and have equal time to yourself. If you feel at any point like you want everyone to just ‘go away’, it’s a swift kick in the backside from the Universe, to remind you to take some quiet time and support yourself first.
Career wise know that it’s okay to soften too, and let people know how you are feeling. Just because you know you’re good at what you do it doesn’t mean you have to manage it all by yourself. Being in touch with your emotions means getting comfortable with being vulnerable once in a while – and with that, there is wisdom to be gained. Show the real you, anxieties and all and you may suddenly receive exactly what you need.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Gemini / Gemini Rising – Page of Cups
Synchronicities and miracles, are you seeing them? This month I’d like you to continue on your journey of higher path exploration by merging your spiritual self with your material surroundings. It’s easy to believe they’re completely separate, but actually they’re one and the same. You are on a gentle adventure right about now, so try to avoid putting pressure on yourself to be anything but you and be anywhere but here. It’s a lovely few weeks to embrace all this is you and really practice following your own inner wisdom.
It can be quite a fun exercise to just see how easy it is to shape your own experience, especially when shifting your inner dialogue. Try and locate the areas where you are feeling stressed or anxious and decide now in this moment that you are going to be willing to perceive things in a new way. If you are truly ready to bring another option, idea or direction you will instantly open up to being able to really see it. I like to think of it as the spectacles that you choose to wear – so practice choosing to see through lenses crafted to reflect back your highest good. Do you see how with your own embodied choices in place, you can manage to feel full of personal power even when faced by a challenge?
Meanwhile, the energy around you is light and childlike. Remind yourself of what you loved to do when you were younger and carried less fear, and bring that into the now. You may want to retreat and spend time alone, working on sparking your own light, and that is great – any work that’s about nurturing your spirit and your wildest passions is time well spent.
And when you notice any weird moments or strange coincidences, then choose see them as a sign of you connecting to your highest self – then celebrate, and say thank you to your journey. Now choose to believe that it shouldn’t be unusual to connect to this place, in fact it should be the norm. Trusting your gut must be your first choice from now on. Allow your own feelings to be valid and important. Go within and listen, then take compassion-filled action – swoon on.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Last week’s New Moon in Cancer felt like a tipping point for some major personal transitions. And all because I womaned-up, learned to love my Moon and embraced my emotional body. By Ruby Warrington.
When I first met Marma Katie a few months back (as in Ayurvedic “marma” massage – she’s the go-to girl among my NYC Numis), she started telling me all about her Moon Puja. We were at the launch of Nadya Andreeva’s Happy Belly book, which felt like a fitting place for a discussion about an ancient spiritual fasting practice designed to support your mental and emotional balance, while also easing any issues with the digestive system (unsurprising that the emo Moon rules the gut).
The Puja, which is performed every Monday (yup, Moon-day), involves taking only clear or white liquids from sun up to sun down, at which point you chant your Moon mantra, light a candle and break the fast with a small white cookie, sweet or piece of cheese.
“It’s for anybody who’s Moon, or mother energy, is in a compromised position in their chart,” Katie explained. As the Moon also rules the feminine principal, “treating mainly women on a Monday, particularly mothers and grandmothers, has become part of my practise too,” she went on.
We didn’t go into the details of her Moon placement there and then, but obviously our conversation got me thinking about my Moon, which I’ve been feeling very tender towards lately – to the point that Moon signs have become my latest astro obsession.
Representing the mother, as well as our emotional body, my Cancer Moon sits directly square (challenges, tests, inhibits) my Sun, in my intense eighth house (death and rebirth, sex and money). Even more “compromising,” it’s in a tight aspect conjunct Saturn (self-sacrifice, patience, austerity). Poor little Moon! Um, perhaps the Monday Puja was for me too?
Turns out that in Vedic astrology (relevant because the Puja is an Ayurvedic practise) my Moon is in my ninth house, and is actually “very, very blessed” – this info via text from Marma Katie’s astrologer out in LA. “Your mom is kind of like your guru, though she’s very tough. She’s a truth teller. Not always fun, but at least you know where you stand,” he told me.
Uh…word. She’s also a Jungian psychotherapist, and so let’s just say that conversations can get pretty deep, pretty fast. There’s not a lot of space for small talk in our relationship (but hey, at least we know each other’s deepest, darkest insecurities).
So anyway, no Puja for me. I have to say I was a little bit disappointed, as I quite liked the idea of a diet of coconut water and cauliflower soup one day a week – plus I’d already been eyeing up this pearl ring, as you’re supposed to wear a piece of jewelry to rep the Moon energy too. But all my research has actually felt like part of an on-going process of getting to know my Moon, which has been a healing journey in itself.
I first began to understand my Cancer Moon on the Astro Twins’ Become Your Own Astrologer retreat last year. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which I interpreted as a double whammy of sensitive, watery, intuitive energy – and sitting right below disciplinarian Saturn, in that medieval eighth house, first I wanted to make it my scapegoat. “Moon, it’s your fault I get so insecure about money. Moon, it was you who let my first boyfriend use sex as a weapon of control. Moon, you’re the reason I have such an emotional digestive tract!”
But I quickly got over all that self-pitying bullshit, and realized I should actually welcome my emotionally empowered Moon as a soulful counterpoint to all the fire in my chart (Sag rising, Aries Sun and a Chinese Fire Dragon to boot). “Do you sing?” asked one of the other women on the retreat. Apparently all the divas – Mariah Carey, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin – are Aries with Cancer moon. In other words, walking egos with serious soul 😉
And actually, my first conscious effort to bring forth my Moon energy was an East Village karaoke session with the Twins soon after the retreat. Usually enough to bring on a mild anxiety attack at the mere thought, but surprisingly empowering in the moment.
Of course, with Saturn RIGHT THERE my hardest lessons happen to be where my Moon is (all the money stuff, the sex stuff, the personal power schtick). But I’ve also come to understand that she, along with my girl gang of incredible female friends, is there to nurture me through them. And that confronting my most emotionally painful, most basic truths (safe in the knowledge that my courageous Aries Sun is also right there by my side) is the fast track to some seriously high vibe eighth house transformations – not least when it comes to my relationship with my mother. It also makes sense that the energy surrounding last week’s New Moon in Cancer felt like a tipping point for many of these transitions.
So where’s the Moon in your chart? If living a richly textured life is about connecting mind (as I see it, your Sun), body (rising sign) and soul (the Moon), then embracing your Moon and all it has to teach about your emotional life is an essential part in bringing your whole self to the table – in life, in love, 24-7.
Once you’ve downloaded your personal birth chart, click here for a full interpretation of the Moon in each house.
King Neptune, planet of intuition, imagination and illusions, has begun its annual backward spin of the Zodiac. Ruby Warrington gets to grips with this elusive but powerful entity, and asks what this retro period will ask each sign to confront.
Neptune is the planet I find it hardest to get my head around – but then, that’s to be expected. Ruler of Pisces, Neptune is the dreamer and the empath of the cosmos, the planet ruling our imagination, our intuition and our ideals. One of the slower-moving celestial bodies (or “collective,” as their influence extends over generations), in the natal chart of anybody born between November 1970 to January 1984, and again briefly between June and November 1984, Neptune will be in Sagittarius, a sign where this deep-sea diver feels quite at home.
Sagittarius appreciates high ethics, prophetic thinking and spiritual seeking too, and has been working hand-in-hand with King Neptune to wire today’s thirty-something generation to idealize a broadening of our collective worldview. Welcome to the global village, baby, where the lure of escape into foreign cultures and spiritual codes is felt like the pull of the poles, altruism is aspirational and even the yoga or meditation practice we idolize is often seen as a gateway to a higher state of consciousness.
For Neptune the escapist and the mystic, mind-altering substances are another portal to the other dimensions that are always there in our peripheral vision. And with expansive, optimistic Sag on hand to pour or roll us another one, “go on, why not, it’ll be fun!”, it’s not surprising we found a stairway to heaven through ecstasy culture and invented binge drinking in the 1990’s. Or that addiction is the symptom of so many Neptune-in-Sagittarius casualties. Lucky we’ve learned to embrace the Neptunian notions of self-help and self-love too.
With Sagittarius rising, I have also have Neptune in my first house. Enter the body dysmorphia that led to an eating disorder in my teenage years, compounded by my controlling Scorpio North Node return – but also, Sag, for granting me the compassion to love myself out of it, allowing me to learn from it and refusing to let me take it too seriously. Neptune in the first house can also mean an effortless slide into the deeper reaches of the imagination, an alluring shape-shifter and a storefront displaying the mysteries of the Universe. So go figure, Numis…
Why all the Neptune research this week? On June 9, he began his annual retrograde cycle. Of all the outer planets, Neptune spends the most time treading water in retrograde motion – 158 days every 12.07 months – a fitting pattern for the planet that also governs subconscious memories of distant childhood and even past lives. In a Neptune retrograde cycle, the mysteries he usually conceals are brought to the surface for us to examine in real time. Our intuition is given more currency. Dreams demand to be interpreted. Illusions, and delusions, are exposed, and creative ideas that have been gestating come forth and begin to take shape in the material world.
Currently in Pisces, Neptune’s cosmic castle, I was curious to explore what this might mean for me in the coming months (he resumes direct motion November 16) and what subtly sensed waves his backward strokes will send across the Zodiac at large.
* For a truly accurate reading, get your birth chart for free here. As an Aries with Sag rising, I will feel ripples of Neptune retro in Pisces in both the twelfth and fourth houses. But as Pisces actually rules the third house in my natal chart, I’ll look here for the most meaningful and relevant insights.
Aries / Aries rising (twelfth house) Here is your chance to dive deep and rise to the surface of your subconscious with that most highly valued prize: the truth. Pay close attention to the neuroses that occupy your thinking now, and be bold in seizing the opportunity for healing that comes with smoking them out. Avoid indulging in mind-altering substances. Be honest with yourself and embrace clarity as a tool for lasting personal development.
Taurus / Taurus rising (eleventh house) Choose not to ignore your paranoia about issues affecting any area of your life where group dynamics rule. Demand to know the details of the political dealings you rightly sense are going on behind the scenes. Then, think not what your friends can do for you, but what you can do for your friends. Fall into compassion and fire up your humanitarian efforts. Meditate on the germ of a revolutionary idea, and watch it flourish.
Gemini / Gemini rising (tenth house) Duties or responsibilities you’ve been avoiding can no longer be ignored. It’s time to take the reins and begin to steer your ship into deeper waters, however intimidating this might feel. Don’t be afraid to tap into your inner ball-breaker. Act “as if” you’re the boss. When the limelight beckons, don’t hide away in the shadows. Get real about the sacrifices you need to make if you want your career to take off the way you envision.
Cancer / Cancer rising (ninth house) Come out of your cave and give in to your wanderlust. A spiritual awakening could be in store for you when you open your mind and put paid to fears you can now see are completely unfounded. Dive into your studies in the University of Life, and embark on a vision quest or spiritual pilgrimage. To achieve enlightenment, deal only in what you know in your soul to be the truth, and demand the same of others.
Leo / Leo rising (eighth house) Like a butterfly, you are on a journey of transformation and rebirth. But now you’re being asked to come clean about wherever wallowing in your comfort zone is stunting your personal growth. Escape into obsession and control will only compound your sense of being stuck. Ignore your intuition at your peril, and pick up creative projects with Leonine gusto. A mystery about an inheritance or money owed could also be resolved.
Virgo / Virgo rising (seventh house) Expect a breakthrough in your couple’s therapy sessions, as deep-seated fractures in your closest relationships come up for air and healing. Embrace situations that show your creative and business collaborators’ true colors, and resolve to accept what you see. Give in to the notion of compromise. See past your ego for ways for justice to be served. Accept that the skeletons in your closet could actually be good PR.
Libra / Libra rising (sixth house) Any flaws in your logic will be exposed now, so arm yourself with a backup plan. Details you’d prefer to gloss over will demand your attention. Tackling mundane-seeming tasks could actually lead to the breakthroughs you’ve been looking for. Knuckle down. And no more excuses about your emotional over or under-eating. Your health and wellbeing is at risk if you continue to delude yourself about your diet. Be ready to redraft a creative project to perfection.
Scorpio / Scorpio rising (fifth house) A clandestine affair or flirtation could come to light, or maybe you’ll be asked to play your hand in matters of the heart. Your secret vice won’t stay a secret for long. A creative project you’re personally invested in could come to fruition now, and this fertile creative phase could also see your parental urges kick in. Be wary of situations that allow you to escape into over-indulgence. A hidden talent for the performing arts could also be revealed.
Sagittarius / Sagittarius rising (fourth house) Expect the unexpected from a family situation, as whatever’s been going on behind the scenes is unveiled. Family constellations therapy could prove especially insightful. In all other areas, embark on a Dream Quest to get to the heart of the matter, and let your subconscious be your guide. Now examine your daily habits. What nourishes you and what is holding you back will be clearer to you now.
Capricorn / Capricorn rising (third house) Be ruthless in speaking the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Allow yourself to hear the same in what others are saying. A hidden affinity with writing or speaking may come to light, embrace opportunities to explore this. Allow your logical mind to be infiltrated by your intuition. Journal about your dream life. False advertising won’t be tolerated. A sibling’s or neighbor’s secret may be revealed.
Aquarius / Aquarius rising (second house) Get real about your finances and banish your credit cards to the back drawer. No more hiding your head in the sand and spending beyond your means, especially if shopping is a means of escape for you. Ask yourself; who am I without my luxuries and creature comforts? A creative way to add to your income may be unlocked. Look out for it, leave no stone unturned. Then act.
Pisces / Pisces rising (first house) You’ll see past what’s in the mirror and view body image issues for what they really are: nothing but a figment of your insecurities. Now is the time for honest self-observation. Get real as you analyze your actions. In what ways do you allow your emotions to sabotage your personal vitality? Clean up your act. Insist on clarity of self-expression, no lying to yourself or your inner child.
Forget what life stage you’re at. Every age carries its own unique energy for you to master, says Practical Numerologist Felicia Bender.
In every culture, the day we were born has special significance. We celebrate it every year. It defines us in ways we can’t even comprehend. Darn near all of us know who we are – on a most basic level – Astrologically. You can meet someone and ask: “What’s your sign?” and most people can answer that question without missing a beat.
And Numerology offers yet another window into our life potential. Think about how powerful it is to have both tools at your fingertips! Anyone who says that we don’t come with an instruction manual needs to look into these two powerful arts and sciences to really get their Lesson Plan for Life.
Since I love looking at the practical way Numerology can guide us in this material world, here’s a little “Happy Birthday” message for each and every one of us.
Numerologically speaking, what does our AGE reveal about us?
In Numerology, each number – one through nine – holds a particular frequency that carries with it meaning and influence, even if we don’t know it’s there. It’s like gravity or cell phone reception; we don’t have to believe it’s there in order for it to be operating and exerting an influence on us. Know it or not, like it or not.
So let’s take some “turning point” ages as we experience them in our Western culture, and what the numbers might bring into our lives as we experience these benchmark birthdays.
The way to look at it is this: Each number will carry with it a “theme” for what you’ll be asked to learn and master during the year. And you’ll be given all kinds of different opportunities from a variety of angles to experience and master your particular theme.
So check these out:
Five Years Old: Entering Kindergarten! In Numerology, the “Five” is the number of freedom. It’s supportive of pursing adventure, change and fun. It’s a frenetic number and is full of life. Do you remember your own Kindergarten year? Or the Kindergarten year of your children? It can be a year of fearless adventure, or a year of fear. Or both; back and forth and back and forth. Which was it for you?
Sixteen Years Old (1 + 6 = 7; also this is a Karmic Number 16/7): Driver’s License! In Numerology, this is a “Seven” year and it’s the number of spiritual seeking, of digging for the Truth, of testing your sense of trust and openness, of using your gifts of analysis to expand upon your sense of your authentic self and how it connects to the world as a whole. What better energy to surround you as you get your “wheels” and gain a sense of personal responsibility and a grander sense of yourself as you connect with the world at large?
Interestingly, the 16/7 is also a Karmic number in Numerology. I’ll address Karmic Numbers more directly in another posting since it’s a lot to cover. Yet the bare-bones of what that brings to the party when you’re sixteen years old is this: With this number, you’ll be taunted by issues surrounding self-awareness, pride, secrets, lies, and lack of accountability. DUH! Yet the energy of that Karmic number demands that you conquer these issues, master the demons, and prove to yourself and the world that you can operate on a higher plane.
Twenty-One Years Old (2 + 1 = 3): Cocktails! In Numerology, this is a “Three” year and it’s the number of joyful self-expression and emotional sensitivity. This energy is all about fun, socializing, getting out there, and enjoying life. It’s a year that supports really digging deep into your emotions and healthy expression of them. It’s also a number that supports communication of all kinds, including performance. Of course, you must learn to temper the extremes. Dancing on a table with a lampshade on, anyone?
Forty Years Old (4 + 0 = 4): OMG. In Numerology, this is a “Four” year (with double intensity, given it’s followed by the “0” which intensifies whatever it accompanies). This is a “Holy-Cow-Who-Am-I-Really and Where-Am-I-Going” year. The energy of this year is more serious and is about hard-work and setting up foundations. It’s about facing old emotional/family stuff that may be holding you back. It’s a demanding year that will set the stage for what you’ll manifest in your forties.
Fifty Years Old (5 + 0 = 5): The Big Five-OH. This is traditionally the age of the “Midlife Crisis!” Notice, though, how this is the same “Five” (FREEDOM) energy that you experienced in Kindergarten! Except this five is accompanied by that zero, making it a double-whammy. So Numerologically speaking, this is a year that requires that you again redefine your sense of yourself in terms of freedom and self-discipline. And the added “0” makes that energy super-intense. So no wonder many people do “crazy” things in their 50th year – like getting a divorce, finally telling your mother that you aren’t going to call her three times a day anymore, moving to Tuscany, or getting a tattoo.
I could go on, yet you get the general idea.
What I focus on over and over again about knowing your numbers is this: When you can have some clarity about certain key words or themes that are at play in your life, your chances of aligning more successfully with the positive aspects of those themes raises substantially.
And it makes things a lot more fun.
It won’t make whatever you’re going through any easier, really. Yet it certainly does provide a difference lens from which to view, experience and process things along the way.
So Happy Birthday! Now blow out your candles and make a wish.
Mercury Retrograde begins almost as soon as the month does – but please don’t indulge in the ‘OMG IT’S MERCURY RETRO’ panic, and instead make it work for you. Be kinder, clearer, nicer, and sweeter. Astrologers always say be wary of signing contracts and plans changing during this time, but you can’t put life on hold. If you are busy (and you are, I know) just double check everything and don’t dive into things that don’t feel fully aligned with your highest self. You’re smart – you know what to do. I’ve included a tip for this astro energy within your scope and feel that it’s going to be quite a nice few weeks – hopefully with a few welcome surprises in store. The more you let go of what you ‘think’ you want, the more likely you will find what you need.
I love to chat with you about your ‘scopes and how your month is going, so find me on twitter and instagram @louniverse
Gemini / Gemini rising – Ten of Cups
Maybe you’re having a good run – or maybe you’ve just started to feel a little more at home with your own ability to shift your mindset. This is a shiny and bright card of hope and happiness. However, it’s not always that we pull out this card and feel like this light image we see – so I can’t sit here and assume that every one of you is beaming with joy. But I do have a feeling that there has been some renewed faith in your ability to actively participate in your life. You have at your fingertips a constant and bountiful gift – your journey. You’re always exactly where you should be and everything is aligned as it should be to further you in your storybook.
I feel that you will be able to make a shift up in your spiritual development over the next few weeks – and there is support for you that you might not even be aware of, especially I feel a connection to loved ones that have passed. Think of them like your own team cheering you on. There is great comfort from even just imagining that there’s an invisible force field surrounding you with support. On a material level, think of this time as offering you up a spark of light and a different outlook towards any challenge you have going on right now. You might feel ready to seek help and advice from books and friends that you’d normally dismiss from a fear of being vulnerable, and your deepening of senses will be achieved merely by giving more value to your present moments.
If you’ve been very distracted by a lot of work and material world dramas recently then it’s time to get back in check with right now – it is your birthday month after all – how about a pause in the programming? Embrace the side of you that can’t be bothered to indulge in stress and have some fun! One of the meanings for this card is the idea of heaven on earth – so where are the places that connect you most to a peaceful sense of joy?
This of course is a super charged card for L O V E and a wink to embrace whoever you have hold of, or open up to stepping out of your comfort zone. In other words, not a time to be operating on your lowest level – if things at the bottom of your gut feel wrong then trust in that, you are not here to be locked in a punishing roundabout. Value yourself and the world will appear to value you more. Work wise – you may find that people are seeking your advice and skills in a continuous loop – you are here to be of service so enjoy it, and make sure that you aren’t playing small. Be the rainbow.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Bathe in gratitude. All the small things that p*** you off are nothing in comparison to the positive energy you can absorb from everything that you are thankful for. Simple, right?
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer rising – Six of Cups
I feel that you might be emerging out of what has felt like a foggy cloud recently, and now it’s time to reclaim your place in the world. Family and home matters may have been a bit unstable recently and you didn’t really like feeling so out of control. I know it’s easy for you to just block things out or go and hide, but you may have noticed that this familiar way of dealing with stress just doesn’t really cut it any more. You no longer feel so comfortable hiding in the shadows from your own sweat and tears. Rather, there’s a nice sparkly clean space that seems much more appealing now, and it’s been created from a renewed interest in your future.
Nostalgia is a gift and a curse – it’s easy to go and dance in those ‘what if’s,’ right? I feel that you might be casting your eyes back over the last few years, maybe even further, to seek answers for how you’re feeling right now. And it is important to empower the present moment by realizing that it wouldn’t exist without the challenges that came before. In order to make the path ahead a little brighter it helps to shout ‘thank you’ back in to those nooks and crannies – cobwebs and all. After all you have a vision for what’s ahead, and wouldn’t it be nice to start the preparations?
So, polish your lenses for tomorrow. You have some big plans up ahead and it’s safe to get excited about them. As you usher in a new cycle of life remember that even if you have instigated it yourself, then change can still cause you to feel like you’re on shaky ground. During this time you can create your own roots, formed from self care and love for your journey. You always have time for a few moments of stillness – just turn off the technology and be quiet, like the days back when there wasn’t always an iPhone to steal your gaze. It is only your intention to expand that will enable you to notice a place of limitless possibilities at your fingertips. Try to avoid placing fears on your plans before you even start – looking through a small tube isn’t the vision you want – so just use the word ‘expand’ as a permanent mantra over this month. There is a sight to behold.
Mercury Retrograde tip: If you notice the next few weeks dredging up moments from the past, acknowledge them but don’t carry them into the present. If you want to bring something forward from the past, make it every piece of wonderful advice you’ve ever had, from friends, teachers and relatives, and feel charged up from happy memories instead of wrapping yourself up in the sad ones.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Leo / Leo Rising – The Page of Pentacles
It feels like the last few months you have been swimming deep in your ‘behind the scenes’ life, and now it’s time to emerge back out into the material world and get present and active. Sometimes it’s a distraction to focus on what other people are doing, whether they are ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than you, and get lost in that which you cannot control. Understand that everyone else also has their journey and it’s not your job to change people but to participate in your own adventure and leave them to theirs, and with compassion not judgment.
This month you may be launching a new project or getting involved with some fresh ideas. I feel you have some sparks at your fingertips and you are ready for a new phase – just try to not get ahead of yourself with feelings of wanting to know the outcome too soon. To stay in the present moment is a gift, because it’s there that you can take productive action. Be confident that things will happen, but release your hold on what you ‘think’ you need and just work with your intention and deeds. You have been gathering wisdom recently, whether it’s because you are gearing up to share more with others or just putting new thought patterns into play – and this is a ripe playground for positive growth in the material world.
I want you to have fun with whatever you’re working on – rather than get locked into the drama of stress. Keep stepping back and viewing your day-to-day as if you’re a fly on the wall, it’s always illuminating to step outside of what’s bugging you and gift yourself a new and better perspective.
So anyway, this is a planning period for a new cycle and being grounded will help. All of the things that you feel are sometimes a little dull, like the orderliness and process of things, are what you should think to embrace now – but make it fun of course! This would be a good time to get creative with a vision board, and then at the same time write down practical ways to move forward. If you’ve been considering studying something new or are ready for a job placement then now is also a great time to send out emails and applications, and with that, to trust and know that whatever comes to pass is exactly as it should be.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Try and stay shy of gossip and dramatics, you have more interesting things to do with your time. If people are creating chaos around you just let them be and go back to your own drawing board. Peace begins by you claiming your right to it, and choosing it.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Virgo / Virgo rising – Wheel of Fortune
And so the wheel beings to turn again. Are you feeling aware of a new cycle? After all, life is just a series of phases, with some last a few weeks and others years, but we are always moving and changing, and ultimately (and hopefully) evolving. I feel that you are probably pretty present with the wobble and shake of change right now, and it’s not a bad thing – when you’re shifting your life around a bit then it’s a good time to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. Anyway, I’m feeling kind of excited for you right now – well not kind of, I actually am! – as if there’s a fizz of energy coming your way, or maybe it’s already arrived and you realize even more than ever that you’re the star of your own show. It’s all about what works for you and not about squeezing yourself into a constricted and fear filled space.
The only rule I want to give you for the next few weeks is to hold on to those reins! When I see this card and think of how it brings in our response to the word ‘fate,’ I just want to shout “hold on!” as a reminder that you are the co-creator of your experience, and never the victim. Even though, granted, it can often feel like it. So let’s say you’re the ‘artistic director’ of your story – what are you going to put on the mood board for the month ahead? These next few weeks are unique to you, and for you to choose where you want to put your focus. For some of you it might be taking a renewed interest in your wellbeing – knowing that if you keep your wellbeing as a priority, you’ll always be empowered and able to find your balance.
If you’re prepping to launch a new career or work project then embrace this moment of newness and nurture it, but don’t hold on too tightly – allow yourself to move with your ideas and let them expand too. If something just doesn’t stick it’s not because you’ve failed, it’s just a chance to throw one of the other options (the right option) into the mix. You feel ready for a challenge that you are interested in, so I won’t be surprised if a few of you are chopping and changing what happens in your day-to-day in order to feel less stressed and more inspired.
Mercury Retrograde tip: On the romance front this is a good few weeks to not over analyze (paralysis of the analysis, remember) every word you hear from someone. Instead go inwards and just be aware of what you feel and be compassionate to that – no fireball throwing, okay?
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra rising – Nine of Wands
I feel that June might bring in a spot of relief for you, a stroke of luck or a peek of a new and better route forward. As a seeker of balance you can occasionally swing really far in either direction – feeling the highs and the lows – and the last few months may have come with some serious knocks and blows. You have hope though; at least you should do, because you can now emerge from the battleground feeling like you’re ready to absorb the knowledge that you’ve discovered from recent challenges.
When things are shifting and changing in a way that seems out of our control it can be hard to reflect on life, or even be bothered to consider what you might have learned. So don’t overload yourself with searching for a meaning from everything, but instead just feel your inner power stabilize and know that you have a stronger type of inner armor now in place.
When I think about strength I don’t associate it with weakness – I think that perceived personal weakness, like failure, is a redundant way of thinking, and instead we can think of strength only in terms of personal empowerment. You can feel empowered by your own daily dose of highs and lows, because they are yours and embedded within you to give you the tools to keep moving forward. This month, think about how you are going to put your new sense of personal empowerment into play. Where are you going to place your will?
Choose to move forward with excitement, desire and love – leave cynicism at the door and embrace each single moment. You may have been feeling overwhelmed with work recently – like there’s a bit too much on your plate – but that should calm down over the next few weeks, as you begin to feel a bit more connected with your creativity again. Be the spark of light rather than the forest fire and connect to what feels fun. Fun? Yes that old trick, please dive into some light hearted enjoyment in all the ways that you know –take a holiday or even just go and get a massage.
Now is your time to nurture your mind-body-spirit and it’s a personal thing. Pose yourself the questions of what feels good and give yourself permission to make that choice, go to that place or be around that person. Work with your highest energy rather than being sucked into what you know, well, just sucks.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Be the Phoenix. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, don’t even consider entertaining drama and put all your focus into your own evolution.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio rising – The Hermit
This year is a process of dipping in and out, throwing your energy full force into the world and then retreating to plug yourself into the socket of your inner soul system. And in fact, this works for you. It may have been a long time arriving but you really do ‘get it’ now – that you don’t have to be on high alert and full force all the time.
Over the next few weeks you are continuing this cycle – there is a lot to do – but an easy way to cancel out stress is just by being present with it, Oh all those meetings and events to plan, yep it’s kind of a headlock sometimes, but it’s supposed to be! It’s amazing how you can make your own worries redundant when you stop to just allow things to be as they are. You’re aware that the months ahead are full of new surprises, and also it feels like there’ll be a host of new faces to meet and greet – the energy Is buzzing, a little like you are in an endless wait for Christmas morning. It’s coming so just enjoy the process.
On a deeper note I feel that this month might bring up anything you’ve been trying to hide from, yes you know what or who it is. It’s easy sometimes to just try and sideline a bothersome task or thought process or avoid healing something from the past. An unprocessed memory is like an unfiled piece of paper, it’s going to flap around and bat it’s edges against your subconscious until you grab it, take a look and put it in its rightful cabinet. If you have unanswered questions about fears that you’re avoiding try guiding yourself in a meditation to come face to face with what’s bothering you – we don’t always know what it is. Sit quietly and visualize yourself in a safe space – somewhere cozy and comfortable – it might be your own living room or a magical garden. As you sit there you notice a piece of paper being placed in your lap. As you look down you see words emerge from the paper – it might be one word or even a list of things.
These are what your subconscious wants you to attend to and file away. As you look at the words, feel at peace with your ability to embrace your challenges and transform them into seeds of empowerment. As you begin your day, know that instead of being bound by old habits or thoughts, instead, you are in charge of them simply like items on your shopping list. You are the master of the moment.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Even though the material world might be calling out for you to sign on the dotted line, take plans with a pinch of surrender. Know that even when things change back and forth it’s a waste of your highest energy to panic.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius rising – Three of Wands
Are you feeling like taking over the world? Or at least your world? Well, get to it because the Universe is your playground! It’s a nice way of looking at life right? As an adventure rather than a boring straight line from A-B. If you’ve been in the ‘no confidence’ zone recently, then this is your wake up call to get up and at em.
Sometimes a lack of confidence manifests itself in the form of procrastination. Why are you avoiding working on something you love so much? It’s so damn easy to stand in your own way isn’t it? Right there like a big block of lead – I know this feeling so well. I’ve found that the easiest way to get out of your own way is to realize that this isn’t about you – easy right? Wait, what? Okay, if you’re working on a project or an idea or a dream, it means that you’re sharing your talents with others, which means you are aligned in place to be of service. This is about realizing that you must operate at your highest level so that you light up those around you. It’s time to move in the direction of your desires because that’s what will feel best and bring the most success.
So the next few weeks is a great time to take action towards what you have planned for the rest of the year – you’re moving out of the contemplating and the visualization stage, and on to putting miracles into place, with intent. Begin with an expanded viewpoint – don’t limit yourself on the first step. Set about with the possibility that your plans can work – this way you have a clear mind and heart. Also – instead of thinking about how much you want to be successful, respected and admired, think about the knowledge that you want to gain. You’re always in a position of learning, even when you’re at ‘the top,’ and if you stay in that educating mindset then you align with a kind energy, but a kind energy that’s also a frickin’ powerhouse.
Travel plans? Start prepping for a holiday or an internal adventure, whether you’re hopping on the plane or launching that new website, everything is in place for movement. All the more reason to clean up any anxieties – to be ready to reap the results in the months ahead. Rejoice!
Mercury Retrograde tip: There is no time for you to step on your soapbox this month. If you’re feeling judgmental or jealous than sit back and search for a fear of your own that’s being drawn out. Why are you so annoyed? Sit with where you feel a lack and know that it’s okay. This is much more productive than getting cross communication by firing out an angry text.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn rising – Two of Pentacles
Balance? That old trick. You know how much I like to check in and remind you to look after yourself right? No exception here! But let us deepen the idea. You might like to try and get comfortable with the fact that you’re always in demand, whether it’s with constant work opportunities or being the solid rock for those around you. You are someone that’s always going to be able to be busy. So why not just get present with that, because now you can actually see the reasons why your own stillness and wellness are the priority.
You like to be needed you see, and that is a good thing, we need you too. So when talk of being of service comes in, remember that the need to help others can come at a price if you neglect the need to help yourself too. I operate with the simple idea that if I don’t make myself the top priority, then I’m useless when it comes to being a friend, therapist, daughter, lover, and, at the most base level, feeling sane. You need to nestle into some of your own space and embrace it with the same sense of love and vigor you do for a work project.
I’m pushing you to go there again and again because things aren’t going to let up – you will always have so many ideas and so many things you want to do. Don’t be afraid of that urgency. It’s weird you see, sometimes the more you slow down the more you see things taking shape. Sounds odd doesn’t it, but it seems to be because of the ability to allow yourself to expand that you see how your world opens up to greet you. You can juggle for as long as you like, but even the finest magician needs a lunch break.
Over the next few weeks I’d like you to embrace the idea of treading water and get comfortable with some slow back and forth, instead of the usual panic about it. When it’s time to get going again, you’ll know – so perhaps it’s just listening more to when your body says ‘action’ and when it says ‘cut.’ You might have some challenges of your own to deal with so it’s very much okay to shut the external and internal doors and take a retreat. If the possibility is there, head to the hills, the desert, the sea, and the stars. Embrace your internal adventure.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Learn to say ‘no,’ the kind of no that creates a yes. You don’t have to say yes to everything if you trust that all the things you do choose are exactly right for you. So if you turn something or someone down in order to give yourself more space, then perfect – you are always making the right choice. Feels good doesn’t it.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius rising – The Five of Cups
You’re familiar with the ups and the downs – perhaps being very able to divide days, weeks, months and life into the good bits and the bad. They can feel the same to you, no action or too much, and you’re not sure that you like either. Now is your chance to perceive things in the brightest way and for the highest version of yourself. If you feel that you’ve come face to face with a loss or massive sudden change, how are you going to look upon it? I think about change a lot, because we get it in so many forms, and the base way to cope has to be nurture for you and your journey. An understanding of personal expansion will help you.
When we’re blocked it’s often because we’re staring at life through a tube, unable to see anything but the wall in front of us, so of course it seems impossible to escape. With a 360-degree vision there’s always a way to help your situation and to get that view, you just need to look. What is freaking you out or saddening you right now? Listen to your body and inner soul system; is there a tiny whisper in the back saying ‘It’s okay’? There is.
When panic takes over we can’t hear the more peaceful option, or the reassurance that we can walk through our fears. Give yourself some practical perspective – there probably is more balance in your life than you think. Although one thing may be feeling out of alignment, perhaps there’s some stability elsewhere? Fear tends to hold hands with itself in the past, and like a little chain each worry we have gathers power from all the times we have felt it before. Just as when the heart feels broken it hooks on to the sadness it remembers from before and feels hopeless. Anxieties seek comfort from anxieties that have been felt before. Stress makes a nice pile up with chaos from times gone.
This is why the present moment is your superpower. You can release yourself from the strings in the past by checking in with yourself as to whether the problem you have right now is being worsened by a memory of something similar before. Is it? If so, then self-soothe – remind yourself that now is a different time. It doesn’t mean it’s not stressful but it may not be as hopeless as before. There is always a chance to feel empowered in the present moment, grab it!
Mercury Retrograde tip: Gratitude is your secret weapon this month. Instead of giving energy to what is lost, give strength to what is stable and being gained. Marcus Aurelius said, “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces rising – Death
If last month was for surrender, this month is for change – the perfect follow-on in my opinion. We wait, we let go and then we move forwards. I have to confess Pisces, I think about you a lot. My moon is in Pisces and I embody and relate more to this sign than my own most of the time. I feel that having a dominant Pisces in your chart is a lesson on how to be okay with feeling like a weirdo. Right?
Anyway, I digress, and this is a big card and my favorite of course. Lucky number 13 brings the chance to evolve, step, or whimper towards your highest self. It’s your job to choose not to feel like the victim in your life, which is where the empowering of the weirdo comes in! To be okay with feeling overwhelmed by yourself and the world sometimes. The art of becoming comfortable within the uncomfortable is one of the finest tool in the box. Embodying the Death card is an exciting adventure – walking through the haze of fear and out the other side, over and over again until it’s a well-worn road.
So, it’s likely that you are prepped for a hectic few months, whether it’s a crammed work schedule or embracing some new ways of thinking. Keep your eyes wide open so that your perspective is always expansive – you can break through your own familiar blocks by taking off your favorite pair of blinkers. Whether you feel locked into familiar comfort habits or in the throws of a familiar procrastination, try not to hide from new experiences, especially with people. You never know, you see, and sometimes it takes a far-flung trip into the terrors of the unknown to be willing to let go of ‘what you think you know.’ You sometimes like to swim in the opposite direction to new possibilities – is it a fear of getting trapped or caught? The chances are you’re attracted to those who are like you, so know that you aren’t as alone as you think you are, and if the waters run deep they are filled with life and surprises.
Action is imperative this month, and in your highest energy you have the ability to shift yourself to another place entirely, a better place – even if it just means ditching one thought process that isn’t serving. Be willing to run wild with the unknown and the uncomfortable, and to be vulnerable. Get messy in all the good ways, growth is upon you. You can do it.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Remember the art of Surrender that you practiced last month? Bring it back into play every time you feel out of control, anxious, in a creative block or a romantic freak out. Breathe. It’s okay.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries rising – King of Cups
Are you losing your hard edges, Aries? Just kidding, but you have certainly made a shift into a little more of a squishy soft place – and it’s going to surprise you. Are you feeling the wild throws of a rekindled love affair or just finally feeling content sitting and embracing your own stillness? I hope something feels different and more full of flow, because it feels to me like the water element no longer feels to you like such an enemy.
When you are the action taker and maker there is often a fear that you’re going to be stamped out or trodden on. Is it a redundant or useless fear? Not really. But there is certainly a way to empower it rather than give in to an internal panic. This is your few weeks to own yourself like nobody’s business, and this is fuelled by a confidence about your own abilities. You see, this softening of the hard edges is what’s given you the edge, because you’re more embodied with all of your elements, mind-body and spirit, and so therefore sitting in your complete power. Don’t feel there just yet? No big deal – the simplest exercise is to honor every feeling equally as you start to blend into a whole, rather than rejecting parts of yourself. Inch your way there.
So as you move through your tasks this month don’t feel worried about ‘getting emotional’ because it’s perfectly possible to use your bang-on intuition and your charming business savvies to get what you want. Let your fire, drive and passion fuel you with the crazy and quirky ideas they bring, then check in with how they feels to you and only make your moves when it feels right. If you take on board my favorite trick in the book, the notion that failure doesn’t exist, then I pose the question; what have you got to lose?
Meanwhile, enjoy meeting new people this month. You may find yourself lining up with a new power posse as well as some soothing soul mates, like your support network is getting a little larger and more stable. This is possible because of your willing to be a bit more vulnerable and know that it’s okay, others will get it more than you think. The more you keep putting out the personality and work that you believe in, then the more others will swim in. You may find yourself feeling like celebrating by the end of the month. Remember there’s also no such thing as a small victory. Every moment has its place, so just allow it to be so.
Mercury Retrograde tip: Don’t feel tripped up if others don’t seem to be on your wave of super communication this month. Just make the effort to make your side of things as clear, kind and concise as possible then let others follow your lead.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Magician
Boom. It’s time. Don’t argue with me! I have serious business to talk to you about and it’s about getting swift with that project you’ve been working on. I know the one, so do you – we’ve talked about it before. That idea, that ‘in process’, that habit you’ve been trying to work your way out of. This is the start of what I’m going to call your Power Summer and so it’s time to align. The clock is ticking and you’re ready.
One hand to the heavens and one in the earth – my favorite way to work with this card is to again encourage you to keep hold of your balance. But this time, it’s not just for nurture, it’s for serious fire blazing empowerment. Connecting to your most primal force will give you healing and strength that you perhaps didn’t know were available. To do this, just be unapologetic about working towards your biggest passions, with no fear about what others might think. As soon as you let go of that detaching thought the more you have energy to be embodied and feel successful. To explore your potential is something that can be fun and productive.
If you’re hiding from or sitting on your own skills, what’s stopping you? Is it fear of failure or feelings that you don’t deserve to be big and bright? There’s no room for these worries any more, because after all they’re just thoughts causing you to feel unwell – and what’s the point? You’re not here to play a small game, but to share and teach and learn – on a loop. This is a time to embrace your ego in its finest form, by connecting to the life force and duality within you and using it to shine. It’s not about peacocking around and believing in your own hype – it’s being your own hype, in the best form. Shooting for the stars and landing on the moon, as they say.
Over the next few weeks if you feel stuck or switched off, work with the idea that you already have everything you need. I do believe we come installed with the perfect toolbox and we just need reminding as we go along our way. Half the battle of finding what we need is believing that we have it. Do you need to ask for help or advice? Do it. Do you need to take a break and let loose a little? Do it. Do you need to get out of your own way? Do it. You’re ready.
Mercury Retrograde tip: You may notice a lot of egos in battle all around you. Just step back and observe, rather than feeling the need to dive in and compete. Let others dance around you – you’re too busy to get involved in chaos.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
We’ve just experienced a powerful New Moon in multi-faceted Gemini, gifting us an opportunity to embrace the quicksilver side of ourselves. Nadia Noir gives an insight into a life spent searching for “the other me.” Images: Bela Borsodi for Document Journal.
When I was 10-years-old, my mother took me to a bulk retail store full of tiny sausages, discounted toilet paper, seven kinds of hummus before that was a thing, and kitschy forms of entertainment. It was coming up on my birthday so she told me I could buy two things. Anything I wanted. I went for a box set of every Disney song ever recorded and a giant astrology book with hundreds of pages of words, pictures of animals, gemstones, and a diagram for drawing out your natal chart.
I remember turning to the pages that talked about Gemini and seeing birds and monkeys inked across the pages, “yellow” being a prominent theme color, and descriptive words like “superficial,” “mercurial,” “intellectual” and “social butterfly” describing the tiny little Gemini creature that was me. I took the book home and with compass in hand, painstakingly drew out my chart. Eventually, months later, I thought I had solved the puzzle that was me. I was done. Everything about me was illuminated. Or, so I thought.
From that point forward, I told people that I was not a Gemini. There were other parts of my chart that described me and I was not, I was never a Gemini. I was something else entirely. An astrological amalgamation of all the other things in my chart. I was the diplomatic, regal drama of my Leo Rising. I was the lurid, panty-scorching nymphomania of my Scorpio moon. I was the warm campfire-scented sensuality of my Venus in Taurus which was also my Midheaven which was also in my tenth house and one time an astrologer I met at 3am in a coffee shop said I am basically ruled by Venus, which means I was definitely not a Gemini.
Geminis were bubbly. They talked a lot. They didn’t feel. That was the main reason I decided I wasn’t a Gemini. I had feelings. Massive ones that swung me up into the air like a father tossing his child into a sun-drenched sky only to forget to catch the child. I was a broken fairy, wings crushed against the pavement.
And for years I walked in this haze of what I perceived as Scorpionic darkness, sometimes washed over with emotions so cruel and body-crushing that the manic-pixie-dream-girl that was my Gemini side couldn’t survive. She would either choke on saltwater tears, sleeping in bathtubs and reading Victorian erotica, or she would rebel by taking my Moon out dancing in full-on drunken nymphette revelry, a sheen of lascivious Gemini glee captured mischievously through the stoic mask of my Leo features.
I called her the “Party Slut.” She would die the next day in a wave of pity or guilt or hungover misunderstanding. Her glitter, scattered across the floor in impossible rainbows, would be swept up into a tiny bottle with a stopper that was to be cracked open for “emergencies only.”
The emergency came half-way through my Saturn Return. I was red wine drunk at my friend’s clothing store. We were listening to Mariah Carey and in our perpetual, drunken Thelma and Louise-ish state, I was finally understanding what love might mean and I knew one day I wanted to find real love and instead of just flailing and weeping naked in a series of hot and cold baths that lasted for hours like I would usually do, my supposedly Scorpionic shell cracked. What I uncovered was a changeling, a creature so fierce and fluid that only the power of the wind (which I’ve always adored) could whip the edges into place after a few nights of unashamed shape-shifting. What I uncovered (or stopped negating, rather) was my Gemini.
That pendulum swing of moods? That was pure Gemini. Dancing around the Maypole. Dry humping the Maypole. Turning the Maypole into a stripper pole. And then, when the Maypole stopped being amusing, smashing and burning the Maypole into a sacred effigy of youth lost. The lack of the supposedly quintessential Gemini charm? That was my Gemini side analyzing, surveying, prospecting, dissecting, and poking at people. Pinching their souls until they were bruised and raw. I was writing an eternal, internal book on everyone’s every movement until I could find the two sides to them. I wanted everyone to have two sides. I wanted to see in them what I could not find in myself. It was then they became whole.
All that time that I was denying my Gemininess, I was being a classic Gemini. Trying to find another piece to make me feel complete, to solve the riddle, to cease the shifting, from light to dark and back again. Every time I switched my style from ’60s girl group to ’50s beatnik to sequin-crazy glam rock goddess to paisley goth to raw vegan yoga girl, that was me trying to find my other half. Every time I took a shot of Patron or a shot of wheatgrass or burned sage or burned bridges, that was me trying to understand the other me.
My Gemini search engine was constantly spiritually downloading all the information ever over the yin-yang network of life. And, I am not alone in this. Gemini Stevie Nicks may be the White Witch, but she twirls around in black fringe and scowls at the world through her mystical lyrics. Everyone adores her. Gemini Prince is the Purple One; he also scowls at the world through his sex-laden, dualistic androgyny. At one point, he even denied his own existence and renamed himself (something I also always do.) And yet, everyone adores him. Morrissey is a Gemini and he’s like the King of Scowling. For some reason, everyone loves Moz. Angelina Jolie, the world’s favorite altruistic sexpot who once wore her ex-husband’s blood in a vial around her neck? Much beloved Gemini.
Danny Elfman, who is known for his childlike yet dark and twisted music? Everyone’s favorite creepy Gemini. All these Gemini celebrities and musicians walk on the shadow side of life, communicating their dazzling talents through the erotic or the wanton or the esoteric and they do it in a way that perpetuates that primal, intoxicating buzz of teen lust. And that’s why a Gemini is so adored.
Just like me, they dance deliriously to the sound of the pan pipes leading them into a forest full of flower-strewn orgies and sequin-studded shoes, consummate teenagers in a state of angst or ecstasy. Dark fairies or genies ready to grant your every wish or impishly antagonize you until they get bored and give up.
But that’s the thing I learned about Geminis, that I should have learned that day when I was ten years old, drawing out my birth chart and plotting to succeed at it no matter how much it confused me. A Gemini never gives up. They pick up the broken skeletal remains of their wings, glue them back together with blood and stardust, and wink at the next person who passes by to hitch a ride, get a job, make-out, or maybe if they’re lucky, all three.
Nadia Noir is a writer that likes black tea, blackberry scones, black cats, the smell of black leather, and the sartorial combo of black and gold. She likes to twerk naked until she’s drenched in sweat and make love to the sounds of psychedelic sitar. She still cries a lot and goes into fits of possessive Scorpionic rage, but her Forever 16 Gemini just pushed her off the bed and told her to shut up and get over herself. She just now got over herself and totally forgot what we were talking about.
