The Two of Crystals (Pentacles) asks us to ground down, hone our focus, and plan to build it beautiful, says Melinda Lee Holm …
Earth
HOLY F*CK: IN CONVERSATION WITH DANIEL PINCHBECK
Alexandra Roxo meets radical thought leader Daniel Pinchbeck, to talk spiritual materialism, future planetary solutions, and the rise of the extreme right…
Daniel Pinchbeck is a writer, thought leader, speaker, and one of few modern radical voices that come from a grounded, realistic, and holistic perspective. Today we are in dire need of leaders and thinkers who can articulate and envision a path towards union and healing that includes our political, environmental, cultural, AND our spiritual state. Daniel speaks of the whole picture, with a balance of right/left, masculine/feminine, science/art.
His new book How Soon is Now REALLY resonated with feelings I’ve been having for years about the nature of the world we live in, which I have explored in my own writing here on The Numinous and in some of my films. This includes the need to make a shift from focusing on the personal, to focusing on the global. To overcoming spiritual materialism. To escaping hyper-individualism and coming together.
Also, how plants may be aiding in our evolution on multiple levels. How our approach to love and sex is so heavily politically guided and conditioned. The need for rites of passage and the need for ecstatic connections to the cosmos and to each other, through experiences like Burning Man, with psychedelic experiences, and a reconnection to the Earth.
Beyond all this, Daniel’s book reveals to us how we can engage with the planetary shift and initiation that we all know at soul level is in progress, and in doing so be a part of the healing of our planet.
Even better, Daniel is going to be LIVE with us for Moon Club this Sunday Feb 5, which means you can join and ask him questions too! Click here to sign up.
I sat down with him for a little prelude to Sunday’s talk…
ALEXANDRA ROXO: So you’re an author, a TED speaker, a radical thinker, a writer. You wear a lot of hats in terms of your work. What’s the common thread?
DANIEL PINCHBECK: I think that the core of my work is a philosophical quest for the nature of reality.
AR: Word. Was there was a clear point at which this search began?
DP: I had a major spiritual crisis in my mid to late 20’s. I’d been writing for magazines, and it just began to feel very nihilistic. I felt this kind of total emptiness. I also realized ultimately that when people believe conscientiousness is only based in the physical hardware of the brain, then life has no particular meaning. I was like, ‘okay, how can I actually inquire into this?’ I remembered my psychedelic experiences in college as having suggested that there were these other layers of psychic reality that I didn’t really understand.
So I went back to them and went to West Africa, to do Iboga and I went to the Amazon to work with a tribe in Ecuador with ayuasca and so on. These travels informed my first book Breaking Open the Head, and then new questions kept opening up—because these experiences had completely transformed my world view.
AR: The subtitle of How Soon Is Now? is: “From personal initiation to global transformation.” To me it feels like that is what we’re all being called to now, on a micro and a macro level.
DP: I came from a leftist background, and I always had this uneasy feeling about our culture and the direction our society was headed. And then when I looked more into the ecological disaster that we’ve constructed and the amount of poverty and inequality that the system creates, I also saw this whole “new age” spirituality thing, with the meditation and the yoga, as kind of like a trap—because I felt that people were using it as just another distraction, getting so obsessed with their own little healing journeys.
AR: There is definitely the idea of: “I’m entitled to my healing and my enlightenment and I gotta just focus on that.” Healing individually is very necessary too—but how do you see us then finding a way to integrate this into healing the Earth?
DP: It would require for those of us who’ve been on this evolutionary initiation path to reach another level of our capacity to…hold a new frequency, to express it to people who are out of the loop. One thing that really began to upset me overtime was Burning Man. When I first went I was like ‘oh of course, this is the model for this new society. The point is to now bring this out into the world.’ But overtime I saw it become more like another entertainment complex. I saw the people who run Burning Man being really kind of pleased with themselves because all these rich people wanted to hang out with them.
But I think a shift is actually happening, because of this geopolitical emergency that we’ve unleashed. For example, I saw a really good thing on Facebook—this guy wrote that he used to have three different groups of friends that didn’t really integrate very well. One was artists, one was meditators, and the other was activists, and he was, like, thanking Donald Trump because now they’re all in the same group. We’re basically confronting a very, very severe existential emergency with this situation, that I think people are beginning to comprehend in kind of waves.
AR: In the book you use Burning Man as an example to show how if society praises you for good behavior, like cleaning up your own trash for example, and if we praise each other for good behavior, we can start to rewire the conditioning that says it’s somebody else’s responsibility to ‘do the right thing.’
DP: I feel that what Burning Man reveals and why it was such an ‘aha’ moment for me is that our social nature is extremely malleable and changeable, and humans will conform like putty to whatever reward system presents itself. So, say you get laid by becoming a Neo-Nazi and hating on the Jews, a bunch of people will do that. If you have lots of lovers or one lover or whatever you need, as a result of being generous, altruistic, and sharing your gifts open heartedly, you’ll do more of that that.
AR: So how did things tilt so far to the extreme right?
DP: Unfortunately, the extreme right has managed to marshal a lot of collective intelligence by expert use the media system, whereas the progressive community has been much more slow and much less strategic and tactical.
There’s actually been a phenomenon of people on the coasts in LA and New York having greater freedoms, better lives, more opportunities, but we haven’t really taken care to transmit these benefits to the rest of society. And, rightfully in a sense, the rest of society realized they were just being shafted and got extremely angry. I think that theoretically, the more conscious we are of this, we have to bear the blame when things go this wrong.
AR: That’s a tough wake up call for people. If you’re living in light and love all the time, you don’t want to hear “hey, this is your fault, take responsibility, step up to the plate.”
DP: But this awareness is spreading rapidly right now. In a sense, what I am trying to show with the book is that the progressive mystical counter culture hasn’t done a good job of articulating the world that we want to bring into manifestation, beyond our individual process.
For example, let’s take The Beatles at their word: “All you need is love.” But how do you actually create a society centered around altruism and sharing and empathy, what does that look like? In the book I am pretty rigorous looking at this in terms of love and relationships, in terms of monetary systems, even questioning whether private property is good for us. I’m sure many people will disagree with some or many of my conclusions but that’s good. At least we have something to disagree about, which can lead to debate and innovation.
AR: I write about sexual healing quite a bit and you share an anecdote about the community, Tamera, in Portugal, that’s so moving—how a young man’s first lovemaking happens with all the group gathered around the house, celebrating and holding space for him. I cried. There is so much internalized sexual shame in our society. I grew up in Georgia in a very, very Christian space and I was totally shamed from a very young age. When I heard that story, I was able to envision people not “losing” their virginity, but embracing this as a rite of passage—leading to us totally flipping the way that we approach love and sex.
DP: One of the founders of Tamera in Portugal said that sexuality is a superpower that radiates throughout all different facets of society, and we can totally see that with this last election. We saw it with Trump and the grabbing of the pussy, Hillary and Bill Clinton, Roger Ailes who was the Fox News head who was taken down in a big sex scandal, and all of their connection to Jeffrey Epstein, the pedophile…
In a system where sexuality is oppressed, alpha male types seek power and wealth (versus creating a system that spreads wealth evenly) so they can have sexual access, you know? Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, society is more open about sexuality, but it’s actually been reintegrated into a system of domination and control. So it becomes MTV Spring Break or Sex in The City, that type of vibe.
AR: Yes, those pop culture markers reveal that on one level we can “have sex” and “be sexy” but on another level it’s absolutely not okay as a culture to accept our sexual nature.
DP: Rupert Sheldrake writes about the idea of “morphogenic fields” or “morphic resonance”—that actually, when a small number of a species is able to fully discover or integrate something new it can become generally available to the collective sort of non-locally. So if there’s a small number of communities that have shifted into this different frequency of collective care and responsibility and kind of a truly liberated Eros, or attitude to love and sexuality, then that could really propagate quite quickly. I mean Neo-Nazism didn’t seem to exist two years ago…and now it’s all over the place. Or look at something like Facebook, and how quickly everybody began using it. Ultimately, I think it’s fully possible that positive shifts towards empathic and responsible social system could also happen rapidly.
Discover more about Daniel and his work at Pinchbeck.io. His new book, How Soon is Now: From Personal Initiation to Global Transformation
, is out February 20 2017.
HOLY F*CK: A CALL TO EMBRACE OUR HUMANITY
It’s time to stop using spirituality as an escape—and embrace our humanity, says Alexandra Roxo…
In times likes these—where we have somehow managed to elect a president with terrifying beliefs and judgements, where Native people are still fighting to protect the Earth while most everyone else walks around trying to protect money—I feel like it’s so obvious. As a culture and a people we need to get out of our heads and into our feet. Into our wombs, our pussies, and THE EARTH.
We’ve become so focused on “success,” making money, how we climb and grow. All masculine principles. All in the mind. Goal oriented. We barely notice when animals become endangered. We forget to talk about climate change.
It’s not our fault, it’s what we were born into: a consumerist, capitalist culture. When I ask my clients about how much time they spend focusing on their sexual energy or creative energy or with their feet on the ground, it PALES in comparison to how much time is spent in the realm of the computer. Money. Capital. Thought. Even meditation. It’s all up, up, up, into the Cloud.
But the way I see it, we need to go down, down, down! Get back into our bodies. And it turns out spirituality, just like work or booze, can become an escape from the pains and earthy work of being human.
Speaking as somebody who can be a spirituality abuser myself, I think it’s time we stop using it as such. Let me tell you a story about why.
***
When I was 13 I had a bad year. 1: I got held down by a bunch of boys and sprayed with red super soaker guns in 30 degree weather while calling me names. I punched one of them and everyone hated me. 2: My bestie’s parents called us out for being gay after she told them we had innocently experimented sexually together and forbade us to be friends anymore. I was DEVASTATED.
So what did I do? I went to church to get SAVED. This was my first bout of checking out of human life by saying: “God I can’t take it down here! Beam me up!” I spoke in tongues, got saved like 100 times. And even wore Abercormbie. (No offense.) My New-Age-psychic-seeing-Angel-lovin-Enya-listening Mom got worried.
Eventually I went back to feeling like I could manage down here. I did theatre, volunteer work/built homes for homeless, wore 4-inch cork wedges to school, flirted with boys, and learned all the dance moves to “Bye Bye Bye.” But my spirituality abuser didn’t go away. I always found some new practice to dive into. Some psychic to look to for the answers.
By age 19 I found myself sitting on a spiritual pedestal feeling like I was “special” and that others “weren’t awake.” While doing an acting exercise in college my teacher called me out in front of the class: “You are using spirituality a mask. It’s keeping you from feeling things and being here. Go back to your seat and come back when you want to be real.” DAMN. I was crushed. But I took her words wisely and went home, cried for about three days, painted, wrote love letters, laughed with friends and gently got down off my spiritual high horse.
It happened again though. Only two years later, after a trauma abroad, I was ready to sign up to be a monastic in a commune in Italy where I had been meditating in caves, sitting on cold stone floors, and wearing communal Cosby sweaters. I renounced sex, alcohol, or anything “of the flesh!” Mom got worried again.
I found my way back to humanity again. But my spiritual extremist rears her head every so often. I see her spending more time reading horoscopes than DOING things that can help. Talking more to other realms than folks in Trader Joe’s. Diving into days of plant medicine ceremonies and shamanic journeys. And avoiding the harsh pains of reality. Any of this sounding familiar?
As wonderful as it it to wake at 6am and meditate every day, to read all the articles and check the horoscopes and pull a card from all the decks, I am trying to refrain. In the name of balance.
My aim is to cultivate as much of an EARTH practice as I have a SPIRITUAL one. Which means for every meditation or journey to the spirit realms, I better be doing something here here on Earth. CAUSE I WAS BORN A HUMAN. And the Earth needs me. Head out of phone. Feeling my toes in the dirt. Pussy alive with energy and life force. Does ALL LIFE originate in my brain? NAH, IT’S IN THE PUSS.
***
I don’t think it’s enough to just pray and send love and light to Trump, or anyone for that matter. Pray for peace, yes. For love, yes. But I think we also need to get dirt under our nails and be humble and immerse ourselves in what’s happening out on the streets.
And so I urge you, like I urge ME, to embrace your humanity!
Get in the pub and talk to old Latino men and share food and drink with them.
Instead of reading another self-help book (like me!) go to the rally. Sign up to volunteer. Watch documentaries and educate yourself. Go to open mics and comedy clubs in areas that are new to you and mingle with people who aren’t like you.
Let’s look at how much we’re spending on “spiritual” paraphernalia, and re-balance the books! How about a pole dancing class instead? Donations to planned parenthood? Community gardening?
Let’s admit that we don’t know the answers. It’s not fair to all the other folks who have been working tirelessly for years if we pretend we know how to save the world with our ascension ideas. (I mean would you say that to an 85-year-old Native woman? Nah, probs not.)
And remember. If and when we need a strict practice to get us through a hard time, it will ALWAYS be there. You won’t lose it. Because it’s in you! “Spirit” won’t get angry and turn its back on you. I promise.
But for now the world needs YOU and your humanity. Out there. Off the mountain and in the streets.
I love you.
Moon Club co-founder Alexandra Roxo is a filmmaker and intuitive coach living in LA. Read more about her work at www.alexandraroxo.com and follow her love and sex and life woes and victories on Instagram.
REMEMBERING THE WISDOM OF WILDNESS
Re-connect to the wisdom of wilderness, and perhaps our planet will save US, says Darren Austin Hall…Artwork: Stéphane Recoupé
“To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.” — Terry Tempest Williams
The worst kind of loss is one you’re not even aware of. The loss of the wild and our allied wildness is one such loss, haunting us in a multitude of inner-howlings and muffled cries; deep, psychic pains and distant, all-engulfing yearnings.
We may taste it in the devastating awe of a sublime valley of meandering meadows and lakes surrounded by towering mountains. Or else in the skin-crawling terror that some city slickers can experience in the dark woods. We get little nudges of it, too, when we boldly take risks, calling upon unknown resources. In the ecstatic place when limits are transcended and we witness how much more powerful we are than we believed.
And we also find it in the rebellious streak that smirks at authority figures, sometimes playfully, sometimes out of a sheer desire to transgress any kind of ‘taming’ of our primal being, as if it were a grave betrayal. The story of our wildness—what it is, what happened to it and what to do with it now—is old and complicated, but it’s one worth remembering, for it harkens back to the most ancient wounds that usurp us all.
Our natural world, horrendously abused, is now in a state so perilous our very survival as a species is threatened. This is an example of just how deep the wound of separating from our wildness goes. At the heart of perhaps one of the longest and most insane of wars in our story as a species, it is also one we are largely ignorant of: the war against both nature and the wilds of our own human nature.
I realized this returning to Toronto after a recent vision quest in Manitoba, and realizing what we’ve lost in choosing to pave over Her wild, ragged skin; to relegate Her rawness to sanitized city parks; to drown out the peaceful pulse of Her wilderness with the perpetual motion of the traffic and busyness that charge our cities with a certain kind of restless madness.
Moreover, how we have become cut off from something so vital and necessary; something that keeps us in constant alignment with what is true and good, on a path of virtue, and away from the suffering that modern culture wreaks upon us by way of social conditioning.
But all it takes to remember is to acknowledge the inherent wisdom that awakens within us when we’re in the wild, like a silent soul-switch.
In any moment of heartache, when you’ve felt called to take a walk in park or, better yet, hike in a forest, didn’t you experience an almost immediate peace-of-mind? And perhaps a subsequent yet even more powerful cascade of wise insights, resolve, and answers? In my one-on-one healing practice, I often send people besieged by turmoil to the park to sit beneath a tree, to ground into the earth and simply ask questions. I counsel them to enter a state of meditative receptivity and to wait to see what happens. It never fails.
One incredulous friend later admitted she thought it was some ‘hippy bullshit’—but that within minutes of sitting, she found extraordinary insights. On this note, one ancient name for Goddess Earth is Sophia, meaning ‘wisdom’—also at the root of the word philosophy: philo (love) of sophy (wisdom). Or Sophia, the Earth Goddess, whose quality is wisdom.
I believe that when we encounter any kind of wilderness, even in a city park, an extraordinary resonance takes place between it and the wilderness buried deep in us. Suddenly, stagnant emotions, thoughts and experiences find flow because what is wild is always in flow, cannot be tamed nor contained. To take a hit of this means an immediate sense of liberation.
It’s a feeling we experience as teenagers: as our hormones thrust our bodies into adulthood, and we feel the unhinged energies of our being expanding. In traditional cultures, these were times to take the boys and girls into the wild to teach them how to navigate these new energies, so that their wildness could be channeled, and not devour them in arrogant hubris and inflated egos vulnerable to narcissism.
Nowadays, kids do drugs, and partake in other risky activities to test their mettle against these dynamic evolutions. All too often, it leads to disaster—disasters we often survive (we are sturdy folk). But some are are never able to escape this deep yearning for more aliveness, chasing the sensation for the rest of their lives in whirlwinds of drug and alcohol abuse.
For the great call of the wilderness is forever present.
If we choose, we can learn to ride the stallion of our desires using the tools of our spiritual practice, while fostering a quiet reverence for the wild, knowing that there will always be a part of us that lies beyond our control. For if we don’t figure out how to live in harmony with our wildness, we’re doomed. Something we’re reckoning with as a species right now.
And so I invite you to rediscover the wild in you and to find ways to connect more deeply and even sacredly to the wilds of the world.
- Perhaps this means a month-long discipline of mini-vision questing a la urban shamanism, going to the nearby park every morning to sit in gratitude and receptivity for potential flumes of wisdom.
- Perhaps this means shaking for twenty minutes a day and letting the voice vent into roars, yells and spontaneous songs.
- Perhaps it means following our instincts more, our gut-truths, and heart-wombing wisdom; giving head to our heart.
Whatever your way of connecting to the wisdom of wildness, know that you are healing the great wound between ourselves and the Earth, a wound that has pushed us to the harrowing brink. Know that these small acts are in service of a greater movement that is sweeping through our species as we begin to remember a deeply eternal love for Earth, and for the wild.
In which we might just find the way to live one of the most splendorous truths imaginable; we might find the way to let the world save us.
Discover more about Darren Austin Hall and his work at Darrenaustinhall.com
WILD UNKNOWN: HOW TO WORK WITH THE ANIMAL SPIRIT ORACLE
It’s the deck everybody’s talking about. Gabriela Herstik has the low-down on how to work with the Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle…
It’s “Animal Spirit” and not “Spirit Animal” for a reason! For Kim Krans, head honcho/Goddess of The Wild Unknown, her latest oracle deck is an exploration of all the divine animal energies that encompass aspects of human existence and spirit.
Instead of focusing on your “spirit animal,” Krans invites us to focus on the elemental energies of each creature in a way that speaks to our relationships and to deeper parts of ourselves—once again, inviting exploration of the wild unknown of the soul.
This new deck allows for introspection in a radical and untamed way. This deck says it’s okay to be feral and wild, or tame and controlled, because it’s important to wander through it all. And by including Spirit as an element, Krans takes it one step further, inviting creativity and intuition to be a part of the journey. Whether you’re a unicorn or bumblebee, all is welcome in The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit Oracle.
Below, we explore each element, as well as an animal card from each, gaining a little more insight into the fantastic world of the Animal Spirit Oracle. And in learning about the animals in the deck, Krans hopes to inspire a more connected relationship to this world and all her creatures.
:: Earth ::
Animals of the Earth represent our basic needs, like home, money and work. These animals are grounded in the present and approach their routines with ease, but can get stuck without freedom from what they know. Animals of the Earth ask us to listen and shift perspectives—are we looking too much to the ground, or too much at the sky? These creatures are asking us to soften and surrender to the changes we may be facing, and they remind us to water our own soil, since self-compassion is necessary for growth.
The Deer – The Deer suggests a feminine softness and a graceful, maternal take on what can be a very stoic energy. How can steady and grounded Earth energy help you to bask in everything new? Don’t be afraid to reap the rewards of your harvest. By finding tenderness in yourself, you’re able to walk this life with more grace and intention—no matter how bumpy the ground is. Tap into your intuition and listen from your heart. Be gentle and compassionate with yourself in your situation, your inner deer will thank you.
:: The Air ::
With freedom comes wisdom. Creatures of the Air are able to see what others may miss, observing quietly, powerfully and deeply. When a creature of this suite comes up in a reading it can be a reminder to find some grounding, to slow down and to reconnect to the physical realms. Life is complex and we seek to move as effortlessly as possible, like the wind. By tapping into Air energy at its most expansive, we are invited to see and feel the subtler realm of existence.
The Crow – Through the eyes of The Crow, the world becomes something magical—something mysterious and precious and exciting. The Crow is a drawn to the unseen, to the supernatural and the occult. She has a fascination with the deeper, all-encompassing experience of the past, present and future. Use this energy when your mind is ready. To be present. Be open. Be patient. Sometimes the wind tells us secrets that we must be ready to hear.
:: Fire ::
By working with animals that speak of our passion and what lights our spark, we’re able to tap into the fiery aspect of ourselves for the ultimate transformation. These most powerful, and sometimes destructive, aspects of ourselves, pave the way for transmutation and rebirth—as the creatures of the Fire elment attest to. These cards represent growth, they represent the death of ego, and they ask us to sit in the fire until it’s too hot. Invite these beings in to help burn the way to a new you.
The Lion – BE the Lion. You have it in you to be the king of the jungle, after all. Don’t stop feeding your flame simply because others are not ready for it. The Lion’s energy may intimidate those who aren’t ready, but his energy is available to all who are willing. By tapping into this card, transformation is completely possible—with a keen sense of your personal strengths, you’re able to accomplish anything. The Lion simply asks you to open up to this sort of revolution. Once you do you’ll see how easy it is to roar.
:: Water ::
In the name of balance, creatures of the Water are asking us to jump into the messy, wonderful, beautiful world of our emotions, loves and passions. These are creatures that speak of our ability to express ourselves and to love and create. These animals ask us to open ourselves up and to surrender—to be a conduit for the flow of the Universe. Allow the current to take you where it may—what can you learn from floating down a different stream?
The Oyster – We all have special gifts – and the Oyster reminds us to share these gifts with the world. When we see the sensitive, watery side of ourselves as a treasure instead of a burden, we’re able to use our intuition and deep-rooted wisdom in a more authentic way. The Oyster works hard to create her pearl—a beautiful gift that no one else can give. By revealing this part of yourself, by showing your more vulnerable side, you’re allowing space for growth and reflection, all while giving others permission to do the same.
:: Spirit ::
The nature of the Spirit cards is steeped in mystery. These creatures exist on realms parallel to our own— asking us to shift our gaze so we can embody the messages they’re trying to teach us. By working with our subtle body and energies, like the chakras, these cards help us view situations in a new, more inviting and profound light. Even for Krans, these cards are mysterious, inviting one to delve into the deeper, unknown waters to see what lies beneath the surface. Krans explains that it’s okay to not completely understand the Spirit cards. Invite the energies in, work with them and let them take you on their journey.
Sea Serpent – Ruling over the second chakra, the Sea Serpent gives us permission to bask in creativity and sensuality without shame. This card is like Kundalini energy personified, allowing us to live with our desires in a way that feeds our soul. Like a mother giving her child a loving embrace, this Spirit card asks us to step into pleasure in its purest form. What do you have to let go of to let the energy of this card flow through you? Where is there drought, and what is flooded? Allow the energy of the Sea Serpent, allow the energy of Spirit, to cradle you. Do less. Open yourself up, there is nothing to be ashamed of.
MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: THE HOODWITCH
Gabriela Herstik talks magick, ritual and the numinous nature of the Cosmos with The Hoodwitch…
Bri Luna, a.k.a. The Hoodwitch, is mesmerizing. A double Taurus babe, her energy is infectious – strong, aware and unapologetic. With The Hoodwitch, a platform preaching “everyday magic for the modern mystic,” Bri has founded a channel to help us all tap into our own sacred goddess energy – and shop for some bad-ass crystals. Oh, and we’re obsessed with her latest project – a collection of pins created with one of our favorite artists, Robin Eisenberg.
In celebration of her birthday month, we sat down with Bri for the inside scoop on her magick and her mission. Read on below…
The Numinous: Okay so – can you tell us a bit about how honoring your heritage has played into your personal brand of magick?
The Hoodwitch: I believe my being multiracial is strongly reflected by my approach to ritual and spell working. My approach draws on elements of both of my Mexican and African-American ancestry, and I’ve really enjoyed utilizing aspects of traditional folk healing from both, as well as working with other practices taught by others I’ve met and learned from on my path that I feel resonate with me.
TN: What’s your personal definition of a “witch”?
TH: You know whenever I’m asked this question I laugh a bit, because there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer. Every woman is a Witch. She may not know it, or maybe she does. But to me, being a Witch means more than spells and candles. To me, it means freedom. The power to boldly and unapologetically embrace nature, heal yourself, and heal your community. To respect the seen and unseen realms. It means the freedom to be your most authentic self. To embrace ALL aspects of whoever that may be, and fiercely. That is the Witch.
TN: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned on your journey with spirituality?
TH: That we never really KNOW anything for certain. That there are galaxies upon galaxies in the Cosmos, and here we are floating on Earth thinking we have all the answers. I’m in a place spiritually where I choose to embrace the unknown by saying it’s okay to not know.
TN: What advice would you give baby bruja Bri?
TH: That not everyone is going to understand you, and that’s okay. Stay true to yourself, because in another 10-20 years everyone else is just going to catch on to what you’ve been doing all along haha. Also, don’t cry over boys because it’ll give you wrinkles!
TN: What’s one thing you do every day to channel your inner goddess?
TH: I like to take very long beautiful baths – my daily ritual to connects me to the Goddess within. I enjoy being surrounded by candles, while listening to soft music. Depending on the purpose of the bath, be it for attracting or self-love, aura cleansing, or just simply relaxation I’ll add in ingredients that are reflective of those purposes. Essential oils, milk, salts, or flower petals. I just enjoy the beauty of it.
Ugh – in love! Read on for more insight into the mystical world of this material girl…
:: MATERIAL GIRL ::
My label
“Whatever was in your grandmother’s closet. I love vintage clothing.”
My shoes
“When I wear shoes, I love my metallic Nike Cortez or Vintage Peggy Bundy fluffy heels.”
My fragrance
“Byredo Casablanca Lily Oil.”
My jewels
“I love adornments. Real gold jewelry and, of course, very large vintage Navajo turquoise rings and squash blossom necklaces.”
My pampering
“Every two weeks I receive manicures to sharpen my signature stiletto point nails. I also enjoy massages.”
My home
“My apartment in Seattle overlooks the city and I enjoy opening all of the windows to allow plenty of fresh air. I enjoy adding many earth elements, such as plants, large crystal clusters and, of course, candles.”
My food
“I live for authentic Italian food! I enjoy comforting meals. I’m a Taurus, so food is a very sensual experience. It’s about indulging in all of the senses! Needless to say, I take my dining experiences very seriously. I also love fresh raw oysters!”
:: MYSTICAL WORLD ::
My awakening
“I light a candle and say a prayer or affirmation of gratitude, setting intentions for the day.”
My sign
“Taurus sun and moon.”
My mantra
“I am grounded, content, and calm, in the arms of the Earth.”
My healer
“Mother Earth. The ocean’s waves are purifying and cleansing. I enjoy doing meditations in the desert sun with a large Quartz crystal and planting my feet firmly into the soil of a forest. All of the Earth’s elements are my healers.”
My reading
“Well, I collect and sell rare/vintage occult, and metaphysical books. My favorite authors include Doreen Valiente
, Carl Sagan
, and C. W. Leadbeater
.”
My transformation
“Honoring my intuition.”
My mission
“To provide everyday magic for the modern mystics of the world!”
HEART WARRIORS: WORK WITH YOUR ARIES MOON SIGN
Understand your Aries Moon sign and maximize your self-care practice to be the best YOU, says Ash Bonelli. Artwork: Prince Lauder via Behance.net
“Yell if you need to. Need if you need to. Just don’t be scared. Just don’t not live while you are here.” – Cleo Wade
Warriors of the heart come close and listen with open ears. Having your natal moon sign in Aries gives you the torch to be the leader of your own path. The Moon represents our own emotional landscape within the birth chart. It highlights how we nurture, how we express our feelings, and what we need to feel safe in this life. And it’s important to learn how to properly feed this part of ourselves.
An Aries Moon sign goes after what it wants without immediately thinking about the needs of others, because this sign expects everyone to do just the same. Go for what you want, take as much as you need. It’s the thrill of that chase that Aries loves. It’s not that this sign doesn’t care for others, though. Quite the contrary. They will fight for those they love, rally behind a belief and inspire the masses. The Aries Moon sign is filled with passion for all it desires, and wants badly to strike when the iron is hot.
Work out your moon sign, when you do you chart for free here.
This is an outspoken moon. A real straight-no-chaser. You want to be seen and heard for who you really are without the looming fear of being judged. You are confident enough to keep going even if others don’t like what you are saying or doing, though. Alas, you can get a bit cranky if you feel someone else is constantly getting their feelings hurt over your vivacious candor. People in your circles need to know that you are sugar in the raw.
You don’t sweeten the pot but you do tell it like it is. You support others by being real with them. You are strong and independent and people gravitate to that energy. You feel supported when people bring that passionate energy to the table as well. You want honest emotional dialogue that may even be a bit edgy.
Because you are naturally so strong you have the ability to help others get stronger. You are brave and courageous and inspire those you care for or just engage with on a regular basis to find that strength within themselves. You act as the safe island in the center of the storm. Teaching others to be self-approved is very empowering and quite a gift to share. The world needs to learn to be okay in its skin, and your Aries moon sign means you were born with this ability. Not that you don’t have weak moments, but all that fire allows you to shake it off quicker and get back to business.
Below are some ways to bring forth the beauty that is your Aries moon sign, so you can feel more in tune with yourself while helping others benefit as well.
:: HEALTHY COMPETITION ::
Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war. You thrive on competing with others and if you don’t find a way to release that fire you burn up emotionally. This can make you react aggressively and start fights unnecessarily. It will soothe your heart to find a healthy outlet to express any excess competitive energy.
This could be through a favorite sport or a hobby where practice makes perfect. Keep in mind the Aries moon sign gets bored easily if they lose interest in something. The fire goes out quick if the interest wanes, and so you must choose something that will perpetually challenge you.
:: GET VULNERABLE ::
Because you are so fiery, you may stay away from situations that require tenderness or vulnerability. Putting yourself in situations where you must embrace your softer side could be really beneficial. Try something that actually scares you. Not in a dangerous way of course, but in a way that deep down you think you might fail at.
If you find yourself struggling at something, ask for help. Actually, give yourself the time and space to be upset over something. If you are disappointed because you didn’t achieve what you wanted, let yourself feel it, process it and then move on. If you fall you can get back up and start again (one of your specialties) but the “pause and feel,” is where your work is. Allowing yourself this, you will begin again even stronger than before.
:: VOLUNTEER ::
Inspire others through service. You have the bravest heart, and we need your heart to guide us into a stronger collective space. You have the power to lead by example and if you know it’s unhealthy to not let out all of that inherent dynamic energy why not share it for the good of all?
You’ve been blessed with an innate resilience that takes others most of their lives to accumulate. You can show your tribe how to battle the right way. For love instead of hate. You are the lunar symbol of initiation and can see the spark of a good idea. You can gather others to embrace the start of something amazing. You can connect with something bigger than yourself and then everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
:: PATIENCE::
Because you are quick to go where your heart points you have the tendency to be impatient. It would serve you well to slow down and process the things that propel you in life. I would suggest Hatha yoga or Tai Chi. You need balance poses and slower movements synced with your breath. The challenge, which is a must for you, is in how well you can move like honey while being graceful and strong.
What we experience with our bodies has a huge impact on our minds and hearts. For example, focusing on taking a difficult shape/posture while maintaining composure can help us be a little more humble in our daily lives. Being such a quick-trigger can sometimes get you into trouble. Therefore, having an art in your life that teaches you to pause will help transform your emotional impulses.
Dear Aries moon sign, you are the pioneer of the emotional heavens. Let that light shine bright enough for us all to keep our heads held high.
WHY ARE ALL THE LIGHTWORKERS MOVING TO LA?
Check out all the lightworkers moving to LA! Fern Olivia breaks down why life on the Left Coast is calling…Photography: Nicolas Jandrain
So what’s the real reason behind the mass exodus from cities like NYC to LA? You’ve noticed it, right? How the lightworker tribe are all feeling the call?
Well, it’s no coincidence that people are packing up their overpriced apartments, saying farewell to the brutal winters, and moving to the magical City of Angels. In fact, many of the Numinati made the move years ago, and now more of our tribe are arriving in waves.
When I heard the call of my soul to move to Los Angeles, I had no idea that I would be part of a major movement. I was not consciously aware that there was a deep reason for the work I was being called to do here, nor did I understand the energetic force by which it happened at this particular time in space.
It all makes sense to me now. If you, too, have been feeling a voice inside calling you West, what I’ve learned since my move may explain why – and in a radical way.
In April 2015, I was visiting my girlfriends in Malibu and I remember the precise moment, sitting on the beach, my soul clearly demanded: “Come home.” I had never lived in California, nor had I ever heard a voice inside as strong as this.
But I was not afraid. I listened.
The voice continued: “Move to Venice in the Fall.” So specific and commanding, right? I dared not question it, even though I had only been to Venice a few times for Kundalini classes at Ra Ma Institute with Guru Jagat, and for nourishment at Moon Juice and Cafe Gratitude.
But over the past several years, I have recognized my intuitive gifts and learned that in order to stay in alignment, I MUST TRUST this deep knowing.
And something inside me insisted that this was exactly where I needed to be. So I set about transitioning all my yoga classes and clients in New York, seamlessly found a friend to take over my lease, and effortlessly slipped out of my old life to plant myself in Venice Beach – the epicenter of the Now Age. And now that I’m here, I feel grounded and aligned.
So, back to why are we being called to LA, why should we trust the pull, and what’s next for us fearless souls who have listened to our spirit’s deepest longing.
Here are FOUR reasons that may help it all make it crystal clear.
1. We are being called to return to our Aphrodite – our pure, liberated Feminine.
New York City is literally on a grid – when you see the city from the air, the avenues and streets are angular and the buildings are close together. It’s tough to see the wide open sky unless you’re at the top of a skyscraper or in the middle of Central Park. We pound our feet on concrete and have little connection to the bare, soft, fertile earth. For most of the year, our feminine form is bundled in layers, and the sun has only a small window to kiss our bare skin.
Living in any city, we’re disconnected from the Earth, Air, Moon and tides – which in turn influence our moon cycles, our creativity, and manifestation capabilities.
When our creative expression is stifled, we become tight, rigid, stressed, and stagnation takes over our physical bodies. Living this way demands we’re dominated by our masculine energy – and it’s hard to keep up. Our adrenals burn out. We grow tired of being Wonder Woman – one of Dana James’ female archetypes – in the city that never sleeps. Rather, our hearts are longing to dance under the moonlight. We know we will rise in our true power when we feel grounded with the earth under our bare feet.
2. We got chewed up and spat out, and now our souls are strong enough to handle the work ahead.
Our souls brought us to cities like New York to do some major work on our karmic path. Our soul contracts had very specific lessons and experiences to learn in order to do the light work we were born in this incarnation to deliver.
New Yorkers have grit. New Yorkers are tough. We had to be, to get through the brutal winters, hurricanes, floods, terrorism, city noise, and commutes. And our souls had to practice becoming strong enough to do the major work that we are about to do in LA – influencing some of the brightest, most powerful, creative, receptive people in the world to step up to change the future of our planet.
So what is this work? Our world is suffering from the bankruptcy of love – we are living in a time of immense poverty, suffering, terrorism, abuse, and fear. It is our work to bring light to this planet through our creative leadership. We must be strong and clear in our own bodies otherwise, this difficult work can leave us feeling hopeless and depleted.
But first, we need some time to play. To retreat. To rest, rejuvenate, and restore. Once we have brought ourselves back into balance, we will have the clarity and vitality to do some major work as the next generation of visionaries on this planet.
3. We’re feeling the pull of the 33rd parallel (Allow me to explain…)
In heeding the call to LA, lightworkers are being called to congregate around the 33rd parallel – an energy vortex which happens to run through Venice Beach. You may know that in numerology, 33 is considered a Master Number and symbolizes the Christ Consciousness. The 33rd degree is highest publicly known degree for Freemasonry, and some say it signifies illumination and freedom from religious dogma. In Hinduism, Yoga Sutra 3:33 states: “Through keenly developed intuition, everything can be known.” And the Tibetan Book of the Dead speaks of the thirty-three heavens ruled over by Indra, and the thirty-three ruled over by Mara.
Furthermore, the latitude of the 33rd degree is shared with the ancient city of Babylon and by modern day Baghdad. The longest continually inhabited city in the world, Damascus, in Syria, is also on this line. The site of the first atomic bombing during WWII, in Nagasaki, Japan, also resides on the 33 parallel, and coincidently, so does the White Sands Testing Range in New Mexico, where the atom bomb was first tested. This geo-latitudinal line also passes through what is known as the “Bermuda Triangle” in the Atlantic Ocean.
So, clearly, there is something very powerful about the energy vortex around the 33rd parallel! And in essence, the quality of the 33rd parallel is that it shifts our energy more effectively and quickly. But looking at the history, it’s also clear that this has been utilized by some pretty dark forces – and now the lightworkers are moving to readdress the balance.
4. Our soul family is waiting for us.
To do the work we were born to, we need the support of our tribe. I’ve found there’s nothing more influential than a community of brilliant, grounded, strong, connected souls – our “soul clusters” as my dear friend Aimee Follette, chef and founder of Sun in Bloom, so perfectly calls it.
You know that feeling when you meet someone for the first time, but something inside you remembers them, as if you’ve known each other before? That feeling is real. Our souls have contracts with other souls – and we have these soul contracts with all the people we walk with, our parents, friends, business partners, lovers, and children.
The soul contracts of my New York life, including a controlling six-year relationship, showed me the work I needed to do: to heal deep-rooted karmic patterns of insecurity, self-doubt, and the inability to speak my truth. Many of us in New York experienced a similar struggle, freeing ourselves from lineages of insecurity, scarcity mindset, and fear of abandonment.
And having learned the lessons of city life, a tribe of stronger, fierce, liberated souls are reuniting together in Los Angeles.
Not feeling the call to move? That’s okay!
As explained by my teacher Harmonjot Kaur at Ra Ma Institute in Venice, it is important to understand that YOUR soul family will be found wherever you open your soul. “We are moving into a time where we stop looking outside for answers. Moving to LA to find one’s soul family simply because one identifies as a “lightworker” is a recipe for heartbreak I feel. Because wherever one is, that is where the soul family will show itself. And when we make expensive moves looking to satisfy from the outside what can only be satisfied from the inside, we really set ourselves up for great disappointment.”
There’s also a critical need for lightworkers to remain in New York City – since NYC is on an energetic grid that’s very powerful, meaning there’s an opportunity to amplify light work in the city.
And the truth is, we’re all designed to be more energized by different locations, explains Light Maker Cassandra Bodzak. “There are people whose energy field is actually more primed for NYC than LA, or vice versa, or for a different location such as Austin, Miami, or Boulder. You can even get a special astrology chart reading to determine which places on the earth will optimize your energy or deplete you.”
Another disclaimer from Harmonjot: The move to LA alone does not equal automatic self-discovery! “I’m reticent about encouraging people to move to Los Angeles because it’s touted as some kind of promised land. But many people have the illusion that their problems will be solved by coming out here. They likely won’t. Deep spiritual practice is what allows one to find the next step and the next place.”
So, my dears, wherever you feel the call, trust it. Trust your soul. Your soul family. Just as your future self is trusting YOU to heed the call. When you are living in alignment with your soul, you’ll feel home wherever you are. You’ll be in harmony with your body, and from this space of feeling healthy and in the flow, you will be your most creative self, and able to fully show up to do the work you were born to do.
A FLORAL TAPPING RITUAL FOR GROUNDING
Just in time for Eclipse Season, Valerie Oula brings the healing power of flowers to a tapping ritual for grounding… Artwork: Karolina Daria Flora
There’s a new kid on the holistic healing scene: floral tapping.
During sadhana a few months back, I received the “download” to work with flower essences topically. It’s not often that I get such clear cut, specific instructions from The Universe. And so when this happens, despite any resistance, it feels like I’d better follow through at some point.
And so I’ve been using the flowers in both my private sessions and workshops, and while people aren’t quite sure what’s happening, what they do know is that they feel different. A shift is happening.
Flower essences are the energetic imprint of the flower/tree captured in water. Subtle energy medicine. They do not have a scent and are mixed with grain alcohol or brandy as a preservative. The essences are vibrational remedies that work on the emotional energy body. When we use flower essences, we get attuned to the healing frequency of the flowers – which is essentially about raising our own vibration.
Since this is subtle energy work, it can take some time to recognize the shift that is taking place. It’s not like popping a pill for instant relief – although in this Aquarian age, as more and more of us are waking up and tuning in through energy work and practices like Kundalini Yoga, we may feel the effects faster.
As for floral tapping? It’s a technique that combines these vibrational essences with various tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) modalities. In fact, think of it as EFT – super-charged. By delivering the vibrational essences along several acupuncture points around the ear as we tap, we are loading up on energetic goodness.
And with the swirling energy of Eclipse Season on the way, here’s a grounding floral tapping ritual for extra vibrational support.
What You’ll Need
- A grounding flower essence such as Walnut – which is excellent for grounding and protection, to help with change and transition. Also to be used as a shield during an epic sample sale, or the subway at rush hour. Bach flower essences are available in most health food stores as well as at Whole Foods.
- A small cup/bowl of spring water or filtered tap water. To prepare, hold the bottle and tap the bottom into the palm of your opposite hand eight times to activate, holding your intention for your ritual in your mind. Add two drops of the essence to water.
Floral Tapping :: The Flower Power Tap – Right Side Only
- Prepare a short, simple grounding affirmation expressed in the positive. Some examples you might use: “I am grounded and calm” / “I am grounded and sovereign of my energy / “I embody my truth” / “Sat Nam” (which means “truth is my identity”)
- Now bring the fingertips of the right hand together, bunched loosely. Dip your fingers in the activated flower essence water.
- Begin solidly tapping with the fingers, starting at the right temple by the opening of the ear. Continue to tap, circling the right ear, while saying the affirmation. Take a deep breath in and out. Tune into the rooted, grounding energy.
- Do this three-five rounds at least five times a day, and at least 30 minutes apart.
In the midst of our busy lives in our glorious urban jungles, tap into the essence of the flowers to ground you back to earth. Vibrational medicine works to support us, to allow us to live our life in the full technicolor sensory system of our very human being.
BOOK OF SHADOWS: A WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL
December 21 is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Ruby Warrington has a simple ritual to mark what some see as our Astrological New Year…Video: Christel Chaudet feat. The Unseen
I first came across this simple winter solstice ritual several years ago, when I was working at the Sunday Times Style magazine. Our editor had arranged for our office Christmas dinner to take place on December 21, the winter solstice, or shortest day – and longest night – of the year.
Excited, I told my boss I thought we should mark the occasion. “Great idea! You can lead a ritual,” she told me – as my stomach dropped through the floor, and I broke out in a cold sweat. My passion for astrology had already got me the office nickname “Mystic Ruby” – but this was taking things to another level…
Determined to do things properly, I reached out to a designer I’d recently met – who also happened to be a practicing Druid. He gave me the following simple winter solstice ritual (which can also be used to mark the summer solstice, as well as the spring and autumn equinoxes), and for the event itself I also invested in a vintage black fur cape, as I figured it would also help if I dressed the part (it does).
:: WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL ::
- Begin with a short meditation to connect to the energy of the Earth element. With eyes closed, visualize roots growing from the soles of your feet and your tailbone, down to the molten crystal rock at the core of the Earth, winding around this three times, and pulling snug. Breathing deeply into your core, allow your body to relax and experience the sensation of being completely supported by the Earth.
- Meditate on the year that has just passed, allowing memories to surface effortlessly. Now take a pen and paper, and write down all the things that come up that you would like to bid farewell or move on from this year.
- Take a lighter or match and burn the paper, to symbolize these energies being transmuted into creative passion for your adventures to come.
- Now meditate on the year ahead, allowing yourself to visualize everything you would like to come to pass. Take your pen and paper and write down all your hopes and dreams for the coming year.
- Fold this paper and bury it, to symbolize the seeds of these intentions being planted in your future path. (This can be done up to a week after the ritual).
The Book of Shadows notebook by The Unseen is bound in calf leather, and hand-dyed with environmentally reactive ink to respond to your touch as if by magick…Theunseenemporium.co.uk
WEEKLY TAROTSCOPE: SEPT 28-OCT 4
The Prince of Pentacles brings some much needed Earth energy, says Louise Androlia. Time to knuckle down and make some hay!
You can watch last week’s weekly tarotscope at the link – did Louise’s message resonate with you? Share in the comments below, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
READING FOR THE ARIES FULL MOON ECLIPSE
The Aries Full Moon Eclipse is an invitation to step into the most authentic expression of you. Hannah Ariel Eckhaus explains how this will manifest in your life…
“ Fire is the ultra living element. It is intimate and it is universal. It lives in our heart. It lives in the sky…Fire suggests the desire to change, to speed up the passage of time, to bring all of life to its conclusion. To its here-after. It magnifies human destiny; it links the small to the great; the hearth to the volcano; the life of a log to the life of a world… It is a renewal.” – Gaston Bachelard, The Psychoanalysis of Fire
On September 27th we will be experiencing the utterly transformative power of a super Full Moon, total lunar Eclipse, blood moon and full harvest moon all rolled into one fiery phenomenon happening at 5 degrees Aries. This will be the fourth and final of a tetrad of blood moons that have taken place across the Aries/Libra axis over the past two years, transforming how we take liberated action, both uniquely as individuals and in relation to the world beyond our self.
Anytime there is an eclipse the Nodes are involved (the points where the orbit of the moon cross the ecliptic); the South Node whispers of our past life while the North Node hints at visions meant to be experienced in this lifetime. On September 27th the Nodes will be aligned with the Equinox, and everyone on planet Earth is bound to experience a great sense of destiny being magnified.
This particular change of season also asks us to step directly into the axis of self/other with the courage carried over from past lives, in order to dignify our future relationship with the world we live in. EXCITING!
We are arriving at a divine moment in time, when the Earth, Sun and Moon line up in such a way that the Sun’s light does not illuminate the Moon – instead the Earth casts a red shadow across its surface. It may feel for a moment that you are swimming in waters you cannot name, and yet at this time you are being asked to trust in the next chapter.
This Eclipse will pull on us like an ancient memory that’s ready for our full attention. It will ask for your direct participation in life, and to trust that your deepest instincts on this day will be aligned with divine energy. No matter what shows up, emotionally speaking, there is nothing to fear. You are being given the opportunity to boldly answer the call – to confront and resurrect the root of what stirs within you, no matter how unrecognizable may appear.
As the Earth casts its shadow, be mindful that whatever is unearthed from your subconscious that may require re-rooting or re-routing. You are ready! Like an Aries you will feel as if you are born ready. Trust. And remember, as Aries is the first constellation in the Zodiac it speaks to the original impulse, the initial spark that sets the whole story aflame. React authentically from an empowered position of fearlessness, and trust in your destiny.
There is a certain soul-affirming nature to this Moon, as it will not only be conjunct the South Node but the also asteroid Vesta – Goddess of the hearth, protector of the flame, her energy is one of true devotion. Who or what within us is worth protecting? Where and how in your life can you renew your devotion to your soul’s desires?
What you experience on a personal level depends on your chart, in particular, where the Aries/Libra axis falls, and whether or not you have planets in any of the Cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn).
Because Mercury is currently retrograde in Libra, this is a potent time to reflect on the relationships you are currently invested in. Remember too, that relationships do not just come in one form – observe your relationship to your thoughts, habits, a belief systems, health regimes etc. If you are trying to maintain a connection to something or someone you’ve outgrown, it will become very apparent at this time.
While the scales of Libra seek connections that create a sense of safety, a sense of “I know if I stand here then this (insert person place or thing) will be there,” at the other end of the spectrum, Aries asks what can you do to liberate yourself and transcend your current situation in order to manifest your highest destiny.
A passage of time is opening up for you to assert the Self you actually want to be. Again, in which area of life you are being asked to transform and absolutely re-invent yourself depends where this Eclipse falls in your chart. Aries rules the head, so you can also think of this as a time to quite literally blow your own mind and re-imagine who you can be in this lifetime.
For those who have been following the rhythm of 2014’s Cardinal Grand Cross, which shook many of us out of limiting self-perceptions, you will find this Eclipse to be a culmination and celebration – a moment to cross over once and for all from who you were into who you will be.
A moment to renew the original connection to your Soul and the destiny it is continuing to form a relationship with. Rest assured that wherever you are being encouraged to take action, or assert yourself in a way you never have before, is a call from your Soul’s inexplicable urge to be self-actualized, and ultimately to relate to your life in a way in the most authentic way yet!
Look to see where 5 degrees Aries falls in your natal chart to map out where you can begin to fearlessly take action and where you can begin to celebrate this culmination of energy in a way that will best support your future self:
1st house: show up for yourself in a way that honors how you would like to be seen
2nd house: initiate an empowered sense of your own personal resourcefulness
3rd house: speak your truth, and allow your words to reflect your most authentic thoughts
4th house: find where you feel most at home and know you belong there
5th house: recognize how much you shine, and realize how YOU want to enjoy your time
6th house: actively create a routine that sparkles with your individuality
7th house: your opinion matters; you do not have to be who others need you to be
8th house: transform the ways in which you evaluate your worth – individuate your magnetism
9th house: transform your relationship to the truth; tell yourself the story you know to be true
10th house: aim for authentic recognition out in the world, a personally meaningful reputation
11th house: focus on finding allies who help you shine in your community
12th house: give your longest held dreams a heartbeat of their own
To schedule a personal reading with Hannah, email: [email protected]
JUPITER IN VIRGO: A DREAM IN GREEN
Yesterday, the planet of good fortune and abundance moved signs. In this insightful post, the Astro Twins outline what we can expect with Jupiter in Virgo…Images: E A R T H by Gyéresi Andrea Éva
Changing of the guard! On August 11 2015, expansive Jupiter exits dramatic and flamboyant Leo, moving into clean, green and analytical Virgo until September 9, 2016. Jupiter is the planet that rules luck, personal growth, travel, opportunity and risk. Along with Venus, it’s one of the cosmsos’ two “benefics,” meaning its influence is largely positive. The biggest planet in the solar system, Jupiter represents abundance, so whatever you plant during a Jupiter cycle will grow into a cash crop.
As one of the slower-moving outer planets, Jupiter’s transits color the entire societal attitude and cultural zeitgeist. Jupiter changes signs every 12-13 months, meaning it only visits each zodiac sign once every 12 years. Its last trek through Virgo was from August 27, 2003-September 24, 2004. (Dial back to that era for themes that may arise again in your life.)
Here are few things we can expect while Jupiter tours Virgo through September 2016:
1. Walking the talk: Jupiter in Virgo.
Now that Leo’s grand speeches, public declarations and jaw-dropping debuts are over, it’s time for some follow up—the walk that goes with the talk. Jupiter in Virgo inspires us to roll up our sleeves and do the real work, to make change. In a telling pop culture example during Jupiter in Leo, Caitlyn Jenner filmed her reality show I Am Cait on the road with trans activists.
The episode revealed her ignorance about the struggles of transgender people who don’t share her wealth, fame and public support. While Jupiter in Leo brought Caitlyn Zac Posen gowns, tearful ESPY awards and Vanity Fair covers, Jupiter in Virgo will deliver the equivalent of a quick sociology degree. And we could all use some brushing up in that area, frankly.
Jupiter in Virgo cracks the integrity whip, making sure our own backyards are clean before we stand on our soapboxes. Do we wag our fingers at the world’s transgressions, then privately commit the same deeds? There will be no getting away with that while Jupiter is in Virgo. Beware the self-righteousness of this transit—change begins with ourselves.
2. Jupiter is in “detriment” in Virgo.
Jupiter is “in detriment” in Virgo, meaning it’s slogging through perhaps its least favorite shift – as if the celestial hedonist is doing community service to repent for his overindulgent ways. We just can’t act selfishly on every whim with Jupiter in self-controlled Virgo. Jupiter is the ruler of big-picture thinking and the higher mind, while Virgo is ruled by practical, sensible Mercury—Jupiter’s planetary opposite, in a way.
Jupiter and Virgo can be strange bedfellows, with the supersized planet pushing to expand, and fastidious Virgo fact-checking every little item along the way. It’s like a neurotic nanny trying to tame a hyperactive child on a sugar high. In the best situation, they will provide positive checks and balances for each other, ensuring that our grand ideas can actually go the distance.
3. Sustainability reigns: Earthy Virgo in charge.
After a people-focused year, our attention turns to our processes—and how they affect the planet. Climate change is an undeniable issue we face, and global ambassador Jupiter throws a giant spotlight here. As astronomer Carl Sagan once said, “Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.” The human race needs to cooperate with nature if we want to keep on keeping on.
We could draw some inspiration from New Yorker Colin Beavan’s film No Impact Man which documents his family’s efforts to spend one year making as little an impact as possible on the environment: no electricity, automated transportation or non-local food!
Virgo governs digestion so that rule extends to our palates. Bring on the organic produce and kale smoothies. Plant and grow food and put more greenery around your home. Vote with your dollar, opting for sustainably crafted goods that also support local business owners and keep the neighborhood economy thriving.
With Jupiter in Virgo, businesses in “green” industries could boom. You might just make time to hear your friend’s pitch on solar panels, vitamins or supplements now. Since Jupiter is the global truth-teller we can expect to hear more stories about egregious waste dumping and pollution from overseas manufacturers…and hopefully, to see policies and regulations change that.
4. Living in tune with nature, sharing our “stuff.”
No, you don’t have to trade your loft apartment for a yurt this year…but you might airbnb it out for a month while you go shack up in a tent. Jupiter in Virgo calls our culture of excess into question, and people will begin making real lifestyle changes to reduce accumulation. Jupiter in practical Virgo will fuel the cooperative economy. More and more, people are asking: Why own when we can rent, and use only what we need when we need it?
Commune-style living could make a comeback too, with a modern twist. Interestingly, the first-ever kibbutz—a collective community in Israel where people live, work, farm, grow food and raise their families together—was formed in 1909, while Jupiter was in Virgo. We can expect to see a rise in urban farming, shared living spaces and a boom in people unloading their stuff on Craigslist or eBay.
5. Drop the selfie stick; pick up the talking stick.
It’s time for more mindfulness, says Jupiter in Virgo—to put down the gadgets for an hour and get back to IRL encounters. While we don’t predict that the likes of, say, Snapchat will go anywhere, serenity could set in if we carve out technology-free spaces (both in public or at home).
We’ll be more present with the people in our midst; less worried about attracting a million random followers. We’ll find joy in being of service to our fellow humans instead of competing to be the biggest superstars. It sounds downright old-fashioned, but this wrinkle in time might just buy us another era on Planet Earth.
6. The “Internet of Things” takes over
If anything, technology will become more integrated into our lives. Virgo may be an earthy hippie, but it’s also a data-loving nerd (think: an early adopter of Burning Man going off the grid but rocking serious tech skills). The “internet of things” (ioT) could expand under Jupiter in Virgo.
More of our everyday objects will become embedded with sensors and electronics, a la “geek chic” wearable technology (an industry projected to balloon by the billions). We may even see an innovation that helps us detach from our physical gadgets while still remaining “wired.” Will our entire identities soon be stored on the cloud?
7. Taking it to the polls: Rocking the vote?
With a U.S. presidential election year falling during Jupiter’s tour of Virgo, we could be due for another “Rock the Vote” era of grassroots change and socially-aware constituents (interestingly, the splashy Rock the Vote campaign was founded in 1990, while Jupiter was in Leo).
Jupiter in Virgo will demand integrity and follow-through from any politician who hopes to make it through the rounds of debates and primaries. If we’re lucky, Jupiter in Virgo may also help to inspire record voter turnout before it leaves in September 2016.
8. Health, science and fitness industries soar.
Virgo is the ruler of health and science, so new trends in medical care and the wellness industry could arise. Buying “local and sustainable” could become more of a mainstream trend, as consumers become ever more savvy in their research about food and product safety. We may see amazing advancements in medicine, too—for example, technology that allows doctors to predict and prevent brain diseases (such as dementia) long before they reach their full-blown state.
Artificial intelligence, robots and other innovations that once seemed like grist for a sci-fi movie could become integrated into our daily lives. Geneticists are even working to bring back extinct species, such as the carrier pigeon, which died out in 1914.
9. Coaching and “how-to” businesses thrive.
Coaches and consultants might also experience a heyday, as Virgo’s perfectionism has us all in self-analysis overdrive. Analytical Virgo doesn’t skimp on the details, so people will be hungry for advice on improving their practical skills: budgeting, dressing, decorating, parenting. If you’re an expert, look for ways you can package your knowledge as helpful advice.
Jupiter rules publishing and broadcasting, so consider marketing your unique skills through a YouTube video series, a “helpful tips” podcast or a how-to ebook. For best results, focus on simplifying a difficult process or giving people basic instructions. Jobs in the service sector will also grow, since Virgo is the ruler of service. Everyone, pitch in now…
How do you think Jupiter in Virgo will rock your world? Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and share your hopes and dreams for this next cosmic portal.
TAROTSCOPES: JUNE 2015
Cast by Louise Androlia using the Tarot Of The Holy Light deck
Gemini / Gemini Rising – Three of Pentacles
I’m going to be blunt with you this month birthday babes. It’s time to step into those dreams, grab onto what feels good and holy cow it’s time to own your voice. Please. Your purpose in this life is not to be unkind to yourself. Your purpose in this life is not to not show up for your journey. The start of a solar year is like your own private new year celebration, a time to spin that wheel again. Last month I encouraged you to get clear about what you need, rather than want – so what came up for you over the last few weeks? It’s likely a few intense feelings, and that is GOOD. Feelings link us directly to our intuition, so do not de-value any of them.
Over the next few weeks I feel that you have the opportunity to step up, especially where your career is concerned. It feels to me that people want what you have to give, whether you are willing to own a sense of confidence in this or not. You have a voice and it is time for it to be heard! No, this isn’t a call to step up on your soapbox, but it is a time to own your talents and also consider how you might want to be of service in this world. Life is your teacher and as you learn and heal through the cycles you experience, you are called to share and teach from your experiences – in order to keep the circle turning.
This sense of stepping up is wide and expansive, and it might be that you need to step up and honor the feelings you’ve been having recently. It’s also a perfect time to ask for help (in fact it always is) – so please don’t be afraid. Recognize that your light and dark are always aligned perfectly for you to move forwards. Allow the sunshine to be your anchor, and let your fears be free to fly away.
This is a wonderful month for you to educate yourself and others, and I believe any time you feel stuck or disconnected this month you’ll be able to guide yourself back onto your path by reading and researching.
As an Air sign, your brain needs to be kept well oiled. You need to feed your intellect and respect your ideas. How can you design your days and your space to complement your internal landscape? Finally – congratulations on being you! How often do you stop to congratulate yourself on having made it today? Do it now. You are on target, keep holding your steering wheel.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer Rising – Nine of Pentacles
Last month was a huge learning curve, wasn’t it? You were flying free, travelling, exploring externally and internally. What have you learned about yourself? Where do your roots want to dive in and grab hold of the Earth? Where have your thoughts been leading you? Are you still in flight or are you seeking a new home? The self-exploration earthquake has become familiar territory for you recently – a sense of shifting and shaking, versus steady grounding. Which do you prefer?
I can’t assume all of you want to be rooted in one spot, but home is your theme for the coming weeks – so consider what that really means to you right now. The energy here speaks of material successes, hinged on a theme of accepting what you need to feel at peace in your environment. Some of us need our favorite furniture, a huge space, the sea, the city. Some of us feel safest on the move, around unfamiliar spaces and absorbing new scenes. Where do you feel you sit right now?
I am uplifted by the energy for you over the coming weeks as I sense there will be a few moments where you can’t help but take that huge deep breath as you truly drop into the moment. Sometimes we miss these feelings if we are distracted, so keep yourself aware of moments that bring a slight tingling in the chest, a tear in your eye, or the urge to smile and weep at the same time. At these points, something is connecting, something is hitting home. Don’t be afraid, just observe and take note.
Recognize that you will grow in the spaces that feel like home, even if only for a few passing weeks. If you are feeling displaced in your location, you’re allowed to explore alternate options. And there are always alternate options – so think expansively. The coming days are in place for you to shout about your ideas and your discoveries. You will find great peace from voicing anxieties, epiphanies and victories, so share abundantly. Everything becomes stronger when it is able to breathe – you, your passions, your voice and your relationships. Notice any parts of your life that are feeling strangled and ask yourself what you need to free them up? You might feel the need to physically stretch, a lot, so stand and spread your arms out wide, open your chest, or lay on the floor in a star shape. Be fluid.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Leo / Leo Rising – Six of Pentacles
I’m surprised you haven’t had this card come up in the two years I’ve been writing these ‘scopes, but perhaps it means that this message and theme wil hit you even stronger over the coming weeks. You are being pushed to honor the concept of giving and receiving and the knowledge that this is how harmony is achieved.
Firstly, in relationships – which means friendships and all other points of human contact. How do you feel your communication is aligned? Are you running on empty whilst giving and giving? Do you often step into ‘martyr mode’ and complain that no one is supporting you, that everyone is draining you? Our energy levels are OUR CHOICE. Stepping into the ‘everyone is an energy vampire’ mindset is to step into victim mode, and forget that you are the director of your experience. If you truly feel that someone is draining you, then it’s time to shift your boundaries and support yourself, not complain about the person in question. Empower yourself with self-care, it is always the answer.
Moving onwards, up your energy with either more time alone spent inwardly exploring, and also more time with those who make you feel like you can fly. Your time is valuable and precious; spend it with people who make you feel alive and inspired. In times of energy crisis visualize that bubble of light around you! Energy protection works via awareness, the more you discover that you are an energetic being the more easy it is to keep yourself in your brightest space.
In matters of romance and dating, you want someone who can show up in person, not just via an emoji in a text. Think about that and claim your self worth. Do you find it difficult to ask for help or accept love in your life? Practice the art of receiving with simple steps. Allow friends to buy you coffee, and say thank you without an excuse when someone pays you a compliment. Finally this month, feel empowered from learning to say NO to things that don’t feel good for you. This creates space for things you want to say YES too! You are not require to do things to just please others, This is your story, so ask yourself – does this work for me? And if not – what are you going to do about it?
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Virgo / Virgo Rising – Page of Wands
Last month there was a strong theme of loss for you. Some of you faced heartbreak in all it’s forms, empowered and otherwise, others of you moved onwards physically with environmental shifts and career highs and lows. As the energy blends and shifts over the coming weeks, I feel you will start to feel your Fire element rise back up, as you gain positive energy from the changes that have occurred.
It may seem crazy to think that strength can be what shows up after a dip in energy, but know that your shifts are in place to strengthen your energy and give you tools for moving forwards. So firstly, how are you feeling? Self-care should always be a priority, which means looking after yourself and valuing and nurturing whatever you are feeling in the moment. If you need to take a break, a hide away, or simply to lay down a little, it’s safe to do so at the start of the month. Take that break now to allow the Fire element to keep building – and don’t worry, things aren’t going to start zooming ahead without you!
The energy in place for you is more about the return of your life force, your mojo, that inner drive and will that you know and love. Your wish to manifest big ideas and fun experiences is creeping back to you, and you are beginning to feel the light emerge from the shadows. How to honor this energy? Dip your toe in. This means taking note of your creative ideas, your smiles, and your passions. Nothing comes into your consciousness without reason – these are things to work with. So what is on your mind? What is ready to explode from your heart? It is seed-planting time, and I feel you might want to nudge a few powerful soul urges out of hiding.
Your dreams may also be visionary this month, so keep a notepad by your bed and scribble away in the morning, enjoy un-puzzling the symbols into concrete ideas. Finally, choose your company wisely this month. It doesn’t suit you to downgrade your personality or try to ‘fit in’. Where are your soulmates at? Melt into good company and note how it expands not only your experience, but also your visions for your future – share your biggest ideas, let others support you until your wings strengthen again. Be powered from your darkness but catapult yourself towards the Sun.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra Rising – Eight of Wands
This month brings in a brighter and more joyful energy for you, especially with many of you having been wading neck deep through quicksand recently. It feels like a lightning bolt effect coming in. It may be that you become very present with the lessons that have been chipping away at you since the start of the year, and some ‘ah ha’ moments just suddenly swoop in. These might be way more simple than you think too -often we expect (and sometimes desire) everything to be so complicated, but the answers we are yearning for are frequently so simple, it’s easy for us to miss them.
In moments of self-sabotage it may be hard to discover and accept that your goal is merely to be kind to yourself. How can that help me, you ask? Enlightenment is reached through self-awareness and knowledge; and you may need to try out some deep and loving compassion for yourself and your experiences to understand this.
On a creative and communicative level, this month is a good time to reconnect with others, especially if you’ve been hiding out in your hermit’s cave for a while. Just put the feelers out to those nearest and dearest, suggesting a coffee or maybe even requesting a shoulder to cry on. Career wise, how about returning to that project you abandoned, but still love? Can you infuse it with a renewed sense of positive energy and loving commitment? Don’t fear failure, only remember that there is no such thing.
Following in this vein, keep prepping for the rest of the year – but with no restrictions, and less pressure than you sometimes put on yourself. Just enjoy doing what you do, or discovering what you enjoy doing. The Fire element is very strong for you at the moment, so finding some time to put into fun and passion projects is encouraged, as well as the confidence to share them with the world. I always love the energy of this card because it brings assertive movement and is here to remind you that things are moving ahead, even for those of you who feel well and truly STUCK. In fact, have you considered how that stuck feeling is also a form of movement, as time is still passing, you are still learning, your thoughts are still valuable. Something is brewing, and everything is a perfectly aligned now to propel you into your superhero self.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio – Two of Swords
The Scorpio/Taurus axis is particularly strong this month, in regards to inner questioning and fear recognition. It feels a little like a whirlwind right now, and frustrating for you, because as an intuitive you aren’t so comfortable with so much thinking. Where are all the feelings? It’s time to work with your thoughts though, to respect that headspace, even if your brainwaves are pushing your limits at the moment and clarity seems just like a fuzzy idea you were familiar with once.
A practice of of patience within your impatience is going to be the challenge. To remember that perhaps the various crossroads you see in front of you are perfectly placed, and that any feelings of frustration are indeed of value.If it feels like you are at a crossroads, then there must be a sign post; whether you can see it or not is a different matter. It’s easy to feel unsupported or disillusioned when you aren’t sure where you are headed, and that’s okay. How about you start by remembering the web of the past and how it got you here today. Was everything predicted? Did it all go the way you planned? Maybe not – but was it perfect? Hell yes, and right now is no different.
How tight is the blindfold you’re wearing? Looser than you thought, I believe. It feels to me that the answers are right in front of you if you’d like to tune into them. This is where it’s time to blend what your head is telling you with what’s going on in your heart space, remembering that clarity is a combination of a perfect thought and a strike of intuition. So it’s time to open your eyes fully and reconnect. The last month may have sidelined you from your meditation practice, with a lot of being there for others and not as much alone time as you’re used to.
June is the month to reclaim your introvert, slam back down on that cushion, start journalling and get back to listening to all the guidance you know you already have inside of you. Remember there are no bad choices, so don’t be afraid to commit to one thing and just see where it takes you. You may find that all your other inspirations start to pivot and blend together, and it really isn’t the mess that you thought was taking over. Most of all, remember you’ve got this. This isn’t a crisis point, it’s a power shift.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Three of Cups
Did you know that compassion is pretty much the solution to everything? This month is about pouring love and kindness upon it all, you included. It’s also a chance for the most skeptical and morose of you to engage in an energy experiment. This experiment is about perception, and about choosing to see everything from your most loving place. For those of you who fear or sneer at the prospect of thinking positively, I’d like to reframe the concept of thinking ‘high.’
Approaching life or experiences with a wide-eyed outlook does not set you up for loss, or in some way lower your IQ. All that happens is that you are afforded the best possible viewpoint; to think positively is to view the world as if you have climbed that little bit higher. You get to see everything a little more clearly and with a wider lens. Which sounds GREAT to me. So yes, June is a rose tinted month, and with this in mind I hope you’ll be inspired to balance out any challenges with some serious fun. Again, you need to be of full creative vision to remind yourself to notice the small but great moments that sometimes pass you by every day.
A great example of this is PAWS. Cat paws, dog paws, animal feet in general – works of pure joy, right?! But on a more serious note, the Universe is quite interested in you diving into the good stuff and also patting yourself on the back. I feel a few of you have things to celebrate, even what you deem as a small victory is still a victory, right? On the romance front meanwhile, this is the ideal energy for a swoon alert to be sent out. Practice some good old-fashioned dates with your nearest and dearest, focusing on creating a no pressure kind of comfort zone. If you’re currently pursuing someone where even you can’t even force the spark to ignite, then it’s not worth your time. Be in love with yourself instead – it’s much more fun.
And on the subject of self-love and going hand-in-hand with this compassionate theme, you may find yourself in the throes of some nostalgia-induced waterworks at the start of the month. Don’t fear that this is a sign you’re going backwards, these feelings are coming up and out as part of a much needed clearing process – leaving an open space that’s now ready to be filled with new opportunities and connections.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – King of Cups
As you continue to be pushed out of your restrictive comfort zone, there’s no let up in June. These next few weeks feel to me as though they are going to bring a cascade of feelings, full on Water element waves and waterfalls. As a water sign myself, when I think of this I get uplifted and excited but I know as someone who likes to exercise a little more control can seem like you’re losing it when tears are shed or you’re experiencing feelings of overwhelm.
I’d love you to approach this part of being human in a new way. Think about adrenaline, and how we get a rush of it when we’re anxious but also when we feel the freedom and excitement of a rollercoaster. These feelings of fear and love mirror each other, and are therefore perfectly connected. If you feel waves of overwhelm, consider how you might be able to channel them into pure unbridled excitement. It is possible and you are totally able to experiment with that idea.
Mastering the water element also means employing a judgment free mindset, and being unapologetic about boundaries and desires this month. It’s important that you call in a positive selfishness and commit to following intuitively what you need. It’s not a time to keep putting others first, or to downplay your thoughts and feelings. In fact, it’s time to up the stakes, put the crown upon your head and own your worth. You see, when you truly value everything that’s within and around you anxiety dissipates. Rather than suddenly lose control, accepting yourself as a human with a full rainbow spectrum of vulnerabilities and emotional responses is to discover the true meaning of self-empowerment.
The experiences you have over the coming weeks are in place for you to connect to a deeper level of your soul and to finally shift yourself out of a more static place into a way of living and thinking that is more ‘in flow’ for you. Yes, change can make you insane, but it’s always a good thing. Never forget that you are designed to evolve, and that you aren’t supposed to know what the future holds. To have everything set in stone would mean that life – a place to explore and behold – would lose its purpose. Enjoy it all.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – Three of Wands
Following on from last month’s manifesting action theme, June brings in the magic of expansion along with some Fire energy, which are essentially the cogs on the wheel to all you’ve been pondering and planting recently. This brings the boost you need, along with an influx of fun. I always feel a deep sigh of relief when I pull this card because it is so expansive, so generous and so full of growth potential. This is how I would love you to see your life right now – and yeah, I know that may seem a little too full of the joys of spring, but still, I hold that thought for you.
Expansion has become such an important word for me, in fact it’s the word that I’ve allowed to become the master of my life. Along with a steady surrender practice, thinking expansively has the potential to turn most challenges into something you can work with and most blocks into a breakthrough. This is what’s in store from you this month, if you can be willing to switch to this mindset too. I’d like you to cast your eyes to the rest of this year and over some of the ideas you’ve been having. How many of them have you already sidelined because of a fear of failure or disappointment?
I want you to pick up any lost creative passions and see how you can infuse a sense of gallant excitement back into the game. Recognize that areas of your life that feel lack luster and stale require a different approach or perception. It’s no use repeating a tired pattern that you know doesn’t work for you. Whether it’s in your career, your health or your relationships, there is always a new way you could be looking at something; which goes hand-in-hand with an attitude of, well, why the heck not? Most things that could be beneficial are worth a try, right?
I always feel that if things aren’t feeling that great, or you aren’t feeling that well, then you may as well give change a shot, because chances are it will lead you somewhere better than the mud you’ve got stuck in.
So June is here for you to play with, to stretch out your fears and dream tremendously high, to expand your horizons, to travel, internally and externally. Open up the windows of your subconscious and let yourself loose. I’m excited to see what new opportunities might fly in when you set your default to ‘YES’.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces Rising – Ten of Swords
Oh yep, another shift of cycles for you my watery companion – do I say that a lot? Well that’s exactly as it should be when youre the most free-flowing member of the zodiac. You are perfectly designed to shift from one space to another; you just don’t always realize it. The month of June kicks you into a new energy that will carry you away from recent bumps and clunks. The feeling is that your lower level feelings will become a distant memory as something much more exciting and creative takes over your brain waves. I am feeling rainbows and light when I tune into you, and to receive this energy you do need to burst the restrictive bubble you may be sitting in right now.
It could be the Mercury Retrograde that’s at play until June 11, or just the old romantic in you, but it seems like some of you have been paying a little too much attention to the past, in a kind of rose-tinted lens kind of way. Know that if you chose to move forward then, you didn’t do so in vain. You made an empowered choice and it’s okay to stick with that. There are better things ahead, especially better than melancholy nostalgia trip. You also are encouraged to not replay events and try to rewrite them in your mind. There is no need to ‘fix’ a failure – everything aligned as it was supposed to. Trust in this.
Okay yes, I know you’re the master of the dream state and I’m not here to rain on that parade. I’m just pushing you to allow your intuition and artistic elements to step boldly into the future. Isn’t it more exciting to create the new than replay the old? This is the central theme of the month I feel, you having one eye on designing the months ahead as you intend them to play out; using a combination of super vision and concrete clarity.
I feel that you have the option to really shift what has seemed like never never land, into actual concrete form and I soooo love the sound of that. I feel that by the end of the month you will have received some serene clarity on the confusion of recent months, and along with that a big injection of confidence. I also feel that you have the opportunity to accept a shift in your relationship with your own subconscious, especially those of you who are out of touch with your own psychic gifts. A final thought: tune in = turn on.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries Rising – Four of Wands
The perfect follow on to the ‘match striking’ aspects of May; as all those ideas are now expanding and developing into reality, perhaps even at quite an alarming rate. The energy you’re channeling right now is very much that of the juggler, and I feel that some of you might also be feeling a little afraid that everything is about to fall down on top of you? A LOT of deep breaths have probably been required in the last week. But do you know the very best thing to do when you feel like you’re holding everything by a tiny thread? Let it fall, give it up…surrender, of course.
Trust that releasing your anxiety-ridden grip won’t cause chaos, but rather will give you a chance to rub your eyes and see with a clearer and more expansive perspective. It does kinda make sense, right? Anyway the true essence of this energy is celebration! So it seems that some of what you have up in the air is pretty damn impressive and full-on exciting. You might not be able to see the benefits while your head is down in the trenches working away, but know that bit-by-bit your empire is building and things are coming into effect; yeah yeah probably not on your time frame of course! Blame Mercury Retrograde (until June 11) if you like – everyone else does!
So yes, June sees good times, parties, wellbeing, love and joy all flooding in, so I’d also like to float the idea of taking a mini break. Should I whisper that? I see your head bob up, ‘wait, can I really take a vacay and STOP FOR ONE MOMENT?’ Yes, in fact I’m encouraging it. When you have so much on your plate it can feel like there’s no way you are allowed to do something for yourself, but I promise you it will enable you to get even more done. You need these breaks and you are granted permission.
It’s also this little nudge to remind you that often you get your best ideas when you’re out socializing and chatting to people, right? Don’t some of your best epiphanies come in the midst of conversation, when your mind starts whizzing and you feel the need to grab your iPhine and make a few notes to self? So allow yourself those social prompts to get you into your best flow. It’s a win-win situation really, and I’m pretty excited to see what you come up with.
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – Eight of Swords
Okay so we have a repetition on our hands, as this is the same card as last month – so of course your energy is on a similar wavelength, and that is truly okay. You are going through a process and having some more time to work on this will be very beneficial. I feel lke things have moved into a new space though, as you’ve been getting present with your fears and may have experienced some inspiring nudges out of your comfort zone recently – which have been pretty eye opening, right? It’s very beneficial for you right now to be dipping your toes in all that’s new and unfamiliar, as it’s just so good for your self-development.
As you experiment with different ways of thinking and communicating, it’s likely you’ll discover new and maybe improved methods that enlighten and brighten your experience. I’d also like for you to think about the concept of ‘crossed wires,’ as this seems to be prevalent for you right now. In the past six months, have there been some major shifts based on to’ing and fro’ing via text and email? Perhaps even too much communication not in person. It’s easy to get into this habit, but it’s not always the best way to get your authentic voice or message across. Over the next few weeks it will help you to practice actually voicing your plans, dreams and adventures IN PERSON.
Sharing without fear of judgment helps you really step into a new type of confidence in your own personality and weird (but completely valid) ways. You may also discover that people aren’t as annoying as you thought; remember, everything is based upon perception, and assumptions truly can cause chaos. So with all this in mind, just keep going as you were, working on everything you’ve already got going on, but a little more open to new perceptions having redesigned a few of your own stagnant thought patterns.
You are still working on a few personal blocks, and by approaching them with new thoughts and new forms of expression you are bound to receive some sort of breakthrough. On the other side of your most bewildering blind spots is your own bright and beaming light, your own superpower and route to success. The intriguing discoveries you make over the coming weeks are fertilizer for your best self – keep remembering that this life is your schoolyard and playground. So what can you learn today?
Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
FEET ON THE GROUND: A YOGA SEQUENCE FOR VIRGO
As Virgo brings its back-to-school energy of diligence and efficiency, Ash Baker shares some grounding poses to bring purification and clarity. PLUS a meditation to purge your fears ad connect you to the innate gifts within.
VIRGO
August 23 to September 22nd
Ruler: Mercury
Element: Earth
Modality: Mutable
Anatomy: Intestines, upper bowel. gallbladder, liver, pancreas and nervous system
6th sign of the Zodiac
The pure and curious creatures of the skies come out from the Cosmic woodwork to say hello this month. As we enter the earthy sign of Virgo, you may feel the winds of change begin to beckon. This month is about an ushering in of the first feelings of Autumn, and a deliciously crisp edge to the atmosphere reminding you to harvest what you’ve been working on.
Virgoans are all about service, purity, analysis and self-containment. All of which characteristics can be used to our utmost advantage. Being in service is gratitude in action and a much needed practice for living in the present. It inspires us to be grounded in a system of a high moral code. Analysis is POWER when used to discern what your heart and soul needs most. Just be careful not to over analyze yourself! And this sign teaches us that when we use self-containment to fill ourselves up with that which we need (gratitude, self love, and truth) we become an unstoppable force of light.
In honor of the Virgo energy that infuses our existence now, here are three poses to detox your whole body, strengthen your liver and calm your nerves. If you have time, flow through a few rounds of Sun Salutes to warm up the body before you move into the more static postures below.
Half Lord Of the Fishes // Ardha Matsyendrasana
Find a comfortable seat with your legs stretched out in front of you. Begin to draw your knees up and drop the left bent knee down to the left. Your left foot should be tucked just under your right seat. Then cross the right foot over the left leg and place it down next to the mid outer hip. This leg will stay upright with the knee towards the ceiling.
Inhale and reach the right arm up, exhale with a slight twist and place it behind your right seat. Take the left upper arm and elbow either around the outside of the right knee or to the outer right hip. This is a deep twist so use your inhales to gather length in your spine and twist deeper on the exhales.
Remember, the twist should be happening in the mid to upper spine. Think ribs up! Hold for five rounds of deep breath and then repeat on the other side.
*Gratitude practice: Inhale and think of something you are grateful for. Exhale and energetically let it surround you.
Bridge Pose // Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
This asana offers specific benefits to your liver by strengthening the core muscles that support it. Come down to lie on your back and bend your knees. If you have neck issues take a folded blanket under your shoulders to assist in creating a natural cervical curve.
Make sure your feet are directly under your knees. Rest your arms at your sides. Take a deep inhale through the nose. On your exhale begin to tuck your tailbone, activating the glutes and press your lower back down against the floor. Allow the exhale to lift your hips off the floor. Bring your shoulder blade tips closer together creating space in the front shoulders and collarbone.
Take your arms underneath and clasp your hands together. Press the forearms, hands and feet firmly into the floor. Release on an exhale and slowly wave your spine to the floor. Stay with this pose for 30 seconds up to 1 minute.
*Do not turn your head in this pose.
Supported Shoulderstand // Salamba Sarvangasana
Begin by folding two blankets into a rectangle shape about one-foot by two-foot. Come to lie on your back with the knees bent and your feet on the floor. Make sure the top two-foot edge of your blanket is lined up with the tops of your shoulders. Your head should be resting on the floor. Inhale, and on your exhale place your arms at your sides.
Firmly press your arms down into the floor as you draw your knees up and your thighs in towards your chest. Take a bend at the elbows making sure they are in alignment with your shoulders and place your palms on the small of your back for support. Begin to really curl your tailbone and extend the legs straight up towards the ceiling while simultaneously walking the hands up the back towards the floor.
Reach up through your toes and focus on bringing your chest towards your chin. Maintain a nice curve to your neck and do not turn your head. Hold this for 30 seconds if you’re a beginner, or more advanced yogis can hold up to five minutes.
To come down, exhale while gently bringing your knees towards your chest and roll the spine out long.
*Allow your body to relax and soak up the benefits of these poses!
You are a jar of stars meditation // Cosmic canned goods
Find a blissful space to sprawl out under a blanket. Maybe even under the moon and stars. Take an inhale for the length of five seconds, hold the breath in for five seconds and exhale for the length of five seconds. Go through 10 rounds of this more controlled breath. Then find a nice, soft rhythmic breath that suits you and place both hands on your belly.
See yourself laying there in your mind’s eye. Understand your body as a container for anything you wish to either get rid of or cultivate. Virgos are masters of discernment and can be an example when it comes to weeding out what we do or don’t want. As you inhale find the positive strengths you possess and view them expanding within you. You are your own cosmic universe.
As you exhale, visualize letting go of the negative junk that makes you feel sad or insecure. Allow your body to be a vessel for change. Lay here as long as you wish.
Monthly Mantra: I am the master of my own domain and I honor my truth.
