STAY AWARE: READING FOR THE PISCES QUARTER MOON

The waxing Pisces quarter moon is asking us to stay true to our most ideal future vision, says Jennifer Racioppi. Artwork: Bethany Harper-Walsh

Collage by bethany harper walsh waxing Pisces quarter moon The Numinous

Pisces Quarter Moon :: December 7th 2016 :: 4:02 am ET

We set our intentions with the New Moon, bright eyed and excited for a fresh new beginning. Yet, like clockwork, one week after the new moon we experience the waxing quarter moon—creating a square (90 degree angle) between the Sun, which represents our identity, and the moon, our subconscious and emotional desire.

This monthly occurrence signals the need for an adjustment. In astrology, a square is like a stepping stone, providing us the opportunity to overcome an obstacle on our path to manifestation.

So what does this Pisces Quarter Moon mean for us?

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:: THE SUN ::
The Sun is currently in hopeful, expansive, and indulgent Sagittarius, on his way to meet up with serious Saturn—while the moon is traveling through the spiritual and emotional sign of Pisces.

Sagittarius represents limitless expansion. Yet just three degrees from Saturn, the planet of discipline, also in Sagttarius, we can expect a sobering vibe, asking us to stay diligent with our bottom-line focus. Saturn wants us to decipher and consolidate our Sagittarian vision, and making an exact conjunction with the Sun on December 10th, Saturn’s influence feels heightened right now.

:: THE MOON ::
Yet, the moon in Pisces is seeking spiritual expansion, perhaps even an escape. Any time the moon is in Pisces, we may feel the urge to retreat into movies, music, literature, even a joint and a glass of wine. But this is a time to confront the desire to abandon your truth. Instead of escaping, allow your spiritual practice elevate you.

:: THE SQUARE ::
The Sun in brazen Sag square the sensitive Pisces quarter moon creates a steamy combo (we are talking about fire and water after all!). Sagittarius, an outspoken sign, and Pisces, a sign that can sometime struggle to find its words, can work together to create a mood of expansion with undertones of spiritual freedom. Instead of escaping, let’s put our attention on spiritual expansion as a way of elevating our life goals.

:: THE MESSAGE ::
As the moon waxes (grows), so does our focus on what we desire. So stay true to you. Manage your need for safety and security without abandoning yourself or your ideals! The Square between the Sun and the Pisces quarter moon asks us to look at our vision for our future, and then assess the work we must do to accomplish this. To be bold, be brazen, and be spiritually aware.

Here’s to your manifestation!

For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with from Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com

STRONG EYE ASTROLOGY: DECEMBER 5—11

A symbolic weekly horoscope for your sign, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology

Strong Eye Astrology gold pine cone The Numinous

Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
Pine cone. These last two years have been a time of massive growth. That growth continues. But you’ve been working at it long enough now that you have borne some fruit. A seed pod that is ready to be planted and fertilized. How will you tend to this seed, moving forward? Will you be focused enough to care for your vision until it reaches the height of a great tree? You are a natural adaptor. It is in your nature to shift to the next point of progression, and then the next, and then the next. But right now, it is becoming apparent that you need to stay dedicated to one seed, one project. You must be determined.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
The point where the sky meets the sea. The horizon line is both blurred and defined. Can you be defined and blurry at the same time? Can you allow yourself to know and not know? What do you feel you have to be certain about right now? What happens when you let it go? Let yourself be soft and vulnerable. You can try to build yourself up to being a good worker, a good member of society, a success. You may want to get your personality all boxed in and defined. But the truth is that you just don’t know yet. You are still a distance from the point of resolution. The horizon line is a vision, not a destination. It is always receding in the distance. Your true work right is not in defining yourself and your world, but in giving yourself space to feel. Let yourself be blurry and undefined as you work through old emotions and stories that are stored in your subconscious mind. Give yourself space to feel.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
Veins in a leaf. The veins of the leaf carry water and minerals to all of the cells of the leaf, and they bring sucrose through the leaf and out to the rest of the plant. The veins are connective channels. You are strengthening yourself as a connective channel. Connecting yourself with society. Connecting yourself with your vision. Connecting social groups with causes. You are the conduit that brings together people and ideas.You need to strengthen how you do this. How can you connect socially and conceptually in a way that feels supportive instead of draining? It may be useful to consider monitoring how you interact with social media or news. You may feel a need to strengthen your community. This is a time for you to work on your long lasting friendships. Lean on your community for a sense of stability. Understand how all is interconnected.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Pisces :: Pisces Rising
A dusty trail leading up. Climbing, climbing. Don’t be worried about the dust and the stones on your path. Some dirt under your fingernails now is a sign of hard work and persistence. Breathe deep within yourself and feel how strong you are. How you are able to just keep driving forward. This is your time to find stability in your career. Now you can feel truly supported by the hard work that you have been doing. It pays off. Know that where you apply effort, it will be rewarded. It may not happen exactly on your timeframe, but it will happen. Think of being truly devoted in your career. You may be a temporary workaholic right now. The key words for you now are effort and discipline. Lean into these qualities as you make your way up the trail.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Aries :: Aries Rising
Bundles of red flowers. Luscious, lively, red flowers. Red— the color of passion and energy. This is your time to harness your passion. Step into leadership. You want to share your spirit with the world. Let your creative expression light a fire. You are seeking a higher philosophy. You are on a project to educate yourself about either a philosophical or spiritual subject. Make lots of room for perspective and compassion. The red flowers symbolize that you may be excited about the idea of bad things happening to bad people. Turn your mind toward compassion instead. More anger will just keep the wheel of destruction turning. Find a higher perspective that is sturdy enough to sustain you for a long time.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Taurus :: Taurus Rising
An enamel teapot whistling shrilly on the stove. The long wait is over. The water has boiled. What have you been waiting for? Has a cycle come to a new stage of completion? Think about how you move through changes. It is necessary to let the old things fall away. The trees do it when they lose their leaves. The insects do it when they move through their stages of development. Look to nature for inspiration. Each season completely accepts itself. Summer doesn’t argue that it should be winter. Your fear may mark a place where you are resisting letting go. Your anger, another form of fear, may mark that place as well. Let your feelings inform you of what it’s time to let go of. It’s time to move bravely to the next stage. You can’t control how it goes.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Gemini :: Gemini Rising
Turning over cards. Show your hand. You can’t hide anymore. Everything is out in the open. Can you be perfectly vulnerable with another person? Acknowledge that your past experience has taught you some things about love and relationships. Some of these things need to be unlearned, and some of them are really working for you. Use your clever mind to figure out which are which and then sit still with the knowledge that you have acquired. Build new behavior out of it. This has been a changeable time for you in relationship. A relationship that is solid and is based on truth will stand the test of time. (And right now, time is testing!) A relationship that is not in alignment will be scraped away like sand on the banks of the river. Moving back into the flow, almost as if it was never there. Whether you are in a relationship or not, this is a time of solid learning and growth around your relationship behaviors. Apply yourself to the task of learning.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Cancer :: Cancer Rising
Tree roots. Root yourself down like a tree. Envision yourself a seedling that needs to be tended. Wrap arms around yourself. Feel your roots growing deep into soil. Tend to the basics—for the tree that means water, sunlight, healthy soil. Take this idea and transfer it to yourself—water, rest, nutrition, movement, love, friendship. Right now, make moves to support yourself on small practical levels. Drink your green smoothie in the morning, meditate, get enough sleep. This is your work. Do this work well and it will support you to reach great heights of love. That love will provide you with meaning. Use this time to learn how to live your life in a way of wellness and meaning.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Leo :: Leo Rising
Fireworks. You are a rocket of energy. Like a firework blasting into the sky and exploding into millions of colors. Flames exploding and then disappearing. Burning out exactly the way they were designed to. How can you structure your creativity to be like fireworks? How can you structure your creativity to explode and then reinvent itself, rekindle the flame and explode again? It may sometimes feel like so much effort, so much work to share your light. It may feel like work to get yourself into a creative state of mind, but once there, that momentum can carry you forward. Focus on getting the structure in place that helps you share your light. Creativity needs structure and right now you are in a position to create that. Share your light. Don’t hold back Don’t allow laziness or lack of focus to get in your way. Structure is what you need for the purest expression of creativity.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Virgo :: Virgo Rising
Curled up in the fetal position. There are two parts to your message: the first is let go of your concern for all of the day-to-day worries. Let go of trying to make yourself perfect. The second part is to create as much support around you as you can so that you feel very loved. So that you feel very safe. Let yourself rest in a nest of love. Of nurturance. How can you ease your mind into this space of safety? Can you nudge yourself into a cocoon? Into a hug? Can you let yourself sink into it so that you feel completely supported, loved and held? Let go of the everyday inconveniences, worries and goals. And sink into the supportive nest that reminds you that you are loved and that love is all around you. Do what you need to do to allow your mind to receive this state of being.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Libra :: Libra Rising
Pencilling in the answers on a quiz. This pop quiz in school is helping you learn the basics. You need to go back over the basics. Study up. So that you can communicate to your highest level and connect with your community at your highest level. You need to structure your mind now. Get serious about how you learn and how you deliver your message. There is no longer any possibility of cutting corners in this department. You need to show up in your classroom, at your job, or at your desk with all of your faculties polished and ready to go. You can’t hold back your message any longer. You need to let it find a way through. You need to deliver. It’s time to become serious about what your mind has to offer.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
A spider web glistening with dew. The spider web suggests that you are starting to feel creative, but there could also be a sense of danger. To be creative, one must have one’s need for security met. It is so important it is to feel safe. It’s so important to feel like you are allowed to be here. Strengthen the belief within you that you deserve to be alive. Know that all of life is valuable and that you are worthy. Denying yourself your own worthiness is the same as suffocation. Sit on the ground and let yourself sink into the earth. Know that you are of the earth and that you are supported by the earth. And that you deserve to be here. Everything about you is valuable. Your feelings are valid. Feel your feelings one by one. Let them flow through you. Let them bring you to a point of catharsis so that you are healed, stable and ready to serve. You are a great listener and a great source of security to those around you. But none of these gifts are able to shine if you don’t give them to yourself first. Settle into yourself and know that you are worthy.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.

MATERIAL GIRL, MYSTICAL WORLD: MELINDA LEE HOLM

With her custom jewelry prescriptions, Melinda Lee Holm combines her twin passions for crystals and the Tarot—with the wider mission of awakening her clients to a life of personal evolution…

Melinda Lee Holm Tarot jewelry The Numinous

The Numinous: What card and stone best represent your current life #goals? 
Melinda Lee Holm: The Empress and Pyrite. The Empress rules over a richly abundant world that she has created for herself by caring for everything around her with love and encouragement. She is the giver and the protector of life and she revels in her gifts by beaming love out all around her. I dressed as The Empress for Halloween this year, and am focused on actively working to embody her to create a world where we are all loved and treasured for our gifts and we are all safe and cared for.

This election threw me into despair and leaning harder into The Empress is helping to guide me as I step up to act to protect the rights and safety of women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ people, Muslims and the poor. And Pyrite is the gas to fuel this action. It supplies confidence, willpower, and motivation and it enhances our innate powers of manifestation. I invite everyone to print out a picture of The Empress and place her in your home as an inspiration and carry a piece of Pyrite!

TN: What came first, jewelry or Tarot, and when did you first combine the two? 
MLH: Tarot came first. I grew up in suburban MN and I was 13 when I got my first deck (the Thoth deck), the accompanying book, and a book on witchcraft. It changed my life. When I started doing readings for myself alone in my bedroom, I remember having this immediate access to a meditative, connected state. I would close my eyes and focus on visualizing white light shooting from my third eye and would be physically rocked by the sensation of being flooded with this magical connection. Looking back, I see baby me doing these vibration-raising rituals and I am so proud of that kid. I had a pretty rough childhood and finding this solace helped me survive with my soul intact.

20 years later I had a friend suffer a sudden and tragic loss. I went to my cards seeking guidance on how to help and as I turned over the cards, a strong aesthetic theme emerged. I felt called to make a necklace with natural stones in colors and numbers corresponding to the cards, and with energies for emotional healing and spiritual connection. As it turned out the colors and numbers were favorites of the loved one who had passed. It was incredibly moving. I knew it was the beginning of something great.

TN: Why does every modern woman need a talisman? 
MLH: Because self-adornment is an ancient sacred act. By wearing a talisman, we connect to our lineage of ancestors who adorned and anointed themselves with oils, scents, clothing, and jewelry imbued with magical power and purpose. In our contemporary culture, we are removed from this process and instead offered mass-produced items we have little to no energetic connection with. Wearing a personal talisman is a silent yet radical act of self-assertion and reconnection with the earth and with our ancestors.

Melinda lee Holm Tarot jewelry The Numinous

TN: What themes are most common among your clients, and what stones do you use to address them? 
MLH: The culture we live in means there are a lot of blockages around communication and balancing work and play, especially for women. So I often use Aquamarine to open clear communication with oneself and others and to soothe anxiety, Green Tourmaline to re-connect with the heart, and Garnet to ignite a passion for building dreams in a realistic, grounded manner.

I also work a lot on balancing the elements, which isn’t something I set out to do. For example, if someone has a ton of Fire and Water going on, but little Earth or Air, they are likely to feel exhausted from a lack of grounding, and frustrated and possibly even despairing that their message is being misunderstood. In this case, I would pay close attention to the elemental attributes of stones. There are so many levels to a reading. It’s what makes my work incredibly interesting and fulfilling.

TN: What’s your favorite way to cleanse and charge your crystals? 
MLH: I’m a huge fan of Selenite, a purifier and spiritual activator that I find to be extremely effective. I have big slabs of it in my studio and every jewelry piece I make gets a nap on the Selenite before it goes home. I also keep a piece with my personal jewelry. My pieces are also blessed with Palo Santo as I ask them to work with the client’s guides, angels, and ancestors to carry their energy to where it is most needed.

For my personal collection of crystals, I do a water rinse once a month on the Full Moon and then roll the cart (it’s a big collection!) over to the window to soak in the moonlight overnight. I also give them a really good smudge when I do my weekly house cleansing.

:: MATERIAL GIRL ::

My label
I’m living for everything Michele Alessandro makes for Gucci. If I could buy it all I would, but instead I admire it from afar and buy vintage. I’m crazy about vintage clothing for stylistic and environmental reasons.

Gucci fall 2016 Melinda lee Holm The Numinous
Gucci AW16

My shoes
Oxfords and sneakers. I’m tall, I have foot issues, and I’m a HUGE fan of a butch shoe look.

Saint Laurent sneakers The Numinous
Saint Laurent sneakers, $595, Net-a-porter.

My fragrance
Tea rose oil – opens the heart and smells amazing.

Tea Rose Oil Melinda Lee Holm The Numinous
Tea Rose Oil, from $14, Body Time.

My jewels
I’m constantly making myself things depending on what I’m feeling, but I always wear the gold Sigil necklace from my collection, piles of rings, and a piece of Black Tourmaline somewhere to keep my energetic field clear.

Sigal necklace, from $175, Melinda Lee Holm The Numinous
Sigal necklace, from $175, Melinda Lee Holm.

My pampering
A soak, a scrub, and a hot stone bibimbap at the Korean spa.

My home
A purple house filled with crystals, art, music, and animals in beautiful Los Angeles.

My food
All of it. Everything. I love food. That hot stone bibimbap at the spa may be my favorite, but it would be really hard to choose.

dolsot bibimbap vegan Melinda Lee Holm The Numinous

 

:: MYSTICAL WORLD ::

My awakening 
It’s ongoing. I think we all need to focus on being in a state of constant spiritual awakening until we’re dead. Not doing so assumes we’ve gotten as close as we can or as we care to the Divine. I’m greedy. I want as much expansion and evolution as I can get in this lifetime.

My sign
Cancer Sun, Virgo Ascendant, Taurus Moon, year of the Fire Snake.

My mantra
“This time will pass”—it works to soothe during the lows, and as a reminder to really be present and soak in the highs. It relates very closely to the Wheel of Fortune card, which offers an additional comfort of being looked after by the Universe.

Wild Unknown The Wheel of Fortune Melinda Lee Holm The Numinous

My healer
As with all of us, ultimately myself—with and assistance from guides here on Earth and in the Spirit realm.

My reading
I always go back to Angela Davis, Joseph Campbell, and many, many metaphysical texts.

My mission
To empower and inspire as many people as I can to commit to a life of constant personal evolution.

Discover more about Melinda Lee Holm and her work, and schedule a Prescription Adornments consultation at Melindaleeholm.com

5 GENDERS: THE STORY OF THE NATIVE AMERICAN TWO-SPIRITS

Prior to Christian intervention, fluid gender identities of the Native American Two Spirits were seen as a gift from the gods, says Pearson McKinney

Osh-Tisch Native American Two Spirit on The Numinous
Celebrated Lakota Two Spirit Osh-Tisch (left) with his wife.

It wasn’t until Europeans took over North America that natives adopted the ideas of gender roles. For Native Americans, there was no set of rules that men and women had to abide by in order to be considered a “normal” member of their tribe.

In fact, people who had both female and male characteristics were viewed as gifted by nature, and therefore, able to see both sides of everything. According to Duane Brayboy, writing in Indian Country Today, all native communities acknowledged the following gender roles: “Female, Male, Two Spirit Female, Two Spirit Male and Transgendered.”

He goes on to describe how: “Each tribe has their own specific term, but there was a need for a universal term that the general population could understand. The Navajo refer to two spirits as nádleehí (one who is transformed); among the Lakota is winkté (indicative of a male who has a compulsion to behave as a female), niizh manidoowag (two spirit); in Ojibwe, hemaneh (half man, half woman), to name a few.”

As the purpose of ‘Two Spirit’ is to be used as a universal term in the English language, it is not always translatable with the same meaning in native languages. For example, in the Iroquois Cherokee language, there is no way to translate the term, but the Cherokee do have gender variance terms for ‘women who feel like men’ and vice versa.”

The Two Spirit culture of Native Americans was one of the first things Europeans worked to destroy and cover up. According to people like American artist George Catlin, the Two Spirit tradition had to be eradicated before it could go into history books. Catlin said the tradition: “must be extinguished before it can be more fully recorded.”

And as Brayboy also notes: “Spanish Catholic monks destroyed most of the Aztec codices to eradicate traditional Native beliefs and history, including those that told of the Two Spirit tradition.” As a result, Native Americans were forced to dress and act according to newly designated gender roles.

One of the most celebrated Two Spirits in recorded history was a Lakota warrior fiercely named Finds Them And Kills Them. Osh-Tisch (see main image) was born a male and married a female, but adorned himself in women’s clothing and lived daily life as a female. On June 17 1876, Finds Them And Kills Them earned his stripes when he rescued a fellow tribesman during the Battle of Rosebud Creek, an act of fearless bravery.

It’s an example of how in Native American cultures, people were valued for their contributions to the tribe, regardless of the gender attributes they exhibited. Parents did not assign gender roles to children either, and children’s clothing tended to be gender neutral. There were no ideas or ideals about how a person should love; it was simply a natural act that occurred without judgment.

Without a negative stigma attached to being a Two Spirit, there were also no inner-tribal incidents of retaliation or violence toward the chosen people simply due to the fact they identified as the opposite or both genders. If anything; “Traditional Native Americans closely associate Two Spirited people with having a high functioning intellect (possibly from a life of self-questioning), keen artistic skills and an exceptional capacity for compassion,” writes Brayboy.

We'wha (1849-1896), of the Zuni nation. We'wha was biologically a male and engendered with a female spirit.
We’wha (1849-1896), of the Zuni nation. We’wha was biologically male and engendered with a female spirit.

Once outside religious influences brought serious prejudice against “gender diversity,” openly alternative or androgynous people were forced into to one of two choices. They could either live in hiding, and in fear of being found out, or they could end their lives. Many of whom did just that.

Imagine a world where people allowed others to live freely as the people nature intended them to be, without harm, without persecution, without shame. Imagine a world where we are truly free.

This article originally appeared on Bipartisan Report. For further reading visit Indian Country Today.

CASTING MY SPELL: CONFESSIONS OF A WHITE WITCH

“I see writing as a spell, decorating my home as a spell, singing as a spell. Whenever I express myself I am casting MY spell.” Shaheen Miro shares what it means to grow up and embrace being a white witch…

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I have always had an intimate connection to the unseen – as a child I could feel the pulse of magic in the world around me. I spent my time wandering through the shadows of trees, marveling at the menagerie of creatures forming, looming, and dancing on the ground around me. I gathered stones, flowers, and found objects to create charms for change and good fortune. I spent my time talking to invisible forces…the spirit of the river, the rocks, and my little calico cat.

A little fairy on the edge of dreamland, roaming between worlds, and unraveling mysteries, sometimes I found myself lost, and confused by things I could not put into words. The loneliness of abandoned buildings made my spine tingle, and spirits of the dead danced in and out of my awareness – difficult things for a child to articulate.

My mother and grandmother were my advocates. Strong, beautiful women with big hearts, strong hands, they were brave witches who honored this path, and these gifts.

And so we explored the tangles of nature together. Singing with the plants, and soaking up the light of the moon. My grandmother always spoke of angels as divine helpers who could be called upon at any time, and my mother gave me the gift of the Tarot as a small child – her way of helping me cultivate and hone my blooming psychic abilities.

To some, my story may sound fantastical, the musings of a child captivated by fairytale visions. But all myths are rooted in reality, and I’ve simply always been aware that magic is alive and well in the “real” world.

As such, I never “grew out” of my exploration of the mystical world. I learned to read between the lines, to see the space beyond the eyes. In every moment, in every situation, and in every person, I can see a bead of magic. How we are all made of the same light and shadows – divine beings on an arduous and essentially liberating earth-walk journey.

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I have found magic in books, in stories, and in art, and my life has become a pilgrimage to reclaim the folds of the mystical world, while remaining grounded here in the physical. Because this is where magic has the most power.

To quote Stevie Nicks (a weaver of spells through songs): “The stars are apart of us.” Witches know the ebb and flow of the Moon, and we hone and honor this powerful tide of energy in the understanding that we are equal parts spirit and flesh. Our bodies know the grace of the seasons, and the tides of the Moon, and when we channel this energy we become super-powered.

As such, the Moon has always been my muse and my teacher. I spend time soaking in her milky light. I talk to her, expressing my deepest wishes, and my heaviest regrets. My mother and I wander out into the landscapes of the moon and light candles in honor of her light and glory. The moon has become a portal to our inner world, and even when we are apart we know that the Moon connects our souls.

How else do I live it?

There is nothing like wrapping myself in an aura of black chiffon, and letting my wings catch the wind as I spin and spin in the moonlight. A little white witch taking flight into the mystical; transcending my body, and moving through time. I feel alive in the cool hush of the night. Night sounds are prayers that awaken the soul. Witches know the night holds mysteries, and so they seek refuge in her subtle energy.

And the white witch knows the power of magic lies in the ability to evoke what is cradled within. Spells become nothing more than a rhythm of expressing and exploring intention. We mingle with, and call upon the latent potential of objects. Calling on the spirit of botanicals, igniting the influence of candles, and mingling with the essence of crystals.

The Shadow self has also become a teacher for me – for there are gifts to be found here, in the parts that are suppressed, feared, and therefore unacknowledged. When you reach into the dark, you can pull out treasures and heal what’s stuck. So when I encounter the dark, I try to communicate with it. To see what my Shadow Self has to say.

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I call myself a White Witch, because I know I am the night and the day. I seek to understand the dark, rather than fear it. To do this, I must know and honor my intuition, seeking out the patterns of the Universe unfolding around me. In omens, cards, and tea leaves. And it’s when I ignore the messages that I find myself falling off kilter.

This is why owning the word “witch” is an act of power. Sometimes it can feel easier to grow numb to the whispers of the magical world. To put your head down, and do what you are told. To act “normal.” But you are not living if you are not expressing, and you are not expressing if you are not telling the whole story. So now I find my power in being “different” – and stepping into the flow of my eccentricities.

For me, witchcraft is a way of life, an inborn desire to truly live. This also means following my creative impulses as an act of scared communion. I see writing as a spell, decorating my home as a spell, singing as a spell. Whenever I express myself I am casting MY spell.

This applies to all the powerful ones, the thought leaders, the rebels, the eccentrics, the artists. The ones who operate in the Earthly realms from a deep seated desire to bring their inner world to life. Magic asked them to channel their vision into being. All they needed was to be their unique expression. And the world changed because of it.

Witches know they do not have to explain their doings. They just do what feels right. Whatever feeds their spirit. And since this takes real bravery, witches don’t do well with fear.

TALKING TALISMANS WITH LAURA LEE JEWELLERY

Purveyor of talismans and mystical amulets for the Now Age, Laura Lee shares her story and the symbolism behind her work with long-time fan Ruby Warrington…

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As a rookie journalist working in Central London over a decade ago, I would walk past a little store on my way to work each day. Time permitting (there was always time), I’d stop and drink in the delicate pieces of jewelry that seemed to me to be especially infused with meaning.

The maker’s name was Laura Lee, and when my birthday rolled around that year there was only one thing on my wish list – a simple pearl pendant that was both as captivating and mysterious to me as the Moon. Generous lover that he is, my husband obliged.

This was long before I discovered my Moon was in Cancer, the astrological sign associated with the pearl – but I treasured my new amulet just the same, and it became the first of many talismans I have loved, and sadly lost, over time.

How thrilled was I then, to have the opportunity to collaborate with Laura on this post for The Numinous – in which she shares her journey with the stars and the personal talismans that are the touch points of her creative life.

The Oracle Multi-Coin Necklace £485
The Oracle Multi-Coin Necklace £485

Ruby Warrington: Why do you feel like talismans have such an important role to play in modern women’s wardrobes?
Laura Lee: I believe it’s part of the human condition to question our existence on this incredible planet, the answers to which can be so mysterious and overwhelming we often feel the need of some support to make it through. Looking to the stars and other belief systems can help us in this pursuit, and since I reject the concept of most organised religions, astrology and the use of crystals and talismans is something I can relate to instead.

Beyond this, the need to protect ourselves and our loved ones is a primal and fundamental instinct and our “armor” can be worn in the form of amulets and talismans. I feel very exposed without my layers of necklaces, while I feel like I’m also sharing my story by showing them to the world.

Diamond Set Star Drop Earrings £250, $360.57
Diamond Set Star Drop Earrings £250

RW: What is your story? What makes you, you?
LL: Part of my story is my double Leo personality, but it’s also in my mixed heritage and nomadic early life. My dad is a quarter Australian Aboriginal, quarter Chinese, quarter Japanese and quarter German, and my mum is English-Irish. I was born in London, have also lived in the States and Australia, and have travelled extensively – I am equally at home on many different continents.

RW: And what other personal pieces do you wear?
LL: My grandmother’s emerald and diamond ring and my Aunty Stella’s gold band (which was my other grandmothers wedding ring – my Dad and Stella’s mixed-race aboriginal mother). These pieces bring them closer to me and remind me of their lives and loves and adventures. Another amulet that I don’t wear but have near me always is my mother’s charm-laden bracelet, the piece that was responsible for becoming a jeweler. The charms tell the story of my mother’s journey – beginning in London, it was an adventure that finished up in Sydney, via America, Europe and Asia.

Laura Lee Jewellery Diamond Luna Ring on The Numinous
Diamond Luna Ring, $485

RW: What’s been your personal journey with astrology? And what have been the biggest teachings of the practice for you?
LL: I was very interested in astrology, the I-Ching and all things mystical as a teenager, and I had my chart done when I was about 20 and trying to work out what to do with my life. The astrologer I saw told me I would have two boys, which came to pass, and then there was a mysterious Scottish man who I’m still waiting for… 🙂 But she also told me I would always be a maker and work using my hands, which has also been true.

RW: What aspects of your chart do you relate most strongly to?
LL: I’m a double Leo which makes me pretty determined and stubborn – good qualities if you want to stick to something as long as I have with my business. I’m passionate too, which keeps me driven to create.

RW: Do you wear the symbol of your sun, moon, or rising sign? Why?
LL: Leo is ruled by the Sun, and I am very partial to the Egyptian and Mexican tradition of worshipping the sun gods. Visiting ancient Mayan and Egyptian sites made a very deep impression on me creatively.

Laura Lee Jewelry Necklaces
Soleil Gold Coil Necklace (front shows Sun design), £445

RW: And what’s your relationship to the symbolism of the moon?
LL: I was born in the 1960s and so the quest to put a man on the Moon, and to then actually see men walking on its surface was pretty mind blowing. It’s stuck with me throughout my life – although it was actually the view of Earth from the Moon that probably remains the most wondrous image of my lifetime. So to me, the moon symbolizes adventure, the vastness of our galaxy, and the incredible inspiration of human endeavour.

RW: What does the wheel of fortune symbolize for you? How can we all work with this talisman?
LL: I’ve always been intrigued by the concept of luck, and how whole lives can be determined by the seemingly random nature of when and where you are born, and to whom. And so in my collections, the Wheel of Fortune reflects the capricious nature of fate. Worn as a talisman, it’s a reminder to take advantage of the opportunities we have born into a certain culture, place and time. My mantra is always not to waste time – carpe diem and make the most of your days, because life seems to go so quickly. I always feel blessed that I was born in London and in a time of (relative) safety.

To find out more about Laura’s current collection visit Lauraleejewellery.com 

DRESSING FOR THE DECK: A TAROT FASHION SERIES

How to fully embody the lessons of the Tarot? Play tarot fashion dress up of course, says Gabriela Herstik…Photography: Mary Decrescenzio 

tarot fashion series by gabriela herstik the magician featured on The Numinous

:: THE MAGICIAN ::

There’s a certain power that arises when you tap your own intuition, your spirit, and declare to the Universe that YOU are the one in charge of your own manifestations and actions. The Magician sings of this. She is inner strength, manifestation and power. And she uses all the elements at her disposal to create.

I wanted to feel alive, regal, and (my version of) colorful in this outfit. I wanted to feel cloaked, and protected and magickal. I wore the dress I wore for my 20th birthday layered under a big, knit sweater, and I added layered necklaces and a scarf I cinched around my waist. I wore two different mala beads around my wrist, wrapped my pentacle necklace into a bracelet.

I grabbed my skeleton hand chalice and figured I would find a wand in the forest and use my eyes as daggers to round up all the suites of the Tarot. I wanted to feel strong and powerful. I wanted to feel like I was magick manifested.

tarot fashion series by gabriela herstik temperance featured on The Numinous

:: TEMPERANCE ::

Temperance speaks of working with opposing elements and using them to find balance. Battle water with fire, earth with air. Temperance is a card of healing, of renewal, a flowing stream promising something better, something easier.

I wanted to interpret this card surrounded by water, with pieces in sweet blue and just a touch of red (lipstick always counts). I picked up this wonderful vintage teddy from the place I work, Hip Wa Zee, and paired it with this sweet little robe I got from my friend Ivory who runs an incredibly curated vintage shop called Forgotten Feather Vintage.

I was feeling very “Secret Garden,” and I believe Temperance reminds us to find our own secret garden, our own place of peace. A safe haven to remind us that once we find balance, everything else will fall into place.

tarot fashion series by gabriela herstik the hermit featured on The Numinous

:: THE HERMIT ::

The Hermit speaks of vulnerability, of shedding your layers and moving inward. In the Wild Unknown Deck, the Hermit is represented by the turtle, and the symbolism is both obvious and profound – that underneath your shell, you are your own home.

My spiked leather jacket is like this shell, a barrier between me and the world. It gives me the confidence and strength to own my s***. Pieces like this are  my protection as I move through this life, especially as someone who can be passed over as vulnerable or weak because of my small frame.

I wore a vintage nightgown from Forgotten Feather, something really delicate, to represent the journey inward. Embracing The Hermit means dealing with your own issues face on – finding them, learning from them and hopefully growing from them. It also means picking up your shell, and continuing along your own path as you explore what it means to tune into yourself.

tarot fashion series by gabriela herstik the hanged man featured on The Numinous

:: THE HANGED MAN ::

The Hanged Man. This card reminds us to change our perspective, let go of ego, and embrace the sense of rebirth that’s available when we choose to see things in a new light. The Hanged Man is represented by a bat in the Wild Unknown deck, and just like the bat uses echolocation to see, we are reminded to use our intuition when our own sense of perspective is off.

I chose a floral shirt to represent growth and rebirth and a slick leather style skirt to represent how we must let judgments pass over us without resistance. The darker color pallet and oversize knit shawl were inspired by the aesthetic of the card, and the image of the bat itself. I was inspired by pieces that make me feel powerful, intuitive and strong.

You can check out Gariela’s full fashion tarot series at the link.

What card do you channel most often in your fashion choices? Comment below or tag us in your tarot fashion images on Instagram or Facebook!

MESSAGE FOR THE VIRGO NEW MOON ECLIPSE: HAVE FAITH!

This weekend’s Virgo New Moon eclipse is an invitation to go big, or go home. Just have a little faith, says Chani NicholasPhotography: Dana Trippe. Model: Rachel Barnes

message for the september 13 2015 new moon eclipse words chani nicholas image dana trippe for The Numinous

It’s that time again. Eclipse season.

Things speed up. Choices come rapid fire. Life alters, and we either keep up or get left behind. Eclipses tend to bring themes of major openings and closings. Portals of opportunity beckon us towards them. Things get cut short. Endings draw near without warning. Experiences are stark. Stakes are high.

The Virgo New Moon eclipse on Saturday, September 12th at 11:54 PM PST at 20 degrees of Virgo is a solar one. During a solar eclipse, the light of the Sun is diminished, obscured and confiscated (though not for those of us that will be experiencing it during night time). Life depends upon the light of the Sun. We depend on the light of the Sun. When that light appears to be threatened, so too are we.

We realize there are things we have no control over. Like the planets. Like our lives.

This eclipse is in Virgo. Virgo wants to know the specifics, the design and the down-and-dirty details of the situation. Virgo over thinks, over stresses, and over analyzes. There is no one that I would trust more with any kind of job that required a sincere and honest effort than a Virgo. This sign is unparalleled for its ability to work diligently at a task.

The Virgo New Moon eclipse also occurs near the North Node of the Moon – the point in the zodiac representing what we strive towards and want to accumulate. As such, we could say that this eclipse is propelling us forward, opening us up to our appetites, asking or taunting us to push our boundaries and find our edge, while possibly calling us to fulfill some aspect of our destiny.

Minutes before the eclipse, there will be a New Moon in Virgo. Every New Moon marks a new beginning, energetically opening up the sign it occurs in, as well as any major planet that has recently entered that sign.

And Jupiter has just landed in Virgo. Jupiter’s influence expands what it touches, creates opportunity, makes magnanimity its monogram, flaunts blind faith as a virtue and enlarges whatever it touches. Jupiter’s year long stay in Virgo is asking us to spend some time considering how we deal with the organizational aspects of our lives, how to work in efficient ways, and what details to expand upon. But more importantly Jupiter is hard at work developing the house in our chart that it is transiting in a critical, thoughtful, discerned fashion. Jupiter was last in Virgo 12 years ago – what area of your life was expanding, and opening up, back then?

With this eclipse of the new Moon, Virgos the world over are getting extra bouts of growth-inducing game thrown their way. And all of us are being asked to pay special attention to the part of our chart that contains Virgo (you can do your birth chart for free here). These are the areas of our life to focus on at the eclipse, to be tended to, worked on, explored, opened up, expanded, brought into form and made into something.

Because Juno, Guardian of Women and Goddess of Marriage, is sitting next to the Virgo New Moon eclipse, we can also ask ourselves if we are willing to committo marry ourselves, to the most pressing issues this area of our charts holds for us. Because this eclipse is sitting with Jupiter the benefic, we can be certain that whatever the effects, they will be BIG. Because this eclipse is making a friendly sextile to Saturn, we can know that our efforts to stabilize and make real are being aided. Because this eclipse is making a trine to Pluto we are invited to go deep and be real, to get ready to embrace our power and use it for good.

But. And. Finally.

Mercury, the planet that governs both the Virgo New Moon eclipse and Jupiter’s stay in Virgo, is slowing down to station retrograde on September 17. This might muck things up a bit, or at the very least make for an extra strange eclipse season. One that urges us to take well-assessed risks, but one that can’t guarantee the outcome. One that wants us to have faith in what we know, but might not show us all the information. One that asks us to serve the design of our lives, while it conceals an important part of the blue print.

This eclipse calls for critical faith.

Read the full, unedited version of Chani’s message for the Virgo New Moon eclipse at the link. You can also purchase her Eclipse Season Survival Guide here.

What area of your life do you want to open up with the cosmic energy of this New Moon eclipse? Share in the comments below, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

11 WAYS TO MEET YOUR SOULMATE

Ready to meet your soulmate? Then leave your inhibitions at the door, and arm yourself with some of these spiritual ice-breakers, says Gabriela Herstik. Image: Kazel Lim via Behance.net

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We’re totally for that cosmic connection you feel between other members of the Numinati. You know, that sweet vibration you get in your heart chakra when you meet someone else who just gets it. Yet the way in which we meet our soul sisters (or brothers) can be pretty funny. Read on and let us know – do any of these soulmate chat up lines sound familiar to you?

“Oh my god, your dogs a Scorpio? Mines a Cancer. Let’s plan a play date.”
It all takes a turn for the better when you astrologically analyze your pets.

“You have a really strong heart chakra. I can feel it.”
That moment two girls in the Trader Joe’s checkout become besties.

“That’s selenite, right? Aww, and you’re wearing it near your heart to raise your consciousness to a higher level.”
How did she know?

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m getting a vibe like I knew you in a past life.”
And you thought it was just another lunchtime wait in line at Sweetgreen.

“Has anyone ever told you what a beautiful energy you have about you?”
No, but I’ve heard that about my aura.

“Did I just hear you say your spirit animal is a raven? Mine’s a crow!”
Welcome to the tribe.

“Girl, is your lucky number 13? Because you’ve killed me and shown me a new way to live…”
Death card pick-up lines are too cute.

“My third eye feels especially open when I look at you.”
I know, I’ve been working on clearing my psychic energy field

“Let me guess – you take your coffee black, iced, and bitter. Like your soul before your last past life regression.”
When your barista just gets you.

“Is the energy of this coffee shop just off to you too?”
Well, now that you mention it…

“You totally look like the kind of chick I need in my coven.”
It’s a summer goth thing, isn’t it.

How did the convo go when you met your last Numi soulmate? Give us some lolz when you share on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and tag it #shitnuminousgirlssay…

MY MYSTICAL WEEK: KUNDALINI HEAVYWEIGHTS, THE POWER OF SAGE, AND A BOX OF TREATS

Will I ever be hardcore enough to be one of the kundalini crew, asks Ruby Warrington?

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I HUNG WITH THE KUNDALINI HEAVYWEIGHTS. So kundalini yoga is generally one of those things I do because I don’t want to. I figure anything that makes my ego flip-out the way this practice does has gotta be good for furthering my personal ascension goals – plus I’ve experienced some of my most profound life realizations on my sheepskin. Like full-on psychic visions about the best next steps to take in life. So when I learned that Guru Jagat (a.k.a. the woman spearheading the current kundalini global takeover bid) was hosting a retreat with her Rama Institute in Glastonbury last weekend, OF COURSE I extended my recent stay in the UK so I could go.

Here’s a sampling of the kind of stuff that went down:

Daily 4am sadhana. Literal translation: “spiritual exertion towards an intended goal”. My translation: “a battle of ego over sleep-deprived mind, and absolute evidence that kundalini yogis – who practise sadhana every morning – are the most hardcore of yogis.”
My first 2.5 hour meditation. About 4.30am on Saturday morning, Guru Jagat announced she’d had a download that we were going to do the “Master’s Touch” meditation that morning. Here’s a video. We did this for 2.5 hours (but faster, without music, and with our hands held in the ‘crossed fingers’ position). TF for her caveat that anybody “new” to kundalini was welcome to nap if needed.
Shopping for Jupiter rings. One think I love about the kundalini community is that they’re generally dripping with jewels – and the first opportunity we got we headed to Stone Age, a high-vibe crystal jewelry store in Glastonbury town. Wearing a ring on your Jupiter finger (the pointer finger) is said to symbolize power, leadership and authority…which is interesting since most women were saying they don’t like wearing rings on that finger because it feels “ugly” and “clunky.” Hmmm!
A trip to the top of the Tor. As in, the hill that presides over Glastonbury – and which is also the axis of the mythical Earth Zodiac (which, never fear, I will write about at length in another post!) Cut to bemused stares from the ‘regular’ tourists, as our 40-strong group moved from seated meditation in the grass (substituting sheepskins for black trash bags to protect our kundalini whites)…to insane selfie excitement in the natural wind machine created by the ruins of St Michael’s castle (see below).

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I BOWED TO THE POWER OF SAGE. I actually had to leave the retreat early (which means I missed seeing Merlin’s Cave, the crop circle excursion, and the final 4am sadhana AT THE TOP OF THE TOR), because of an electrical issue that needed sorting in my London home. My shower had been giving off a *tingle* of electrical charge (eek), and the electrician had already been in twice to figure out what was causing it – to no avail. He needed to do a deep dive he said, and un/rewire my entire house to get the bottom of this one (see dollar signs stretching to infinity in my mind’s / third eye).

I figured I might as well do my bit, so I picked up a GIANT bunch of sage at Star Child Original Medicinal Botanicals in Glasto and smudged my place the night before – paying extra attention to the bathroom. I mean it could easily be an energetic problem, right? Ghost of tenants past making a watery plea for freedom? And what do you know, 15 minutes into the job, my man Shane had found and fixed the problem! He was scratching is head over how he’d missed it before…while I smiled inside cos I figured I’d essentially smoked that mo-fo out.

I RECEIVED A BOX OF TREATS. One thing I miss about my “old life” in the mainstream media is the constant stream of free beauty products I used to get sent. In fact, there was a whole other lesson in ego eradication when the supply dried up once I left my old staff job. But when I returned back to NY, I was amazed to find a box of beauty goodies from Blue Mercury awaiting me – and even better, the majority of them were all natural!

Perhaps they were a gift from Jupiter, planet of abundance, who just moved signs into my house of health and wellbeing. Or from Venus, Goddess / planet of beauty, as a thank you for honoring her with our Temple of Venus art project this past month. I mean, these are the kind of questions a girl has to ask when goodies appear from out of no-where. And my fave product in the box? A chemical-free nail lacquer from Smith & Cult in a shade of poppy red called Kundalini Hussle – of course.

kundalini-hustle

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

BEAUTIFUL, MYSTICAL, MOVING: PLAIN INDIANS EXHIBIT AT THE MET

When Gabriela Herstik happened upon the Plain Indians exhibit at the MET, it was a fashionable reminder of her own awakening to  MYSTICAL spirituality. Main image: Karolina Daria Flora

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I’m all about synchronicity and the wonderful way our life stories seem to loop together over time. My most recent “moment” came together last week, when for the first time in 10 years I found myself back in the Big Apple. A mandatory trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art was made, and as I was walking up the beautifully grand stairs to the entrance I saw it – the sign that read; “The Plain Indians; Artists of Earth and Sky.”

I first learned about the Navajo and Iroquois tribes in elementary school a decade ago, after my family had moved to Buffalo, NY, from San Diego. Looking back, I can pinpoint learning about the different Indian nations as the entry point to my interest in shamanism and mysticism – a journey that has connected to me to an understanding of whatever it is that truly lies beyond. By learning how the different tribes incorporated a belief in something bigger than them in nearly every facet of their lives, I was inspired to do the same – a way of being that’s seeped into my own life day-to-day.

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The exhibition turned out to be an incredibly curated collection of Plain Indian art, displaying both the wonderful spirit of the tribes and the incredible talent of artisans across the nations. There were pipes carved with animal spirit guides and helpers; there were painted animal hides recounting tales of battles; there were exquisite war bonnets and, a favorite, an incredible shield embellished with a Buffalo spirit guide.

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A large part of the exhibition, however, was dedicated to the absolutely exquisite and divine (in the truest sense of the word) clothing. There were hand-beaded jackets in dusty blues and vibrant reds; leggings with horsehair fringe and rich, dark blue beadwork; there was an absolutely breathtaking pair of completely beaded brogues with a matching bag from 1901…there was EVERYTHING a girl for whom fashion – self-adornment – and spirituality will be forever entwined. And all very Etro SS2015…

Etro SS15
Etro SS15

There were also paintings and photographs of the Plains, with the exhibition designed to chronicle the art of the tribes from the 19th century to the present day – a visual account of the experiences of these tribal nations, ending with different artists’ personal interpretations of what the future of the tribes may look like. A touching spiritual and artistic experience, the Plain Indians exhibit at the MET was beautiful and mystic and moving.

The Plain Indians: Artists of Earth and Sky is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC until May 10 2015

TAROTSCOPES: FEBRUARY 2015

Cast by Louise Androlia using the The Rider Tarot Deck

Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – Two of Wands

You are more ready and prepared than you think you are. I feel as though you’ve recently turned a corner, whether it was a new commitment to your self-care, a home move, a new job, or even an internal shift. Something big has happened for you and so those wobbles you’re having? All normal. But yes, you really do have everything you need. In fact “I have everything I need” is a great mantra for you over the coming weeks, to repeat any time you feel a little “OMG! WTF!” about life and your situation. You may need to surrender over and over and over again. Got it?

So the situation you are now in is one of budding excitement, and you have a window that’s ripe for manifesting. With Mercury retrograde for the first 11 days of the month, it’s a fine time to just sit on taking any more massive action and just feel what you want to bring into your days. Look upon the next few months as a time to realign with your new dreams, as I feel like the things you really want for yourself right now are a little different to this time last year – which is a wonderful thing, especially where your own self worth is concerned.

In fact, it’s time you put your own disires at the forefront of your experience, seriously, stop getting so overrun with what everyone else might think. You are where it’s at. Your key themes this month are expansion and awe. What feels wonderful right now? This is an exercise in becoming more present, which is actually easier during times of change, because you are rather forced to be in the here and now as everything finds its place around you. But yes, take time to notice when the corners of your mouth turn up, take time to notice when your soul system feels a little flutter.

Allow yourself to be pulled in the direction of what feels exciting, and ask the Universe to provide signs for you. You will know when you see the little synchronicities; the only block is when you start questioning your faith in your intuition. Practice makes perfect, they say, so keep listening and test it out. Finally, this is a perfect month to dive into something you’ve been keeping on the sidelines. You know what it is – now, prepare to launch.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Pisces / Pisces Rising – Ace of Pentacles

I feel that as you approach your next birthday you’ve got very itchy feet, and it’s exciting! There is a spring in your step that can overpower even the biggest rush of anxiety. What are you setting about to do? There is something brewing, whether you’re aware of it or not, because this is a month that supports new beginnings, big ideas and everything that is to do with nurturing your material experience of the world.

This is pure Earth energy at it’s best, so the question is; what aspects of your life need fresh fuel right now? This is bound to relate to a career venture for many of you, as you move away from jobs and clients that aren’t filling you with much enthusiasm in order to make space for the new and more fulfilling. You know that you need to create the space, right? If you are in a place of transition, try this really simple energetic exercise. Write your resignation letter for your current job, put it in an envelope and then keep it somewhere safe. This is a commitment to moving forwards and energetically creates the space that is physically not quite there yet.

You may find that with Mercury Retrograde (until Feb 11th) you want to explore old projects or maybe even say YES to something that a was a no a while back. The Universe is really supporting second chances and so it’s time to pick up the phone, paintbrush or notepad and get creative with old ideas – rework and renew them. Meanwhile you are in a good manifesting spot, so although this month is very much about what you can physically see, it’s still prime time for meditating on what your soul really needs, step out of the head and keep all your ideas and action aligned with the heart.

I feel that you will get some great advice from your highest self if you actually stop to listen, and don’t try and talk yourself out of things. And don’t let your ego provoke you, okay? Finally, in the moments where you can see the prize but the path to it seems fuzzy, just pull yourself back into the now and breathe. The reason that we all bang on about the present moment so much, is that it’s the only place you can receive guidance and take action. So say hello to right NOW.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Aries / Aries Rising – Seven of Swords

I have no doubt you’re too busy to even read this, but take a moment and stop to realign yourself with your plan and your purpose. I feel like you could be a little worried about time pressure and pressure from others right now, so I want to ease you back into your body. I feel like any moment (or month) now, you are going to be dealing with a LOT of communication, new contacts, and new contracts, back and forth on the phone and a little waiting and hoping.

It’s easy to start to worry about who might come through for you, or what might work and what might not, and all those feelings are totally normal. However, it’s much more beneficial for you to simply trust yourself rather than worry about whom on the outside to trust. You’ve got enough experience to now know that your intuition is pretty spot on, if you aren’t lead by your ego mind too much. So just know that everything is aligned with the intuitive action you take, there are no wrong decisions here. In fact, worrying about whom to trust may just be a way of procrastinating to take you away from your light. So, back to your brightest self and just be you.

With this in mind, it might be a good few weeks to make sure you are well and truly connected with those who support your highest good. Often when we feel suspicious of life, it could be because we’re hanging out on the wrong energy level. It’s not often that you worry what your closest soul sisters are thinking, is it? You know they have your back.

Another thing you might be aware of this month is having too many ideas. I know, it’s hardly a bad thing is it, but it can be overwhelming! The best thing to do is keep the present moment as your running buddy. No need for your mind to dash off into the distance, because you aren’t there yet. You can’t possibly predict what you might think about a situation in three months time, so just keep feeling into things step by step. You are responsible for the web you weave, and I feel that everything is all set for personal clarity, inner strength and abundant support – just trust that it is.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Taurus / Taurus Rising – Strength

You may be feeling wilted and weak as the month kicks off, and I encourage you to nurture this feeling by only doing what you need to feel more balance within yourself. It may be that external changes have got you feeling quite out of harmony – change will do that to you, you see. You may be feeling afraid, confused and even angry. Change will do that to you too! It’s not the time to place any pressure on yourself to feel anything other than what you are feeling – this is the ultimate act of “feeling feelings.” Just sit and be, whatever and however that be may be.

I urge you to just care for yourself and let yourself be nurtured. For some of you the power needs to be reinstated from within. That personal power that I always speak of, it’s energy that you always have access to, but frequently forget exists. I feel that your internal negative chatter could be quite strong right now, a few too many “what ifs” and doom and gloom. As always I remind you that that fearful voice is also totally normal, but just not to be ruled by. Listen and know that it doesn’t speak the truth, but is simply voicing a fear that is present and that is okay.

This is the art of taming the ego mind, saying: “I hear you, I know you are there, but I have my heart set on a bigger and more loving thought right now.” As Mercury stays in retrograde until mid month, it really is the perfect time to stay focused on you, rather than get involved with others’ drama or gossip. You really don’t have time for it. Instead of dancing that dance, think of how you can have fun with your self-care. What would get you to smile right now? Who do you need to be around? What transformation do you feel like having right now?

I want you to work with the idea of transformation over the next few weeks, what version of you do you want to see emerge from out of your cocoon? If you’ve been making personal changes then you certainly didn’t make them for nothing, did you? I feel that you are paving the way for great personal successes and joy ahead. So keep moving forwards from the positive intention that fueled you in the first place. You are set to bloom.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Gemini / Gemini Rising – Ten of Pentacles

You are aware that there has been a lot of change in recent months and over the next few weeks you are going to start to get hints about what the bigger picture is all about. Finally, right? I feel the cycles are actually moving now, rather than feeling stuck in the mud like they have been on and off for months. Now, this movement of course has to be fuelled by some work from you too. Remember you are not being directed in your own life story; you are the director of this movie. So, what’s next?

I feel as though you’re shedding skin and leaving an old version of yourself behind, where you are guided to take more responsibility for yourself and your life, instead of falling back on the excuse of having to please other people. Of course, there will always be people who need you, and that isn’t a bad thing, but if it’s at the expense of your own wellbeing, then it doesn’t usually swing in your favor does it? For those of you in full people-pleasing mode then this is a wake up call to just…stop. You won’t see the wonderful things unfolding in your own life if you don’t give them the attention they deserve.

Anyway, moving forwards this really is a positive push for career and abundance. You are definitely required to up your game too. Have you ever though that you might be playing too small? Playing down or being self-deprecating about your talents for fear of rejection, or lesser success? You might find that when you up your prices, shout about your skills and really put yourself out there confidently (even if it’s a “fake it until you make it” vibe) that the returns come in. It’s worth a shot, even as a self-confidence exercise, that you well and truly deserve. Value your time and your talent and others will reflect that.

Finally, the next few weeks are also a wonderful time for reconnecting with your family, whether that’s relatives, soul sisters, or your oldest friends. I feel that you will really gain energy from a group setting, so try not to hide yourself away too much. Call on people for help and hugs, they are itching in the wings to come and swoop you up in support. Revel in it for a change.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Cancer / Cancer Rising – Queen of Wands

This month you are set to reclaim your own experience and your year ahead. I feel a little sass coming in from you and it’s well and truly needed and appreciated. It’s time for you to stand up and be counted, tell your truth and tune back in to what you well and truly want, need and deserve. I feel very proud of you in advance by the way. Somewhere along the last few weeks you’ve become a little detached from your soul self, why is that? Perhaps lost in the gossip and chaos of the crowd? It’s almost like you’ve been trying other people’s lives on for style and are suddenly realizing the coat just doesn’t fit. Which is quite a relief, isn’t it? But wait, what is it that you actually want?

I know that you know, so try not to panic too much. In fact the answers are much closer to the surface than you think, you just probably didn’t expect them to be so simple. It might be the small act of reconnecting to the people that really inspire you to be YOU, rather than hiding in your shell or surrounding yourself with those who don’t feel you. I want you to shake this ALL off, and wipe the slate clean and rebuild from a place that works better for you.

You’re looking for an adventure you see. Some of you will feel a huge urge to travel the world right now, anywhere but here right? Your broomstick is twitching and it feels like you just can’t get away fast enough. Do the groundwork here though okay; remember that adventures are better fueled when you leave with a positive intention, rather than running away from your problems. Face things head on and then see whether you still want to physically be elsewhere.

Finally, you may notice that some of your flashier fears are shouting up at you right now, and some of the deepest and darkest ones from your past may also pay a visit. You can employ the same badassery to them as your external experience, and make it your intention to just not go there. You’re too awesome; it’s time to tame that beast. Seek help, talk it out. Surrender.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Leo / Leo Rising – The Tower

I’ve talked to you a lot over the past year about releasing your inner critic and avoiding the chaos that you sometimes crave, so I’m not going to mention it again. I trust that you know well enough now that the comparing, the judging and the drama don’t help fulfill your highest hopes and desires. Right?

So yes, with that in mind, moving on into February I feel that you are poised to receive some new and exciting flashes of inspiration, which without giving in to all the above you actually create space for. It’s exciting and new and may come with an army of anxiety waves, but that fluttering in your stomach, it also feels like excitement…if you choose to perceive it that way. You’re ready to creatively restructure. For some of you this could be a literal tear down of ideas and ideals, with maybe a shove from the Universe at your side. If this happens, do make sure to be looking after yourself as you gallop into the abyss of change, keep your healers to speed-dial and practice a lot of grounding.

Those of you who prefer the more subtle approach can think of this as an early spring clean. It’s time to reshuffle and reorganize, perfect for these first 11 days of the month when Mercury is still in retrograde and really supporting a restructure of old ideas. I’d also like you to practice getting to what I’m going to call the pinpoint of clarity. We receive clarity when we experience a perfect merging of our intuition and intellect. When the mind is sharp and the soul is heard. You can sit and practice with single questions and a quiet moment. Close your eyes and pose yourself a question, take a deep breath in and as you breathe out pay attention to the first thoughts that come in (you might even feel a tingle in your ear when you are aligned with your highest self).

Simultaneously you may notice the fears fly in too, but don’t worry about that, just focus on the simpler and more loving guidance. You may find that your points of clarity are just the words YES or IT’S OKAY. The more you grasp that these are as valuable as the constant chatter of your fears then you can confidently use this simple exercise for quick guidance any time you choose. I said it was an exciting time and I meant it!

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Virgo / Virgo Rising – Knight of Swords

Woah, slow down my friend, you are not running out of time and it’s okay to breathe you know. You do know that right? February kicks off with you feeling overrun with ideas, plans, and action, action, ACTION! It’s all good, your head is in fifth gear, and everything that has been building over the last few months is poised to spring to life. However, you can turn down the gas a little, just to ease out of panic mode, even if you are sooooo excited. Get used to the concept that timing is always perfectly aligned, so time is not your enemy or working against you. It is always on your side if you believe it is.

I’d also like you to bring some compassion to the table this month, as you may find your tongue a little sharper than usual. It could be that everyone seems SO annoying (oh hey Mercury retrograde) but getting yourself tied up in knots over it won’t help you one inch. Instead, just allow things to be as they are, especially the situations that are sending you into freak out mode. This is certainly a time to sit on an email for 24 hours (or maybe three days), not to text back immediately. You will feel so much better for it I promise.

For those of you who’ve been feeling that life has not quite been on your side recently then I feel that nearer the end of the month you will feel a sense of calm confidence setting back in. You may also become aware of a few more reasons “why” things have been a little chaotic. I advise you to watch out for synchronicities becoming abundant, in order to remind you that you are exactly where you should be.

Make sure that you are well and truly aligned with your highest truths and morals. There may be a little push and pull as you sort out what you really want right now, as opposed to what your ego is trying to trick you into. The golden rule is to be kind to yourself and others, always, and especially when you don’t feel like it. Although your most sarcastic self might not like it, positive thinking will really help things move in your favor right now. And finally, if needed, try to give off an air of confidence even if you don’t feel it.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Libra / Libra Rising – King of Pentacles

The first half of the month is poised for you to receive: guidance, intuition, gifts, abundance. How open is your mentality right now to accept them? It’s very common, and so easy, to live with a lack mentality, especially where money is concerned. It’s so easy to keep saying “I can’t” and “I don’t have enough.” But these phrases become negative habits that lock us so easily into really believing that we won’t ever have “enough.” Now of course, releasing these beliefs doesn’t suddenly mean a cash prize, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to become more open to the possibility that things could be on their way.

If this sounds a lot like you, then practice taking the power back as far as your finance and success are concerned. Try the mantra “I have everything I need” to open up to seeing more opportunities around you.
On the guidance front, it’s time to forget about doing everything yourself. If you’re really adamant about not taking tips from friends and family then consider a business mentor or a life coach. You could really benefit from a third person perspective to help you get your ideas and creativity in order. You will also find that when you share your passions with another person, they grow and become more exciting to work with.

For those of you seeking new jobs or a return on a career project then it’s a great month for it, as it feels as though someone is going to recognize and appreciate your skills as they need see you as part of their bigger picture. If you’re feeling quite the abundant one right now, then slow down on the spending for the first half of the month – you could end up with a houseful of items you kind of just didn’t really want. Save up for that “dream” purchase in a few months time instead.

Finally, on the romance front, an older person could hit the scene and take your eye; they may just have an old soul, but this is a wonderful grounding attraction that could bring you the stability you’re hoping for. You have realized now that friendships and relationships are all about learning as well as passion, so take time to listen and soak up new personalities that interest you. You will feel enlightened and energized.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Scorpio / Scorpio Rising – Six of Swords

The first couple of weeks of February, in line with the tail end of Mercury retrograde, are set up to help you shake off a final few self doubts and old negative patterns. It’s safe to say that you are very aware of the huge Phoenix like transformation that has been occurring over the past couple of years, and so this really is just clean up time. You will know exactly what is still hanging around and the work isn’t necessarily hard, it’s more about whether you are willing to allow the past to really be the past. Are you?

Sometime it doesn’t get better than using a surrender mantra, all day, every day – just let everything go, over and over again, and be sure to make a note when you get a positive confirmation from the Universe that you are doing the right thing. The signs are there, just be ready to see them. You have a lot more peace than chaos around you, so focus on the calm rather than stirring the drama cauldron.

As the weeks pass it’s time for you to start planting some seeds and nurturing a few of your more abundant ideas. This can also be aligned with a new approach to older and most successful projects; what new branch could be grown from something you already know? It’s your perception and approach to your creativity and life in general that will shift you into a happier and more abundant space. You are safe to turn your back on things that just don’t feel right anymore, especially those things you really think you “should” just stick at. Make space to feel excited!

This is also very prominent for relationships and friendships – is someone that isn’t right for you taking up space in your heart? Remember that when you surrender and let go, you don’t actually lose anything, although it may feel like it. You actually gain freedom and empowerment. Trust that it is safe to move forwards. Finally, don’t feel guilty about your new plans and opportunities, even if friends around you are having a difficult time. You can’t stay stuck to try and please someone else; misery may love company but you don’t want to be miserable! Run wild, sail free, and know that you are fully equipped for all the excitement ahead of you.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Ten of Wands

It’s time to laugh at your own inner drama queen this month Sagittarius! That head stuck in the sand feeling may have been with you for a couple of weeks, but you somehow forgot that you are able and allowed to dig yourself out and look up. Stop pushing against yourself and start supporting your own cause. Yes, nice thought isn’t it? So, at the start of this month I feel that you are poised to just let sh*t go, because you need your precious time and brain cells to be getting creative over the next month or two.

I also want you to be wide awake to noticing the crazy weird moments and lucky breaks that may be popping up around you – sorry will be. Now, although I know I started this a little on the harsh side, I do want you to know that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed, and that’s you’re not going insane or having a life crisis. You are having feelings and being a human and it’s not always a free and easy ride. So, of course the best method is to look after yourself, wildly and passionately. The next step is to be patient and gentle with yourself and your journey. Yes it can be frustrating when you are so eager to see your dreams come to fruition, but you need to let everything breathe.

After the mid-month point I feel you will notice that the stress releases and all of your super Sag fire energy comes rushing back to you, mojo included. When you feel that bright eyed, wide-awake clarity, make sure to use it for the best. What would you like to create right now? What, or whom, do you feel passionate about?

Be aware of your own fire element so that you can use it wisely, as when displaced it’s easy to feel anger and frustration in place of what could be excitement and enthusiasm. Take up a new exercise, go on a road trip, paint, dance, and socialize. If you feel no passion for anything in life, then it’s easier for fear to orun rampant in the mind. Your life has to be created from a spark of desire or some wild urge to explore or learn or experience. Don’t panic about what those passions might be; the seed of adventure is sown from the pure simplicity of saying YES to your day.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

 

Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – Four of Cups

Stubbornness is often referred to as a negative personality trait. I disagree, as I see it as one of the most powerful tools to channel into positive self-care. Somewhere in your sphere you are feeling reluctant to surrender, to hope, or to rest, and this isn’t unusual for you. The thing that is different however is that the tides have turned recently and your outlook has shifted, so you are much more prepared than you think.

I feel you have some emotional concerns at the moment, too many feelings and an abundance of worries. These feelings are really okay, as they are washing you somewhere and if you choose to not pass judgement on yourself then you will discover that it’s also okay to just feel “meh” sometimes, it doesn’t mean you are weak or useless. However, this is an important time to note every silver lining. However many worries you have right now, there are at least three fold more bright opportunities surrounding you. Remember back to a time when things turned out quite fine despite your reservations, one of those times when the whole “divine alignment of time” was proven to you. Trust that now is the same, and that movement, although seemingly sluggish, is happening.

So back to that stubbornness; take any urges not to care for yourself right now and flip it to a wild and passionate superpower to do absolutely everything you can to honor the idea of feeling good. Even if you try it as a bizarre experiment, just do it. Imagine what life would be like without the layer of pressure you place on yourself and try and act that out.

Finally this is THE month to return to your meditation practice, or start if you don’t have one already. Meditation is the value of your time and you cannot do it wrong. You may be drawn to a certain mode or pulled in the direction of a new teacher. Other than that, just sit, stop and listen, it’s that simple. Sometimes it’s uncomfortable and challenging, but all and any stillness is beneficial for you. It is within these moments that you automatically connect back to your mind, body and spirit super powers – meaning you will be able to do more work and have more ideas, when it’s time to take action.

Have you downloaded your full 2015 Tarotscope? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse

NEED-TO-KNOW: AN ICELANDIC SWEAT LODGE

New York-based jeweller Jules Kim is a true original, a spiritual adventurer whose travels always lead to inspiration and personal insight. On a recent trip to Reykjavik, she decided to partake in an ancient sweat lodge ritual. THIS was her experience.

Jules Kim: “Such an intense physical and spiritual awakening”

I recently had the blessed opportunity to be part of a ritual Icelandic sweat lodge in Reykjavik. My close friend and elfin sidekick, Imba, has been dropping stories about this unique experience for years. I always doubted whether I’d survive a session, due Imba’s stories about the intense heat. Then she suggested we book up, and I was excited and a little nervous.

Continue reading “NEED-TO-KNOW: AN ICELANDIC SWEAT LODGE”