This July 4, Colin Bedell and Bess Matassa take a look at at the U.S. birth chart, as well as the message of the country’s 2018 solar return and its forecast in the tarot …
Human beings aren’t the only subjects gifted with astrological birth charts. The moment the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776, the astrology of The United States of America was sealed …
:: THE U.S. BIRTHCHART :: Rising: Sagittarius // Sun: Cancer // Moon: Aquarius // Mercury: Cancer // Venus: Cancer // Mars: Gemini
At her best, the U.S. embodies the highest expressions of Cancer energy: deep love and protection for the home, and reverence for the family. With a lucky, Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius Rising, American spirit can be kind, contagiously optimistic, and generously available.
Pair these with an independent Aquarius moon, and you’ve got streaks of intellectual liberation and equality-seeking. After all, it’s important to remember that in 1776, a government for the people and by the people was nothing short of a radical political experiment that repudiated the aristocratic and monarchic political paradigms! Her Mars in Gemini helps enshrine this self-government experiment in words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident …”
Of course, the highest expressions of these energies don’t always manifest. From the defensive, hypersensitive Cancerian nature, to her “admit no wrong, thou-must-not-disagree with me” Aquarius gone dogmatic Moon, it’s on us to recognize these blinds spots and work to elevate her potential.
Looking at the current political climate, it’s clear this shadow work is far from done. But the U.S. has always been a nation of dualities. When the Founding Fathers wrote, “All men are created equal” in the Constitution, they themselves were slave owners.
But this country has been working to actualize her enlightened principles since the very beginning. As she completes another turn around the Sun, may we remember and commit to follow in the example of those who fought for abolition, who fought for suffrage, who fought for civil rights, who fought for peace.
With Sagittarius Rising and an Aquarius Moon, idealism and humanitarianism pumps through the veins of the U.S. The work is to recognize that seeking higher ground necessitates moving forward with utmost integrity, humility, and grace.
U.S. Tarot Birth Cards: Temperance & The Hierophant
The divinatory blend of energies that makes up the U.S. foundation in the tarot conjures images of road-tripping, public libraries, and the wide-open capacity to truly free our minds and let the rest follow. These two cards show the country’s cosmic mission is to tow the line between ideological leadership and overblown zealotry, and to learn exactly when to turn hardened beliefs loose to let them mix and mingle with a higher law.
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:: THE 2018 SOLAR RETURN CHART :: Rising: Cancer // Sun: Cancer // Moon: Aries // Mercury & Venus: Leo // Mars: Aquarius
It’s a glowing cosmic BBQ for the U.S. this year, with the country’s Solar Return Chart emphasizing sparky Aries and glittering Leo energies. The message? To come at the unknown with a generously unguarded heart, and to check any unconscious impulses to use muscle to get the solutions we want at the door.
These fire signs demand creative integration of the masculine principle, and with Mars currently retrograde in electrically innovative Aquarius, the medicine is to radically renovate our concept of the “yang” in all its flavors. When can a push become the first move towards a hug? What would shift if every action came from a place of giving rather than merely doing for doing’s sake?
As Cancer hits the collective Ascendent, we’re also being challenged to dissolve borders like never before, and invite in nurturing of the self and others in service of creating the sanctuary spaces we’ve long imagined.
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U.S. Tarot Cards for 2018: The Fool & The Emperor
This year’s U.S. tarot forecast poses questions about proportionality, and how the country takes up space in the world at large. The Emperor wants us to remember that acting as majestic protectors is most glorious when there’s nothing to prove and no trace of self-righteousness. And The Fool enters the collective consciousness to spark 180s and diving board leaps into new ways of being. The country is called to recapture an innocent sensation of free-wheeling exploration, where curiously releasing the need to know it all can reignite our sense of adventure about what the world at large can teach us.
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Colin is a literal Gemini Twin Astrologer from Long Island, New York, a passionate student of A Course in Miracles, and a graduate of Parsons School of Design. Discover more about his work at QueerCosmos and follow him on Instagram.
Bess is available for private readings and astro-themed events. Follow her on Instagram and connect with her at bessmatassa.com
In the thick of Cancer season’s deepest feels, spoken word artist and Moon Club founding member Lisa Luxx’s exclusive new poem, “How To Be A Tide,” reminds us that our most tempestuous emotions are our beautiful birthright …
How To Be A Tide is a poem about the movement and motion of being woman. It’s a dialogue about finding our most supreme beauty in that familiar expansion and contraction. About how much can be gained from seeing ourselves as individual waves in the ocean of sisterhood.
One great purpose of poetry is to turn familiar aches into unfamiliar blessings; to subvert moaning into marvelling. The instability of a hormonal body could drive a person mad if they’re pressurising themselves to maintain a static constant. So for me, as an incredibly tempestuous person, I traversed this tidal metaphor as a bid for freedom.
I’ve been philosophically exploring the nature of beauty for the past year or so – what it is, what it does and why that might be – writing out my revelations and dreams. This piece is about taking ownership of one’s own beauty. When you no longer have the resources to flow outwards, that means your beauty – enriched now – is coming back home to you. – Lisa Luxx
How To Be A Tide will be published in Luxx’s upcoming collection Breastmilk Martini, which is out later this year with New River Press.
Get this week’s symbol for your astro sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Cancer // Cancer Rising A large ship powers through the water. Take a stand. Make it happen. This is your chance to push through and put yourself out there. You might have to nudge yourself forward— it won’t come easily. But once you get yourself into the current, you’ll find that you’re stronger than you think. It’s time to move.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising Leaves on the surface of the water. Trust your intuition and embrace the flow of your emotions. There are times when it’s necessary to make something happen. This is not one of those times. Right now you need to allow the flow without interfering. It’s too soon to fully understand the situation. Let it be. Wait and see.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising Watching a balloon float in the distant sky. Your power resides in your ability to manifest your future. Instead of being caught up in what’s happening now, embrace the vibration of where you want to be. Get a little distance from the situation at hand so that you create perspective. Meditate on spaciousness and possibility.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Libra // Libra Rising Notes on lined paper. You are making plans for the future of your career. What foundation needs to be shored up? Did you skip any steps? What would help you feel aligned in your sacred vocation? What do you need to do to systematize? You are learning to be more productive, so step up to the challenge.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising Scanning the stars. You are searching for a point of focus. Which star will you shoot for? What is your mission statement, ethos, philosophy? What truth will keep you going? These are big questions, so start small. It would be helpful to define your core values now and get more specific later on.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising Digging until you reach water. You’re feeling the deep feelings. Keep digging down below any discomfort. Sit with your feelings. Meditation will help you learn to let go. Nothing is more important than being with yourself and allowing your emotions. Slow down and take time to just be.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising A golden retriever shakes itself dry. There’s a friskiness and a playfulness available to you now. Dogs symbolize supportive friends. Let your friends be there for you. Splash around in the lake and chase squirrels. Have fun and be present in the moment. It would be nice to connect with a friend or partner. Maybe you can help each other.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising A well-tended garden. Your desire for perfection is high. That can help you create something beautiful, but it can also spike anxiety and stress. So strike a balance. Be very conscious of what’s important. Be careful not to get caught up in every detail. At the same time, it’s okay to refine and improve in a way that feels good.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising Eating pizza. Pizza party! It’s time to have fun and relax. Getting together with friends or doing something creative would feel really good. It would also be nice to spend time with children. Or just act like a child yourself. Maybe an old-fashioned slumber party would be just the thing.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising A message in a bottle. A lot can be taken from this image. First of all, this is a week to bob along the surface of the water. Let the waves flow and go along with your emotions as they roll. Acknowledge the feelings, but don’t let them take you down. Additionally, send yourself a message. Write down a special message from your Higher Self, and reference it throughout the week.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising A glimmer of light shines through. An old mental block is breaking apart and new perspective is shining through. Lean toward hope. Be creative and seek out a fresh mental framework that will help you think about life in a new way. This is a time of heightened learning.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising A sturdy boulder. Maybe you are working with a feeling of indecision. It would feel good to remember what is solid. There are some things that you know. Focus your attention on what you know, so that you don’t get overwhelmed by what you don’t know. Set up systems and stick with them. But most of all, trust in your own self-worth.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Dive into this month’s medicine for your sign with our Numinous Tarotscopes July 2018, cast by Melinda Lee Holm using the Starchild Tarot …
CANCER // CANCER RISING The Star
Happy Solar Return, dear Cancer! And what a divine birthday gift, especially after last month’s major soul purging. The Star is traditionally considered an omen of hope and that is a great place to start with this energy. Daring to open our hearts to hope is one of the very bravest things we humans can do. It is a radical act of leadership and of love. This month, you (we!) are being invited to be hopeful again, to place oursleves in a line of descended Divinity brought down from the beginning of time and lift our faces to the sky. If that sounds a bit grandiose, it’s because it is! The Star carries down the symbolism of Divinity from the very earliest humans who chose to use a symbol to represent the Mother Goddess. And now she is here for us!
All through July, find the little (and big) places left empty and dark for too long by heaviness and despair. Dig around in your psyche and find the rooms shut tight by time and disappointment and force them open to be flooded with the light of hope. Our planet is another carrier of Divine Feminine power, The Moon – call on her for a boost if you have trouble drawing down this energy. We have our New Moon on the 12th. If you’ve been wanting to up your witch game, this would be a GREAT time to light a white candle to usher in a new glorious era free of the doubts and binds of the past.
Your stone for July: Lemurian Seed Quartz Crystal
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LEO // LEO RISING Temperance
Alright, Leo! You got your emotional workout regime fine tuned last month and now you are ready to expand and morph into the new you. While June was all about you leading the way in your personal realignment, July asks you to open and allow for the multi-dimensional shifts that Temperance brings. This should prove fairly painless, as this energy generally skews toward gentle/subtle/loving, but be on the lookout for any ego flare-ups. With any major shifts coming to us and not from us, there is always a risk they will bump up against parts of ourselves we are not ready to confront or let go of. If this happens, simply notice it and move on. Direct confrontation with ego is a losing game.
The universal balance sought by Temperance is quiet, but STRONG, and it seeks to make us stronger as well. All throughout July, the more you can allow the alchemy of the Universe to seep into every corner of your being, the more you will benefit from the breaking down and building up of minute fibers of your being. In practical terms, this will likely be barely perceptible except perhaps as a nagging feeling that the world isnt the same as it was yesterday even though it looks identical. Give yourself plenty of time to slow down and take in your surroudings so you can take in the new world forming inside you. Refrain from overindulging or extremes of any sort. Temperance works most effectively in a stable environment.
Your stone for July: Green Calcite
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VIRGO // VIRGO RISING Strength
Virgo, the story of your journey from June to July has me absolutely swooning. The acceptance of and participation in loving collaboration with others into the fully integrated embrace of co-creation as the ultimate show of strength – it’s just beautiful. And your Elemental Earth nature will revel in the opportunity to engage fully with the world around you. Your best friends have always been the trees, the birds in the sky, the flowers and the bees, all the little specks of stardust working together to make this planet habitable, and now you can step forward to truly become one with them. What will you use this newly found strength to create, to nourish, to shield yourself and others from, to fight for and defend?
Take time this month to play with this power. Having difficulty getting through a project? Try working on it while sitting at the base of a tree. Can’t leave your office? Bring yourself some flowers – better yet, bring your dog to work! Team up with other humans, groups and individuals, and remind yourself constantly that you do not have to do this alone. Yes, you are extremely capable, Virgo, to the point that people make a joke of your exceptional skill in organizing. But now it’s time to find power in numbers. This is a chance for you see how far you can go when you open that sacred temple of yours to the skills and talents of others, professionally and personally, emotionally and spiritually.
Your stone for July: Vanadinite
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LIBRA // LIBRA RISING The Empress
After your manifestation station last month, it’s time to shift gears and settle into a little season of nurturing and luxuriating. While none of the Major Arcana cards have a particular affiliation with any one Element, The Empress’ strong association with Venus gives her a decidedly heart-centered approach to life and the world and makes her a very natural and comfortable fit for you. Your appreciation for beauty will be heightened this month as will your ability to draw it into your sphere. Be careful what you wish for this month – you may very find yourself on the receiving end of a beautiful disaster if you do not take care to ensure that what you set your sights on is in alignment with your full heart.
It can be difficult to switch gears from manifesting to receiving. The impulses are near perfect opposites, making the receiving feel like an excruciatingly slow or empty experience. There can be a rising panic that you cannot receive what you don’t yourself create. If these feelings come up for you, be patient with yourself, love yourself – Empress yourself! And remember that you still have plenty to do. You are going to need to spend a lot of energy on shooting out your love in the specific direction of what you want to grow and draw in. This means first fine tuning your heart’s compass and allowing it to guide you, then beaming out the most beautiful, unconditional love you can, giving to receive.
Your stone for July: Rose Opal
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SCORPIO // SCORPIO RISING Six of Crystals
Well, something worked with that Earth mastery energy last month, Scorpio, because here we are back in Earth, in the level of achievement. There is a sense of balancing or role reversal that comes through in the sixes in some decks, and I find that accurate for my take on the numerology. What better badge of achievement in the realm of Earth is there than the ability to give back, to balance out the scales, to lift up another as you have been lifted – or to accept a helping hand and be pulled up? Achievement in Earth is that first glimpse of wisdom that there is enough for everyone if we actively look to see where we can provide and accept balance, and after last month, my eye is on a little of both for you.
Now that you’ve done some work around refining goals, this month your task is to assess where you need help and, I am sorry to tell you, who would be best to ask for it. I know asking for help is not something that comes easily to you, but if you frame it as providing opportunity for others to participate in your vision, that should ease the burden considerably. Plus, it’s true! When we offer up creative and material partnership, we create community, foster relationships, and promote an environment of collaboration and participation. In our society, we tend to praise giving while shaming receiving as “taking.” Tap into your inherent rebellious nature and change the narrative from within.
Your stone for July: Tiger Eye
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SAGITTARIUS // SAGITTARIUS RISING Seven of Swords
You are tasked with a further mastering of the lessons of last month, Sagittarius, and I am absolutely THRILLED about it. It lights my heart on fire when I get to present a perfect follow up to a lesson. The Knight of Swords last month brought up a lot of challenges around urgency in communication. This month, you get to resolve any doubts around how you chose to manage those challenges, fine tune your tactics, and solidify your methods moving forward. Think of it like a master class – you already have the information, now it is time to refine it and personalize it, to reflect on how it applies directly to your own life and work. And in order to do this, you need to be willing to doubt yourself a little.
Our usual experience of doubt involves a heavy dose of anxiety, but that’s not what I am encouraging here. There is a version of doubt that is more akin to an intellectual curiosty, a willingness to question and examine, to take nothing for granted. Your fiery drive to move forward may be frustrated by this seeming break in the action, but your ruling planet of Jupiter will be cheering like crazy for the expanded view of yourself and your relationship with the world around you that you achieve. Give yourself room to reflect and to accept any feedback or constructive criticism on your communicaton style – and be ready to dole some out to yourself! You have the greatest seat to judge whether your methods are at peak effectiveness. Score them carefully.
Your stone for July: White Onyx
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CAPRICORN // CAPRICORN RISING The Sun
Happy half-birthday, Capricorn! Usually I don’t celebrate, but being blessed by The Sun hot on the heels of the Summer Solstice pratically begs for it. And if I know you, you’ll celebrate by using the burst of insight to get some sort of work done in these long summer days. I support it. While The Sun lends clarity to situations and issues previously shrouded in mystery, it also provides the energy and nourishment needed for serious growth. You’re cooking up something this month, Capricorn, something big. You’ve been preparing for it for a few months now, digging around in the dirt, forming your vision. Now is the time to bring your creation out into the open, parade it in the streets, shout it from the rooftops!
Because you now have a view into places you haven’t before, you’re likely going to see some flaws, some issues that give you pause. Make adjustments and move on. Do not get caught up in unnecessary details. This is big picture time. Besides, as anything grows, slight modifications need to be made, we always need to stay flexible. Just keep your eye on the prize even when you need to get back down in the dirt. You are the captain of this Earthly ship, you are the one with The Sun shining down on your head. Soak it in. This is a special time. Think back to anything significant that came up for you last month around the Solstice. The Universe often sends us clues we can’t interpret until a later date.
Your stone for July: Sunstone
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AQUARIUS // AQUARIUS RISING Four of Wands
Get ready to manifest some solid ground under your feet this month, Aquarius, as the stabalizing influence of Elemental Fire makes its way to your door. It’s always an interesting mental game, thinking about exactly how this incessantly dancing, beautiful and dangerous element can possibly bring the calm promised by the Fours, but you’re always up for a fun mental game anyway. I’ll start by positing that Fours tend to promise more stability than they actually offer anyway, that the desire to hold onto life everlasting pushes us humans to place undue important on permanance, that what comes between three and five is more like coming around a corner to find an incredible view of a possible future than it is a landing place for a homestead.
So, try to find comfort in discomfort this month. Seek out the calm within chaos. Look for the places within yourself that the world judges most as inherently unstable and spend some time in the eye of the storm. Trust your intuition and let it lead you to places and people and situations that feel like home. Accept that nothing is permanent and in that moment of acceptance feel the rush of love and appreciation for all you have right in this moment, in this place in space and time. That stillness, that love, that harmony and peace with yourself and the world, that is the true stability of Fire. And it is yours for the taking this month. Don’t pass it up.
Your stone for July: Rutilated Quartz
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PISCES // PISCES RISING The Lovers
Here we are again, Pisces! The Lovers visited you in March, highlighting ways to make relationships healthier. You then entered a three-month journey of acceptance, release, and reining in chaotic thinking. And now we are back. This month is your chance to re-do something around your relationship to relationships using all of the wonderful wisdom you have gathered through these lessons of the spring months. Think back to March. What came up for you at that time? Were there any conflicts or triumphs in your relationships? Any revelations of patterns within yourself or with others? Did any people in your life play an unusually significant role that month? Now is the time to go back and reset what was put into play.
The Lovers asks us to look deeply within to find where we are placing our identity in the hands of others, where we are valuing ourselves based on how others perceive our accomplishments, not our accomplishments themselves. It demands that we stand apart from our partners and become strong alone so we can best be of service in our partnerships. It can be a tough pill to swallow, but after all the work you’ve done, I really think this month is going to more of a celebration than a chore. You’re graduating, Pisces! This time when you look within, find how far you’ve come. Make slight adjustments if necessary and commit to staying the course moving forward, but the heavy lifting is done. Reflect and rejoice.
Your stone for July: Rainbow Moonstone
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ARIES // ARIES RISING Five of Wands
You’re set to experience some chaos in your native element of Fire this month, Aries, but don’t despair! Now that you know it’s coming, you can avoid the considerable frustration of feeling the urgency to act only to run into wall after wall after wall. A bit harder to avoid is the frustration of jumbled messages coming through intuitive pathways. The Fire of Wands rules both action and intuition after all, and the chaos the Fives bring neutralizes the ability to use either effectively. Sometimes I think this is simply an invitation to give that part of ourselves a rest, but following your deep inward journey last month, I am getting the vibe that this is more like a fine tuning of whatever you discovered about your nature in June.
So, what exactly did you get up to last month, anyway? Are you certain that what was on the surface was the true narrative? Could it be possible, even probable, that the messages you received were encoded and that this chaos is the key to cracking open the truth? I’m leaning yes. And since any attempts to intuit more information or take more steps to correct course will almost certainly end in disappointment and confusion, best to take this time as a little extension of that “you time” I promised you last month. But this time it’s going to be focused. Feel all the feelings, think all the thoughts, and build away in the material world. All other elements are your friends and here to help you untangle this confusion of Fire.
Your stone for July: Turquoise
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TAURUS // TAURUS RISING The Hierophant
Oh, Taurus, this is lovely. The Hierophant is your card and you’ve done so much metaphysical housekeeping this year that you are well-prepped to settle into the role. You don’t get a reputation for being particularly mystical, but your dedication to comfort and beauty betray the soul of someone absolutely committed to making their surroudings their temple. And with ONLY Earth (Crystals) and Major Arcana cards ALL YEAR LONG, surely your temple is positively gleaming by now! If not, step it up at the top of the month and get it done. Tidying is tedious, but it’s not difficult. You have bigger work to do. The Hierophant is the great spiritual teacher of the Tarot and you are being asked to accept the call. Make sure you are well-prepared to do so.
Be ready to assume the roll of student, teacher, or both. The Hierophant is interested in pulling us into our highest spiritual calling. What is it that you have been preparing for your whole life, what do people come to you for advice on? What have you been building the foundation for (perhaps literally)? What answer do you need in order to clarify your soul’s purpose? Be open to the Big Stuff this month, Taurus, and to give and receive wisdom in the unlikeliest of places with the unlikeliest of people. We may have dressed up The Hierophant in fancy robes and renamed him The Pope, but long before the Vatican holy people existed to pass Divine wisdom down through the generations. It’s your turn to make sure it continues.
Your stone for July: Clear Apophyllite
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GEMINI // GEMINI RISING Five of Crystals
Well, Gemini, it couldn’t be your birthday forever. But the Five of Crystals doesnt have to be as bad as we often see it! Look, you JUST had this great lesson in staying active while being grounded. Now you’ve got a little dip into the chaos of the material world. Your method for managing the energies remains the same – keep on dancing. Stay with me here. Chaos in Earth most often manifests as fear of lack in the material world. Plainly put, fear of being broke, losing a job, having unstable housing, that sort of thing. And what do we do when these pieces of Earth feel like they may crumble beneath our feet? We keep moving, we jump around, we avoid putting too much stress on any one point – we add a little Fire, jump from foot to foot, and dance it out.
But we dont feel like we’re dancing. That’s where my guidance comes in. I am inviting you to manage this energy in the exact way you would expect someone to responsibly manage a fear of lack, just change up the way you manage the other elemental energies in your life to balance out the impact. Keep your thoughts, feelings, and actions in check. Do what you need to do to feel loved and safe, give your mind plenty to do, and keep your action uplifting and your intuition grounded in reality. If you can master this this month, it will serve you the rest of your life. The Fives come around again and again. How we deal with them makes or breaks our experience.
Get this week’s symbol for your astro sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Cancer // Cancer Rising Kaleidoscope patterns morph and dissolve. You are dissolving blocks, especially in your relationships. Engage the power of your mind. Your imagination is even stronger than you think. In a quiet meditative state, give any old mental or emotional blocks a shape and/or color. Then imagine them dissolving. Your imagination is powerful enough to dissolve the old patterns quickly and easily.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising Eating celery sticks. The focus is on health. Place your attention on your body. Honor your physical needs. Get enough sleep. Review your daily habits. Think about your health, exercise, nutrition, and general organization. All of these are ready to be refined. By shinning attention on your needs you celebrate and honor them.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising Running up a hill. Exert yourself. Any kind of athletic expression or creative expression will help your energy flow more gently. Give your fire somewhere to go, so that it doesn’t burn you up internally. Let your self-expression shine out.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Libra // Libra Rising A soft kitten. Be very gentle. Admire your softness. You are to be treasured, just like a sweet baby animal. Acknowledge that you are adorable. This is important because it’s not your normal way. Lately you’ve been looking at yourself a little too harshly. Gentleness and nurturance will help you find the balance that you seek.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising A snowcapped mountain. Now is the time to honor the solidity of your mind. You don’t need to reverberate back and forth between different ideas and opinions. You can stabilize in you own inner knowing. Slow down the news feed. Focus instead on ancient knowledge that can help you feel centered instead of distracted.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising Dancing, twirling skirts. This dance is your declaration. It’s your announcement that says, “I am safe. I am worthy. I deserve to be here too. I take up my space. I own it.” Be a little bit bull-headed and stubborn in your movements. Fill the room with your movement and vitality. Feel at one with your body.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising Fireworks flare. These fireworks blaze straight up into the sky. Keep your attention on your goals. Take measured steps to meet your goals, while at the same time tending to your responsibilities. You are very busy. Just be systematic and you will be able to get everything done.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising Walking a tight rope. Trembling. Remember, that you are only here because you gave yourself an extra assignment. You are trying to achieve something. You have to go deep within to find hidden reserves. You are intuitively very powerful. Have faith and trust. Pay attention to your dreams. Meditate.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising A rainforest. There is so much variety. Amuse yourself with all of the new information available. You are accessing a new realm of possibility. Enjoy it. Connect with your friends and share ideas. Be curious and ready to learn. Take it all in.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising Helium balloons. You can only go up. You are ready to trust the process. Trust other people. Trust in your success. You have momentum. Try to get a little perspective so you can see what you’ve built. Be careful not to overdo it and burn out. Trust that you’ve already made progress.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising A herd of elephants moving over the plains. You’re on the move. Be reassured that the direction you’ve chosen makes sense. Go with the flow. Be optimistic. Your positivity will go a long way. It could be time for travel or adventure. You may need to break out of a routine. Approach something new with a positive attitude and you’ll open up a world of possibility.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising Turning a key. Don’t even try to hold back the emotions. Open the door and let them flow. You need to feel. If you don’t feel fully you’ll have to deal with boredom and stagnation. Just let go and get into the flow. This is a time to release. Do what you can to get the feelings moving. Turn the key and open up.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
As the Solstice brings us to the brink of major cosmic balance, the Temperance card invites us to recalibrate, alchemize, and make ourselves available for subtle shifts, says Melinda Lee Holm …
Cancer Season 2018 brings a deep dive into our healing process, along with opportunities for true and lasting intimacy, says Bess Matassa … PLUS check out the latest installment of our Astrocast podcast with Bess and Sandy Sitron
Photo: Maria Badasian
Slip into your swimmies and prepare to be fully submerged. The night-blooming flowers of Cancer Season 2018 are ripe and redolent, ushering in a month to tuck into our vulnerability, bear witness to our own softness, and validate every feeling tone that emerges.
With Mars, Chiron, and Neptune all traveling retro, it’s time to stage a farewell party to outmoded illusions, drifting slowly and steadily towards new shorelines. For tapping into underground power sources that don’t need to be proven to be potent. Beneath any surface desires for action and achievement, subtler tidal shifts in soul expansion are sounding their siren song.
So skinny-dip into your shimmering sensitivities, water birth new notions of personal triumph, and let your longings lead you back home to your own private island. You belong to all the selves your secret cavern can hold …
Get the quick and dirty on the four key astro events of Cancer Season 2018 below—and listen to the full Cancer Season 2018 report from Numi resident astrologers Bess + Sandy HERE in the latest edition of our Astrocast podcast …
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Photo: Mong Bui
Sun in Cancer (6.21-7.21) // Think … Terrarium Building
Cancer’s cardinal water energy washes us back onto our own shorelines, and activates themes of privacy, belonging, and soul-centered security. Think of the luminous lunacy of your inner lifeworld as your own tiny biodome, a carefully tended shelter for your wildest dreams. Use this image to play with the edge between guarding your treasured visions, and slowly exposing them to the sunlit world.
As the planet of frictional force and engine-revving libido slows its roll, it’s a glorious moment for considering your relationship to “being” rather than doing. For celebrating the “actions” that happen on a soul level, even when you can’t see them directly manifest in the material world. Make this a month to allow for all flavors of growth and movement. Think of all that you can build without having to go hard or prove your right to exist (and check out the YouTube clip at the link above for some magically wacky inspo!)
“Hey baby, you’ve got to remember …” As the planets of pleasure and vocalization travel through the glitter kitten terrain of Leo, pin your bedazzled-heart to a ruffled-sleeve with this classic roller rink anthem of unabashed passion. Venus in Leo teaches us that allowing our affections to spill over generously and vulnerably is the gateway to loyal loving that lasts, while Mercury in Leo seals each messages with a magenta-lipped kiss. Come clean about your right to your fluffiest feelings and adorn your most cherished romantic hopes in their truest colors.
Photo: Simone Perrone
Jupiter Direct in Scorpio (7.10) // Film Noir Chic
As the planet of wild expansion stations direct in deep sea diver Scorpio, there are gems to be mined in our most intimate partnerships. How can fully embracing your own shadow lead to the veneration and celebration of your only-human partners? How can you integrate and assimilate your own darkness as simply another quality of the light? Play with the complete range of feeling in deliciously dramatic, film noir inspired fashions and remind yourself that taking this seriously is a tasty affirmation of your right to feel it all.
As we honor the Summer Solstice, the 2018 Virgo Waxing Moon is a powerful pivot point for checking in with your intentions, and recommitting to your true desires, says Jennifer Racioppi …
Photo: Eloise Ambursley
Waxing Quarter Moon :: June 20 2018 :: 6:50am EST :: 29 Degrees of Virgo
Just one day before the Solstice, (Summer for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Winter for those below the Equator), the Sun wraps up its stay in Gemini with a 90-degree square to the Moon at the last degree of Virgo.
Virgo, a sign that relates to purity and precision, commands attention to detail. This is the second Waxing Quarter Moon in Virgo in a row—we also had one on May 21st at 1 degree Virgo.
With two consecutive Waxing Quarter Moons in the same sign, the cosmic forces are highlighting a need to integrate lessons of purity and humility. With the Sun about to enter into Cancer, the archetypal mother, this sentiment becomes even more pronounced.
The Sun will reach the very top of its annual cycle with the Solstice on June 21 at 6:09am EST, elongating day or night depending on your location in the world. Regardless of the season in which it occurs, this transition has paramount importance globally.
We have reached the halfway mark of 2018. What has this year brought up for you in the area of integrity and service, and in your daily work? Use this moment to review your course, recommit to your intentions, and devote yourself to the journey ahead …
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//The Cycle// With the Moon at its midway point between the recent Gemini New Moon and the upcoming Capricorn Full Moon, now’s the time to examine your most recent New Moon intentions.
Are your actions in sync with your desires? Are you staying faithful to your dreams? These Waxing Quarter Moons in Virgo ask you to self-adjust on behalf of your devoted intentions. What are you humbly manifesting? Examine at unexpected curveballs with curiosity, and lean into challenges as an opportunity to grow.
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//The Aspects// With Chiron, the wounded healer, opposing the Moon and squaring the Sun, this Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon emphasizes deep soul healing.
And with Mars about to go retrograde (from June 26—August 27), it also emphasizes the need to prepare. The next couple of months bring intense astrological configurations; in addition to this long Mars retro, we have three eclipses and an upcoming Mercury retrograde. Thankfully, at the time of the Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon, there will be a grand trine in water between Mercury, Neptune, and Jupiter. This auspicious alignment offers an emotional gift. So tune into your feelings and choose to fully honor them.
With Mercury perfecting his angle to good luck Jupiter this week, we can expect good news. Venus also conjoins the North Node of fate and destiny at the time of the Virgo Waxing Quarter Moon, indicating that the goddess of love supports you in reaching your highest fate and calling.
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//The Square// With the Sun exiting Gemini and about to enter Cancer, and the Moon leaving Virgo for Libra, this mutable square indicates the need for agility and preparation for change. The seasonal shift coincides with the Sun’s entry into the sign of the crab, after all. Look at this waxing moon as a moment to ready yourself for change. Dig deep and decide what you wish to remain devoted to.
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//The Opportunity// With Mars about to begin his retrograde journey, a transit that will define the upcoming season, take a hard look at your actions. Are they aligned with what you say you want?
Given that the planet of ambition’s retrograde journey happens just a few short days after the solstice, you may notice a lack of drive or commitment to what you say you want. Observe your proclivities. Intervene where necessary. Stay faithful regardless. Make changes that align with your emerging truth. With a Grand Trine in Water helping you, and Venus, the planet of love and beauty, aligned with the North Node of fate and destiny, honor what feels auspicious. Now’s the time to integrate humility and embrace kindness.
Above all, stay true to yourself. Get organized and remain devoted to your intentions, despite any obstacles in your path. Practice gratitude. Be tenacious. Trust that you have got what it takes.
For more Moon wisdom, or to book a coaching session with Jennifer, visit Jenniferracioppi.com.
With Mars retrograde for the summer, it’s time to reconnect with our inner drive. Healers from London meditation hot-spot, Re:Mind Studio, share how to go inside to find your power right now …
Photo: Cristian Newman
“Find your power” is a super buzzy rallying cry in the wellness and healing worlds that can leave us feeling more confused than courageous. Where has it been hiding? How do I hunt it down? And what exactly does it look like?
Cosmically, the concept of power connects us to Mars, planet of drive and creative libido. At its core, Mars energy is about affirming our right to be here, to want what feels good to want, and to go after it in a way that brings us fully alive.
With Mars stationing retro for the Summer, we’re being asked to dive deeply into our internal power centers, and to explore what pushes our buttons—in a good way. For example, Mars rules anger—but rather than projecting onto others any time we feel pissed, this is a moment to examine what this emotion is here to teach us. Where it wants us to take action and make positive change in our lives.
We teamed up with healers and speakers from the Summer of Women’s Power event series at London’s Re:Mind Studio to roundup the top tips for activating your life force right now …
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Treat Your Triggers Like Treasures “Any time you feel triggered, use this as a way to learn something about yourself and the area in your life you can pull back your personal power.
Rather than react in the moment, take however long you need to sit with the emotions that are coming up and pay attention to the stories that accompany them. Write down some questions that will help you look deeper. Journal about it. It may feel good to talk it out with a friend. If needed, seek professional guidance—with a therapist or healer—to help make more sense of why this feels so raw.
Tending to your wounds in this way will help you feel stronger, more whole, like there are no ‘gaps’ where your power is leaking out. Ultimately, this wholeness will make you invincible.” – Ruby Warrington, Founder, The Numinous
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Get Body Con “We can come in to our true power by getting out of our heads and coming into our bodies, since this is the where we often store old emotions and also where we can tap in for our deepest intuitive knowledge. This is something I’ve been working on myself for some time now, and a simple way to begin is to meditate for 5-10 minutes before sleeping with your left hand on your heart and right hand on your womb area. As your mind begins to quiet, be open to just seeing what comes up for you.” –Yulia Kovaleva, Co-founder, Re:Mind
Re:Mind Studio
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Return to Innocence “Reconnect with something in the material world that brings you alive in an immediate, visceral, unedited way. It could be as simple as a song, or a favorite color or object. Maybe it’s something from your youth, like an old school playlist from your teen years. Let whatever it is remind you that you have a right to your tastes and your specific flavor of encountering the world. Carve out the edges of yourself through this process of loving exactly what you love without apology.” – Bess Matassa, Assistant Editor, The Numinous
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Claim Pleasure as Your Birthright “Pleasure is a woman’s birthright. It is her source of power, creativity and vibrancy. When a woman learns to cultivate a continuous state of deep pleasure in all areas of her life, she is a force to be reckoned with. A woman who owns her desires and puts pleasure first will not take an averagely led life for an answer.” – Grace Hazel, Empowerment coach
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Retreat Into You “My tip is to get yourself onto a retreat this summer. Even if that means you can only afford a day somewhere, do it! Give yourself permission to unplug, connect back into your body, and meet like-minded people.” – Millie, Studio Assistant, Re:Mind
Re:Mind Studio
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Get Obsessed “Critiques about our ‘too muchness’ are often connected to others’ discomfort with the intensity of our feelings, and how much space we’re taking up. Throw proportion out the window and tap into your primal force that wants to live rawly and fully, no-holds barred. Start by treating whatever you’re loving like a romantic obsession. Whether it’s a new passion project, your healing process, or simply a topic that’s lighting you up right now, stalk it, dive in deep, and let it take up all the space that it needs to bring you alive.” – Ruby Warrington, The Numinous
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Fall in Love “We embody powerful energy that we can tap into through the elements of love. As love blooms we discover our truth and in that truth we reveal our authentic self. There is nothing more powerful.” – Jasmin Harsono, Emerald and Tiger
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Plan a Solo Date “To connect with our life force, we have to get down and dirty with our most intimate desires, wants, and needs. Which means some good old fashioned solitude. Notice any stickiness you have around the concept of being ‘alone’ and commit to sitting with the discomfort. And while you’re at it, make it juicy. Treat your time with yourself like a sweet vacation. Take yourself for dinner. Dress up for yourself in clothes that feel like second skin. Let this solo dance lead you back to the power moves that you alone can bring.” – Bess Matassa, The Numinous
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Re-nature Yourself “Connect to your roots, to the power of our land. Notice how it feels to be out in nature, how it impacts your body, your mood and your emotions. Once you begin to tap into the rhythms of nature, you begin to tap into the natural and honest rhythms of your life. The ups, the downs, the endings, the beginnings. Our lives are part of an ever ebbing, ever flowing cycle. A portal into our wild inner guidance.
As nature fully blooms this summer, think of the areas in your life where you can to. What areas are calling you to grow, to create, to express? Remember yourself as a sacred woman that has chosen this Earthwalk. You’re powerful. You’re needed to seed and grow new life, a new way for humanity.” – Vickie Williams, Vickie Williams Yoga
Connect to your power in real time with London’s new meditation and spiritual hub, Re:Mind, with their Summer of Women’s Power event series. Designed to activate, inspire, and uplift, workshops cover everything from “Self Pleasure Magic” to “Daily Ayurveda,” leaving you tapped in and connected to your very own superpowers.
Get this week’s symbol for your astro sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Cancer // Cancer Rising Sifting through tall grasses. You are gently testing the foundation. Shine light in areas that have been ignored. Search. You’re ready to discover something new, but you have to do some digging first. Sift, filter. Let your feelings flow during this process and take good care of yourself.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising Watching home movies on a projector. There’s a poignant and nostalgic quality to this moment. You might feel more tender than normal. Look to the past but don’t get stuck in your feelings. Watch the movie with a dose of objectivity. Be compassionate when you can be. Take pressure off of yourself, this is a time for feeling and spontaneity, not decisions.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising The audio track is sped up. A thought process is speeding up. Your mindset is activated with new ideas. Make sure that the pace is measured. It could be wonderful to connect with friends, but watch the stories you tell. It’s fun to be mentally engaged and curious. But it can be stressful to have the mental centers overly activated. Balance comes from meditation and creativity.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Libra // Libra Rising Looking out over the distance. Make plans and take actionable steps. Look ahead to your goals. Find practical ways to achieve these goals. Your emotions will help you see where you feel stuck. Raise your awareness of what’s activated emotionally, so that you can make some realistic adjustments and plan better strategies.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising A science experiment. You are taking something apart to see how it works. Surgery. Dissection. This process is not for the faint of heart. That works out fine because you’re willing to go there. This investigative process should lead you to a new core philosophy. Keep asking the hard questions so that you can draft a new version of your mission statement.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising A buoy on the seas. Riding the waves, up and down. Become an expert at transiting the waves and you will feel more resilient. Give yourself the gift of perspective. There are emotional ups and downs. Relationships especially may be creating some waves. Remember that everything has a flow and there’s no reason to get stuck in an opinion.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising Chopping vegetables. Frenetic movements. Frenetic reactions? Take deep breaths. Remember your tools and your system. Turn an over active emotional reaction into a moment for grace. Don’t get so stuck in a relationship dynamic that you forget what you’ve been practicing. Be skillful with your words.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising Re-potting a plant. Tend to yourself like a plant. Tend to your root system and make sure you’re getting enough air, sun and water. These simple things will help you feel grounded and increase your energy. If uncomfortable moments arise this week, direct your attention back to the basics. Sleep, nutrition, exercise, time management. You’ll find a simple habit to improve, and that adjustment may help you immensely.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising One person dancing a very big dance. Gasping for air. High emotions, high expression. Big, expansive gestures. This dance could be happening because you’re feeling the flow of creativity. Or it could mean that you think you have prove something or over-compensate for someone else. Make yourself right sized. Take up the just right amount of space.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising A newborn animal. This is a tender moment. You are sensitive. This can be a lovely chance to be careful with other peoples’ feelings. Be cautious with your own feelings as well. Give yourself space and an emotional buffer. Take time out to nurture yourself. You can think of yourself as a newborn baby animal. You need gentle care.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising Peering into a reflective surface. You are surveying. You’re gathering the facts and taking note of the details. This is a great moment for objective thinking. Look closely at the facts and measure them against your big-picture plans.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising A pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You can find it. You have the ability to understand that you are abundant. This is a lovely chance to bring real awareness of your abundant nature into your mind and heart. The key to this epiphany is understanding your self-worth. No small task. It might seem as elusive as the gold at the end of the rainbow. But there is a way there. Trust.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
The 3 of Swords asks us to take a New Moon approach to our thought process, and to let communication feel collaborative and inclusive, says Melinda Lee Holm …
The 2018 Gemini New Moon asks us to leave old mental patterns in the dust, and open wide to adventurous new connections and conclusions, says Sandy Sitron …
New Moon :: June 13 2018 :: 3:45 pm EST :: 22 degrees Gemini
Two strange visions. A small dusty switchboard is one option. The panel can make a finite number of connections. It looks outdated.
The other option is a vast field that stretches out to the horizon. Running across the field are a herd of horses. They spread out across the field. There is so much space to run. They are connected as a herd and they move in unison, but they do so instinctively.
The New Moon is the dark of the moon. A moment to embrace the unknown and open to entirely new potential. We can harness this energy by setting intentions. This New Moon presents some dramatic options. Will you stay in the old mental patterns like the circuits on the dusty switchboard? Or will you free yourself like the horses on the field?
Gemini is your mindset. The New Moon gives you the chance to come up with new additions and developments to your mental framework. If your brain is like a switchboard, the tendency is to run the same old connections. Right now the opportunity is to rewrite some of the code.
The message of this New Moon in Gemini is “strive to understand.”
When you strive to understand, you push yourself, you ask questions, you think about things from new perspectives. Maybe you find a teacher or a friend who can help you reframe a situation. You open yourself up curiously and you let go of an ego need to be right. Seeking understanding that roots down deeper than surface-level will help you break out of the old switchboard and create healthier new habits. This is the time.
Set intentions about how you want to think, communicate, listen and learn. This will help you experience mental freedom.
Put yourself on that vast field, no boundaries, thinking outside of the box. Come to adventurous new conclusions.
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Moon inconjunct Pluto An elephant in an English garden.
The New Moon its making an uncomfortable contact with the planet of transformation— Pluto. Think about which old program is ready for transformation. It could be quite obvious. Because the connection between the Sun-Moon conjunction and Pluto is a frustrating inconjunct aspect, it would be naive to expect the transformation to be simple or complete. At this time, the solution might not be forthcoming. Lean into the frustration of not being in control. It’s okay.
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Moon square Neptune Trying to siphon the ocean with a straw.
This symbol suggests that there is nowhere to put all of the emotion. You need time and patience. You may want a new perspective that offers emotional respite, but it has to sink in gradually.
With this New Moon square Neptune, your mental framework is shifting on conscious and subconscious levels. Give it time to happen.
Neptunian influence can be tiring. Remember that the message of this New Moon is to strive for understanding. The intentions are to find new ways of thinking. Let yourself be restful and not frantic in the process so that the transformation can sink in on all levels of mind. You don’t have to be in control, but you don’t have to swept away by your emotions either. Envision yourself in a state of spacious mental freedom. Connected with others like the herd of horses on the field, with room to move and exercise your mind.
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The below journal prompts are designed to help you dive deeper into the energy of the Gemini New Moon. For the most accurate insight, find the reading for the House that holds 22 degrees Gemini in your birth chart. Don’t have that info? Do you chart for free HERE.
Aries // 3rd house Start a text chat with somebody who always sparks new ideas in you.
Taurus // 2nd house Make a self-worth shopping list of luxurious, free experiences you can gift yourself each day for a week.
Gemini // 1st house Write an imaginary bio for your dream career collab.
Cancer // 12th house Free write about something you’re in a healing process with …
Leo // 11th house Write down the names of five people you would like to meet in the coming year and why.
Virgo // 10th house The only thing standing in the way of my success is …
Libra // 9th house Write a review of a book you plan to recommend to a friend.
Scorpio // 8th house Write down a secret you have never told anyone, read it out loud, and burn it.
Sagittarius // 7th house List all the qualities of your dream life partner, and why these things matter to you.
Capricorn // 6th house Create a to-do list of all the unfinished tasks in your life and commit to doing them this month!
Aquarius // 5th house Write a letter to your childhood best friend and tell them about your life.
Pisces // 4th house Write a brief to an imaginary interior designer describing your ideal home.
Spiritual and queer? It’s on us to create places to practice that reflect every shade of spiritual pride, says Alexandra Roxo … PLUS 3 ways to create more inclusive healing spaces.
Some of my favorite summer memories were in my first Pride month in New York City in 2009. I was falling in love and my girlfriend was ecstatic to be bringing me into her community. It almost felt cliche to fall in love during Pride! Finally coming out as bisexual/queer, after years of closeted same sex encounters not deemed appropriate in Marietta, GA where I grew up, I finally was able to be the whole me.
During this time though I veered away from some of my spiritual growth. Not because I actively thought I couldn’t be in a lesbian relationship and also be spiritual, but on a subconscious level I had internalized this belief. Why? Because none of the spiritual traditions I’d studied said anything positive about same sex partnerships or sexuality. When I asked some of my yogic teachers about this, they frowned and avoided the question.
There also weren’t any spiritual leaders I looked towards who were openly queer. So in a sense, during those years I shunned my own spiritual devotion in order to express my true sexuality.
It is difficult to stay committed to a spiritual practice when your leaders and teachers don’t reflect your experience. Deepak wasn’t queer. Yogananda wasn’t. Marianne wasn’t. The tantra books I was reading all featured hetero couples so I stopped reading them. In spiritual circles or in yoga communities and retreats I felt out of place. So I nixed them for a while and made plant medicines and gay nightclubs my church.
Alexandra at her first Pride
As I matured however, I realized that just because Krishna and Radha aren’t gay, or Jesus and Mary Magdalene, that being queer doesn’t make me less devoted. I turned my attention inwards and began to focus again on my practice. Even though the retreats and spiritual communities I was in remained mainly straight and white, I stopped giving a fuck and showed up anyway without looking for a validation of my experience there.
When teachers assumed hetero preference as we discussed sacred spiritual sex practices, I would get hot and nervous and want to speak up. It always took me a moment to raise my hand and say I was bisexual/queer identified, but it was always worth it. And not only for me, but also so the teacher could consider including diverse experiences in the class.
On my path, I’ve also been deeply inspired by every other person who shows up to retreats, yoga classes, and ceremonies despite not seeing their experience reflected in the people there. Who raises their hand and stands up for their experience, too. Not to prove a point. But to feel seen. To begin to shift an outdated paradigm and create change. It takes a brave soul to willingly highlight your difference, but it is worth it—for each of us personally, and also as a collective.
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The below queer leaders and teachers are going one step further by shifting the face of wellness to open the gates for way more inclusion and love in the spiritual scene. Here they are offering some words of wisdom, spiritual teachings and personal experiences for you this Pride month …
BUNNY MICHAEL. @bunnymichael. They / them. “When I think about it now, coming out queer at age 15 in Texas was probably one of my first spiritual experiences. It was the first time I had to trust what my heart was telling me, not what I was conditioned to believe in. It was the first time I had defined for myself what Love was. It was the first time I was truly afraid. Afraid to lose the people who were most close to me. It was the first time I questioned my worth. Being queer gave me an early insight that the spiritual path isn’t always easy … and it’s not supposed to be. It shows you your limits and how to break free of them. It challenges your foundations and builds a bridge to step into a peace within yourself. It shows you that in every space you walk into it is your responsibility to stand up for Love.” Bunny is a healer, writer, musician, activist and artist.
SAH D’SIMONE. @sahdsimone. He/ his. “A little residue of the collective prejudice [on being queer] still creeps up in my mind once in a while, and in the past it would leave me with a knot in my throat, followed by thoughts of guilt and shame around being myself. Now after 6 years of spiritual work I can see that unconscious reaction taking place and I can pause the downward spiral — breathe it out, and wish myself and everyone that could be getting hooked in this collective trauma to heal and be okay with being themselves so fully! Truth I stand by is that when we are truly ourselves without the baggage of shame that was passed on to us, we are actually inviting other people to be themselves fully too. And wow that’s a powerful spiritual gift you’re sharing with everyone around you.” Sah is a gay identified meditation teacher and transformational coach.
DANNY BRAVE. @hellodannybrave. He/his. “Spiritual practice allows me to get into alignment with my soul, and sexuality is my favored way of embodying that soul with the fullest pleasure and power. Being queer, as it turns out, means just being me. It means I don’t follow the ‘rules’ with gender, with relationships, with clothing, or with essentially anything. It means I am just me.” Danny is a trans identified healer, writer and activist.
LISA LUXX. @luxxy_luxx. She/her. “My sexuality IS my spiritual position: I’m daughter of our elemental earth, all my relationships are seasonal, and I desire women who view all levels of intimacy as a conscious practice where we can exercise our subconscious and unconscious paradigms, ultimately making every connection a space to grow in …” Lisa is a queer writer and activist and poet living in the UK.
AARON ROSE. @aaronxrose. He/him. “My gender & sexuality have been evolving my whole life. The more I heal, the more I develop my spirituality, the more me I become. These days I identify as a gay trans man. When I was 7 years old I was obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio and I always wondered: do I want to be him or date him? Turns out the answer is both!I feel deeply that there is a very specific reason that I am a man who experienced socialization & abuse as a child who the world saw as a girl. Those experiences have allowed me to grow up into a healed and whole man, with a deep capacity for nurturance and emotional presence. I am called to celebrate both the divine feminine and masculine within myself and lead from that place of integration.” Aaron is a gay trans identified coach and leader who works on diversity and inclusion strategies for businesses and individuals.
Alexandra and Sah D’Simone
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Ultimately, it’s up to us to revolutionize the modern spirituality scene to become more inclusive, diverse, and celebratory of healthy sexual and creative expression, dialogue, and freedom. Regardless of your own sexual, political, or romantic preferences, here are a few things we can all do to make spiritual spaces more inclusive:
– No assumptions! You can’t assume someone is male or female or gay or straight. Ask! If they wanna answer then great, if not all good. Respect the boundaries.
– Take out gender referential language. You can still honor masculine and feminine of course. But saying directly “hi ladies!!” Or “hey guys!” Or “hey goddess!” Can hurt hearts if this does not speak to the experience of someone in the group. Claim what works for you.
– Update for the Now Age. If you’re leading or teaching from ancient texts consider modifying language for 2018 to be more inclusive.
Thank you to everyone out there stepping up, stepping out, shining bright, risking, shouting, asking questions, listening, and shifting the old paradigm of spirituality and wellness into more inclusivity and diversity to reflect the world we live in.
Treat yourself to the full Gemini season rainbow with Eunice Lucero‘s non-binary beauty picks …
Photo: Rawpixel
Thankfully, we’ve begun to embrace that gender is anything but a binary concept—it’s not black and white, or worse, pink versus blue—and Gemini season is prime time to embrace the full spectrum of the rainbow. No shade to feminine frills, but this month we’re feeling sleek, minimalistic buys that are as sassy as they are inclusive.
We’ve listed our selections for each Gemini placement, but these products truly are for everyone. Curious about what Gemini rules in your chart? You can do you birth chart HERE for free. Oh and bonus, we also put the spotlight on product pairs and groups—as Geminis know, twinning is twice the fun …
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1// Sun in Gemini: Panacea The Aegis Daily Facial Moisturizer, $46 for 50ml, and The Aegis Daily Facial SPF, $38. Named after the Greek word for “all-healing,” you love witty products that talk the talk, but that have integrity too. This line is made of premium ingredients all in a straightforward, easy-to-use formulation—appealing to your smart, ingredient-based approach to skincare. The moisturizer’s potent yet streamlined cocktail (hyaluronic acid, Japanese seaweed, fig extract) delivers lightweight nourishment and syncs up with your penchant for thoughtful content; the SPF is scentless and non-greasy, allowing you some hassle-free fun in the sun, as you can’t let UV rays cramp your networking steez. Best yet? They’re both TSA-friendly, because, of course, you’re all about leaning into that natural wanderlust.
Panacea Moisturizer & SPF
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2// Moon in Gemini: Meant The Absolute Balm, $45 and The Wonder Polish, $43. Multitasking is the name of the game for this delightfully chic line, which totally simplifies your shower routine—and gives mood-groomers like you a break from overthinking! Your decisions, particularly with beauty indulgences, are as mercurial as your mile-a-minute convo skills, so dual-purpose winners take the anxiety out of choosing between style and substance. Prep with the polish, which is an organic body scrub and an in-shower moisturizer (it has coffee, sugar and avocado—basically brekkie for your bod), then indulge in the anti-oxidant-filled balm, whose soft formula doubles as a sexy, cozy salve that treats and soothes.
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3// Ascendant in Gemini:Schwarzkopf Professionals BlondMe® Instant Blush Blonde Beautifier in Steel Blue and Strawberry, $22 each. Your youthful looks and charming open-mindedness give you the moxie for the latest trends; you’re not afraid to try new things, which is why you were probably first on the candy-hair bandwagon when it hit the scene years ago. Prolong those rainbow-unicorn vibes while giving your look a current spin with a pair of non-committal pastel sprays specifically formulated for lightened or blonde locks. Spray and comb through for a fest-best ’do, or even use the light blue shade to help tone that on-trend dusky platinum when it turns brassy. The colors last up to five washes—enough time to stay breezily on-point for your next soirée.
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4// Mercury in Gemini: Cydney Mar Wellness Energetic Body & Mind Adrenal Support, $38, and Jecca Correct & Conceal Palette in Medium, $21.80. A ball of restless energy, you’re undoubtedly at home in an intellectually stimulating environment. Eclectic, versatile and super quick on the uptake, life candefinitely burn you out if you’re not careful! A supplement that gives a gentle energy boost via rhodiola, a.k.a. nature’s secret weapon against fatigue and mental burnout, is great for nervous types. Fun fact: Rhodiola also helps improve allergy resistance, which is clutch for you Mercs in Gemini who are so plugged into their social surroundings. Once you’re set on the inside, fine-tune any remaining imperfections with a concealer palette that impeccably neutralizes, because as you’ll learn time and again, life is nothing but a play on balance.
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5// Venus in Gemini: Pinrose Pillowtalk Poet Eau de Parfum, $65 for 50ml, and Bite Beauty Limited Edition Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Gemini, $26. Words are the way to your heart; lively, sparkling conversation is what you consider the biggest turn-on. Communication is also the main vehicle for your charms, making you an expert in the art of smooth-talking and flirty conversation, not to mention that perfectly placed double entendre. Maintain this seductive signature with a perfume that’s made for morning-after banter—a powdery, fresh-laundry scent evokes a light, gender-neutral vibe—and seal the deal with a two-in-one (!) lippie, in shades that mirror both sides of that quirky Gem personality.
Pinrose “Pillowtalk Poet” Parfum
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6// Mars in Gemini: Context Nude Balm in Heartbreaker, $20, and dōTERRA Basil Oil, $26.67. Gentle reminder to all you Mars in Gemini firecrackers: The pen is mightier than the sword, particularly where you’re concerned. An impassioned orator and writer, you are SO not one to shy away from a healthy debate to get your point across—so perhaps a muted, non-threatening lip balm can help soften those blows (also try and keep your convo nasty-free, just like the balm’s formula). For that changeable energy though, go for an oil blend that heightens focus and keeps your social ADHD from going haywire. Tip: Rub on your pulse points and inhale with three deep breaths, especially when you start feeling fidgety.
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7// Jupiter in Gemini: Non Gender Specific Everything Serum, $65, The Art of Shaving Engraved 3 Blade Razor, $175. You’re genuinely curious and outgoing, leaving you with no shortage of friends, and perhaps even a handful of admirers who enjoy your “the more, the merrier” approach in social situations. Your magnanimous vibe is echoed in your choice of self-care too: You love starting with a positive, clean slate, and a clean shave, with a quality razor, is as tabula rasa as it gets! Follow up with an equally high-minded serum that’s not afraid to go big: As the name suggests, this optimistic formula targets nearly all major skin issues, from lines to pores to hyperpigmentation, with a lovely, all-folks-welcome smile on its face.
Non Gender Specific Everything Serum
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8// Saturn in Gemini: KNIGHT CO. Exfoliating Face Scrub, $30, and Complete Moisturizer, $30. Crisp and simple, yet with an exacting attention to detail, it’s no surprise that you resonate with expertly curated products that don’t waste time on frivolities. Not only is this no-nasty exfoliant too chic not to flaunt on your shelf (you’re all about understated, almost curt-like quality), it’s also made with natural and organic ingredients. Same with the moisturizer, which wears so light on skin and imparts a soft matte glow, which people know is a hallmark of your cool confident look.
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9// Uranus in Gemini: Herbivore Botanicals Travel Set for Combination/Oily Skin Types, $48. A bit dry one day, crazy-oily the next? Sometimes travel can wreak havoc on a complexion, as changes in temps and hormonal levels can be zany AF. Thankfully you’re no stranger to unpredictability (and frequent flyer miles!), and even welcome both with a gregarious, offbeat spirit. Thank your innate good-naturedness, or, you know, having a handy, backpack-friendly, beat-anything set of natural face and body boosters in tow. Just saying.
Herbivore Botanicals Travel Set
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10// Neptune in Gemini: Fluide Blue Trio (liquid lipstick, glitter and nail polish), on sale for $35. This wonderfully inclusive brand’s lip, nail and glitter set is made for nebulous Neptune Gems, who practically embody sparkle in thought and deed. For this wildly imaginative lot, communication is more intuitive and facts are more like suggestions anyway, right? And besides, anyone who doesn’t get your big-picture mentality can immediately be waved off, stat, with a perfectly pigmented, 7-free vegan mani and matching pout.
Fluide Blue
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11/ Pluto in Gemini: Context White Charcoal Detox Mask, $45, and Absorb Skin Care The Face Oil, $110. Detoxing, whether physically, mentally or energetically, is a requisite in this day and age, and Pluto Geminis embrace this purge like a fish to water. Keeping things fresh and cutting edge highlights your love of renewal and change, and a luxe charcoal mask, followed by a refreshing serum made of all of nature’s best stuff (organic pomegranate and other omegas and antioxidants) is all the doctor ordered to kick-start your skin—and psyche—into gear.
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12// Chiron in Gemini: MMXV Infinitude Universal Facial Treatment, $225, and The Better Skin Co. Zit No More Acne Treatment, $18. Maybe you never got over that niggling middle-school bout of insecurity keeping you from speaking your truth; maybe it’s just a paralyzing self-doubt of not being articulate or well-versed enough, or being the subject of other people’s toxic gossip. Squash all these irrational bad news bears and start building your confidence from the outside in, with a skin saver that gives you one less thing to feel anxious about. Follow it up with a game-changing miracle cream that also tackles seven main concerns, literally making your glam as foolproof as can be.
