Dive into this month’s medicine for your sign with our Numinous Tarotscopes for March 2019, cast by Bess Matassa. Artwork: Prince Láuder
MARCH READING FOR THE COLLECTIVE: The Hermit Rx The magic of March comes from taking a powerful pause, and challenging our definitions of effort, movement, and speed. Hermit energy asks us to chooses its own pace without apology, and to design our own internal habitat according to highly personal spec. This month, commit to only stepping outside of your carefully-crafted cabin when motion is 100% aligned.
Ruled by Virgo, this settled and sovereign energy is a potent reminder that it’s our birthright to discern and sort, and that no one and nothing should force our hand, not even ourselves. Scented with the sweet solitude that comes just before Spring explodes into being, the month ahead invites us to find mini-retreats even as we’re moving forward, and to pen a personal love letter to all that we’re poised to grow …
Read on for the card, mantra, and cosmic audio reading for your sign!
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PISCES or PISCES RISING: The World Rx March Mantra: Perceived limitations feed my liberation.
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ARIES OR ARIES RISING: Ace of Swords March Mantra: New tales begin on consciously cleared ground.
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TAURUS OR TAURUS RISING: 4 of Wands Rx March Mantra: I need no excuse to fully celebrate.
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GEMINI OR GEMINI RISING: Knight of Cups March Mantra: Majestic movement is always an option.
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CANCER OR CANCER RISING: 4 of Pentacles March Mantra: Shoring up my boundaries fortifies my inner channel.
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LEO OR LEO RISING: 8 of Swords March Mantra: Shifting old storylines creates infinite space.
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VIRGO OR VIRGO RISING: Ace of Wands March Mantra: I have every right to follow my own passionate heat.
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LIBRA OR LIBRA RISING: Hanged Man Rx March Mantra: Letting myself be in process illuminates the destination.
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SCORPIO OR SCORPIO RISING: 5 of Cups Rx March Mantra: Every feeling on the spectrum deserves to be felt.
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SAGITTARIUS OR SAGITTARIUS RISING: Queen of Cups March Mantra: Exploring my sensitivities is a precious strength.
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CAPRICORN OR CAPRICORN RISING: The Sun March Mantra: I come fully alive when I let my distinctive flavor come forward.
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AQUARIUS OR AQUARIUS RISING: 10 of Cups Rx March Mantra: Softening towards what’s sweet releases what’s ready to go.
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Learn more about Bess and her work and check out all her personalized Astro + Tarot offerings HERE.
As we prep for Mercury Retrograde in Pisces, the King of Wands Rx and the Queen of Cups Rx ask us to dive deeper into the dream without surrendering our personal power, says Brandon Alter … Cast using The Wild Unknown and the Prisma Visions Tarot
As we dive into Pisces Season’s profound depths, the 4 and 8 of Pentacles ask us to soften any scarcity mentality and place our energy where we want to see growth, says Brandon Alter … Cast using The Wild Unknown and the Prisma Visions Tarot
The 2019 Virgo Full Moon is an opportunity to adjust our approach and refine our routines, so we can create everyday magic that heals both body and soul, says Sandy Sitron …
Photo: Aneta Pawlik
Full Moon :: February 19 2019 :: 10:53 am EST :: 0 degrees Virgo
Zoom way in and visualize the reverberation of a single harp string. Watch as it undulates, chaotic yet controlled. Science has discovered that the harp has healing qualities, bestowing upon the musician a healthier nervous system and curing countless mental and physical ailments. But no one knows why it works.
A Full Moon occurs when the Sun and the Moon are exactly opposite. This opposition forces new levels of awareness as we try to integrate two very different energies at once. It is explosive and expansive.
Themes of healing are highlighted at this Full Moon. Healing the physical realm by making adjustments to the functional systems (Virgo). And healing the spiritual body through an expansion of faith and compassion (Pisces).
There are theories that the harp’s tiny vibrations stimulate the lymph system. I like to imagine that these minute vibrations somehow tone and balance every cell in the body, like every cell getting a microscopic spa day.
A Virgo Full Moon is a time to tone physical systems through minor adjustments, while surrendering the big-picture “how” or “why” to the abyss of Piscean miracles.
Virgo teaches us how to refine and improve the components of our physical reality, so that we can maximize health and efficiency. Pisces instructs us to loosen our grip on reality and dissolve into the magical dream. To recede back into the world of spirit where all is love and connection.
What is your equivalent of the healing harp these days? What restores you so that you can function most efficiently? Is there an instrument, practice, or habit that helps you transcend?
Sometimes a Virgo Full Moon can bring a potential for overthinking and perfectionism. But with a graceful trine between the Moon, Uranus, and Mars, be open to surprising new ways of doing things. You could be just as likely to bust out and spontaneously take on a new approach.
This Virgo Full Moon occurs at the very beginning of Pisces Season, which is all about flowing with the feelings, and showing yourself deep empathy so that you have the reserves to understand the emotional side of the human experience. It’s Compassion 101.
This Full Moon is an island in the sea of Pisces-style emotions. This sliver of earth is where you’ll set sail from. And right now you are packing up your ship. If you prepare your craft now, you’ll be able to sail safely through emotional waters in the weeks ahead.
Pay attention to all the details as you pack and prepare. Get things organized. Practice good habits. How can you be more efficient? There are small things that you can do, physical practices that will support your health. Like the healing harp, the small vibrations that you create in your life might have seemingly miraculous results.
New discoveries are coming in rapidly with this Full Moon, so expect change to be easy. Be open to it as you continue to practice, refine, work, and stay busy. And remain very aware of your instrument – your body. What can you do to create vibrational alignment that results in apparent miracles?
Virgo is interested in the minutia, the tiny vibrations of the harp strings. Virgo is the musician who practices diligently, refining and improving every movement over time. Pisces offers a result that’s greater than the sum of its parts – miraculous alchemy. At this Full Moon, it’s time to have both.
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Moon trine Uranus A puff mushroom explodes. The puff mushroom is moon-like in shape and color. When it ripens just enough, it will spontaneously explode and release baby mushroom spores to the wind. It’s a surprise that’s expected. Just as natural as drinking a glass of water. But when it happens, there’s still a minor shock. Everything is different in a moment.
There are surprises coming that you may be expecting. They can help you move to the next phase in your development. Sometimes you just need an extra push to create change. This is it.
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Moon trine Mars A horse and carriage. Your ride is waiting. It’s obvious that it’s time to get moving. And it’s not difficult. All you have to do is get in and go. Yes, this is a horse and carriage, not a car or a jet plane. So we are taking into account that some extra preparations have been made. The horses are brushed and harnessed. You’ve had to pack for a difficult journey, there are no corner stores or debit cards on this ride. Instead, there are long winding roads and you must be prepared. But you also need to make your move now because the carriage is waiting. It should be easy at this point to get in and drive.
Pisces Season 2019 invites us to let go of judgement, as we radicalize our relationships and begin to trust that we will receive exactly what we desire, says Bess Matassa …
Photo: Pawel Szvmanski
PiscesSeason 2019 invites us to sit back and truly let it all just be. This astro season is a plunge into our past lives, and a call to make peace with even the moments and memories we feel will never be “right.” A tender time for softening, melting, and allowing, PiscesSeason 2019 asks us to remember the magic of simply being alive, without having to assess or pass judgement on any part of our lived experience.
The Sun enters Pisces on 2/18, with a Virgo Full Moon the following day illuminating minor planet Chiron’s move into Aries. These energies combined call for a balance between our urge to make an individual mark, and a recognition that ours is a tiny but vital role in the whole sea of stars. It’s a moment to press pause on hot-blooded agendas, and feel into the legacy we leave by simply being.
When Venus moves into the out-there wilds of Aquarius on 3/1 we’re asked to liberate our love affairs from stiflingly preconceived notions. And as electrically-charged changemaker Uranus shifts into Taurus for a 7-year long haul on 3/6, accompanied by the Pisces New Moon, it’s the start of a profound cycle for filling our cup, and trusting that new sources of nourishment and abundance will arise from precious seeds planted long ago.
With the influence of Pisces’ ruler, Neptune, reigning supreme, it’s a season to let gravity do its work, allowing what needs to recede from your life to simply slip away in the rearview mirror. An invitation to turn our perceived losses into emotional finds, PiscesSeason 2019 wants us to remember that sitting with stillness is never a sign of lack, and that what’s coming down the line is wilder and wider than we could possibly have imagined …
Listen to the full PiscesSeason 2019 report from Numi resident astrologers Bess + Sandy HERE and read on for more on the 4 key astro events of the coming weeks …
Pisces energy is a call to remember that time is never linear, and that we aren’t meant to “get over” anything. Instead, can you walk alongside, underneath, through, and with whatever your perceived pain might be? This 90s hit is filled with loss and longing—but not lack. Where in your life can you hold more feeling than you thought? How can you expand to contain all the stories that live beneath your skin? The Sun in Pisces asks us to wander past pathways without shame, trusting that they will integrate and assimilate in their own sweet time.
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Mercury Rx in Pisces (3.5-3.28) // Aura Photographs
A deep call to listen with every surface of our bodies, Mercury’s retrograde journey through Pisces asks us to see ourselves and the world in a brand new way. This is a time to soften the hard-edge between “good” and “bad,” pleasure and pain. Use this transit to let your gaze go fuzzy, to soothe your self-talk, and to allow multiple layers of experience to simply rise and fall on the surface of your consciousness, no matter how strange. Loosen limited POVs, and practice reading the auras of people and experiences, instead of seeing rigid lines.
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Venus in Aquarius (3.1-3.26) // Blind Dates
Venus rules over love and relating, and is deeply connected to our sense of self-worth. In wonky, exploratory Aquarius, this transit asks us to delight in our weirdness. Whether partnered or solo, it’s a moment to let your freak flag fly to give others permission to do the same. Whatever your relationship status, channel the energy of a blind date in both your professional and personal meetups. Be open to being to surprised, and let this take your interpersonal dynamics even higher.
The passage of radical Uranus through Taurus sounds the call to revolutionize our modes of receiving. Animals and plants don’t guilt themselves for their appetites, and this transit wants us to make like the beasts who birthed us. This 7-year cycle is about breaking free from any shame surrounding our desires, and trusting in the endlessly generative ground on which we stand. Harness this sense of naturalistic hedonism with earth films that chronicle the dizzying diversity of evolution, reminding yourself that no body shape, size, or carnal urge ever deserves to be shamed.
The Knight of Pentacles asks us to savor slow and steady movement towards manifesting our heart’s visions, says Brandon Alter … Cast using the Prisma Visions Tarot
The 3 of Pentacles invites us to identify our soul’s area of expertise and collaborate to push our contribution forward, says Brandon Alter … Cast using the Prisma Visions Tarot
Seeking to reawaken her innate magic, Ani Ferlise enrolled in Priestess School. She shares how you can embody this ancient vocation …
Graell Corsini and The Goddess Temple of Ashland
Four years ago, I was feeling alone and unfulfilled. I was dissatisfied with the way I’d spent my college years, and I was frustrated with what was expected of me. And so, seeking more of the magic I had always felt in my heart, I left New York and moved to small, magical, Ashland, in Oregon—and it was here I first heard the word “Priestess.”
I had found my way to Graell Corsini, a loving, fiery, pixie Priestess, and founder of the Goddess Temple of Ashland. The Temple itself, a beautiful dome, is surrounded by gardens, flowing mineral springs, beehives, and tall oak trees. Inside, you are greeted by a wood stove and an altar, decked with Samhain decorations and offerings. Immediately on arriving here, I felt something nostalgic and familiar awaken inside of me.
I began my working for Graell at temple “melissae,” cleaning the temple, organizing, sprucing up the altars, and clearing the space. One year later, I asked Graell if she would be willing to do a one-on-one apprenticeship with me and teach me how to Priestess for myself. Over the course of a few short weeks, I immersed myself completely in this ancient vocation.
What I learned totally blew me open, while new insights continue to unfold every day. This is what I have learned so far about the Priestess way …
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A Priestess brings magic to the mundane Graell told me how part of her practice was to make places more beautiful than when she arrived. If she goes into a bathroom that’s dirty, she cleans it. Graell sees this act alone as a living prayer, bringing the sacred to something so everyday. That’s just one example. Taking a shower can become an energetic cleanse, with lavender or rosemary soap, as you visualize the heaviness of the day going down the drain. Cooking can become kitchen witchery when you say, “Thank you for nourishing me,” as you stir intention into your split pea soup with a wooden spoon. The way you Priestess will be as unique as your fingerprints.
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A Priestess honors the darkness along with the light Focusing only on the light is a major imbalance in the spiritual world—for we are made of love, light, AND a deep, deep darkness. We are all born from the darkness. The womb-space, the unknown, the place of rebirth. We confront our darkness every day, and to deny this is to deny yourself of your humanity. The deep, dark unknown must not only be looked at but loved. To honor the darkness, the unknown, the places that scare us in ourselves and in life, is sacred.
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A Priestess does not have to be perfect to be in service We are all capable of manipulation, of stretching the truth a little too much, of judgements, of ignorance, and more. We are always going to be exploring our motivations. Being of service doesn’t require ridding yourself of these human parts. The Priestess approach is to muster up your strength, vulnerability, and courage, and instead of trying to rid yourself of imperfections, to nourish and be gentle with yourself, so that you are overflowing with love. Everything that is not in alignment will then flow out of you naturally.
The Temple
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A Priestess creates sacred space Holding sacred space is a beautiful opportunity with a lot of responsibility. This space can be energetic or physical. You can push your cart into the cereal aisle at the supermarket while a toddler is throwing a tantrum, and you can ask the mother how she’s doing. Or you can be in ceremony, looking each person in the eye, letting them know that you hear them. You never know when the opportunity to hold space will show up!
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A Priestess nurtures self always Being a Priestess means creating a (literal) sacred space for you, too. This space is used to pray and to nurture yourself—a place, when something is too big for you, to give it over to the Higher. Natural disasters, terrorism, and societal injustice, are impossible to take on by yourself, nor are you supposed to. You are here to do your part, and whatever is beyond you needs to have a place to go. So create that space. Organize, clean, and beautify it, so you can show up AND feel held.
Whether it is a home altar, a spare room, dresser drawer, or even your car dashboard, use whatever is accessible. My altar has each of the elements represented, and I use the Wheel of the Year for my inspiration. I keep it beautiful and divinely scented with flowers and plants based on the season, with candles and oils to match, and with crystals and incense to set the tone.
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A Priestess celebrates life with ceremony Every life event can have a ceremony or ritual. Going through a breakup? Moving into a new home? Feeling grateful? Needing to cut ties from a person? Yearning to honor a loss? Ceremony is key to bringing the mythic to the seemingly mundane. Ritual is an invitation for the sacred to come in. While there’s nothing like having a trained guide for major life gateways, there are many opportunities to support yourself during times of transition. For example, if you just experienced a break up, take a cleansing bath with rose quartz, and drink a heart-opening and nourishing tea like Damiana.
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A Priestess is a part of nature When you begin to pay attention to the transitions of the seasons, the shifting of the Sun from sign to sign, and the phases of the Moon, it’s hard to understand how we are supposed to operate separately from nature. Like the Moon and the tides she turns, our lives ebb and flow. From socializing to solitude, from sadness to joy, from confusion to certainty, and from giving to receiving—a Priestess understands that we too are constantly cycling. Be gentle with your tides.
My life has changed significantly since becoming initiated as a Priestess. I came to Graell searching for meaning, and what she taught me is that we find this in making the world better than when we find it, in ways big and small.
Ani at Priestess School
Embracing the magic in the mundane lights a fire in my heart like nothing else has. Turn toward those who have walked this path before you, for more guidance on living a sacred life. If you have any questions, you can find me at kozmicryder.comor @kozmicryder on Instagram, and Graell Corsini at the Ashland Goddess Temple and at priestessgraell.com.
The 2019 Aquarius New Moon is a potent opportunity for fresh visions, transformational downloads, and radical release, says Sandy Sitron …
Photo: Alexandra Marcu
New Moon :: February 4th, 2019 :: 4:04 pm EST :: 15 degrees Aquarius
Hold the earpiece of an old fashioned telephone, and wait patiently. Practice listening. There’s a message coming down the line.
On February 4th we have a New Moon in visionary Aquarius. This moon has a lot to say. But the first thing it wants you to do is listen. Get silent and be present.
Wait for the message. Time condenses as you embody stillness and practice listening.
The message finally comes through. It’s juicy. This moon is wrapped in ideas and potential. It’s like a perfectly ripe pear. You can hold it in one hand, but when you bite into it the juice travels down your arm. A compact message, filled with information.
When you receive the message that this moon will deliver, it will be time to activate. You might slam down the telephone and spring to action. You might go running for a napkin to wipe up all the pear juice. Once it begins there will be no delay.
It is exciting. And transformational. A New Moon is a chance for a new beginning and this one in the sign of Aquarius is helping you bring your ideas and vision for the future to the world. This lunation is pumped up with energy. There’s action and release happening all at once. In the background beats the drum of expansion. Listen for it. Your big ideas are supported. Receive your message and run with it.
Aquarius is the sign of innovation, vision, and collaboration. This is not the time to hole up with Netflix and a cozy blanket. You need to be engaged, alert, and present so that you can incubate new ideas. Then you’ll be able to share these ideas with others and really take things to the next level.
Here are the steps for this New Moon and the days that follow …
Listen and wait for the message.
The message is coming and it’s going to be juicy.
When you get it, you need to spring into action.
Be willing to transform some things. To let go and be surprised.
Set the stage for an innovative new concept or a new mental framework to emerge within you. It’s time for fresh vision. You are ready for it.
Share your heart, your ideas and your vision for the future. You can make change happen. Or maybe you can discover that you are willing to change your mind.
Think about the greater community that surrounds you. How do you want to collaborate? What do you want to share?
The answer will become more clear over the coming weeks. For now, listen for silence on the other end of the telephone. Silence and stillness are your first steps. Silence is nowhere and everywhere. You can hear silence under and around other sounds. Silence has different textures and opacities.
Be very present while you wait. And before you know it, the message will have arrived.
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New Moon conjunct Mercury Fireflies. Tiny illuminations everywhere. Tiny new ideas floating through the air. Grab them quick. Write them down. Don’t get overwhelmed by all the mental activity. Ideas are beautiful. If they hold positive potential they are like gifts. Take any good ideas you are given and anchor them somewhere, in a journal, in your psyche, in a conversation. These ideas will light up your next phase with dazzling promises. So make sure you’re paying attention.
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New Moon sextile Jupiter An awards dinner. Go out in your finery. Eat well and unabashedly. Then stand up and take a bow. You’ve done it and you’ll do more. This aspect is encouraging you, telling you to dream bigger, use your talents, and enjoy the celebration.
Your public is appreciative. There is roaring applause for you at this awards dinner. Soak it all up. Appreciate yourself, too. Take a bow and then keep going. Make your vision better and bigger. Keep your vibration tuned to love. Don’t hold back from enjoying attention or celebration. Let it propel you forward.
The Knight of Cups Rx asks us to get curious about the roots of our triggers, and to let our feelings move through us without flying off the handle, says Brandon Alter … Cast using the Prisma Visions Tarot
After discovering that there was nothing “wrong” with her body except conventional health messaging, Jillian Murphy shares her manifesto for a more inclusive wellness industry …
Photo: Samantha Santy
I had put on 40lbs in my second pregnancy and they seemed to have nestled in for good. I was eating well and moving my body religiously but I just couldn’t lose the weight.
Every well-intentioned health care professional I worked and interacted with as a naturopath was happy to offer up advice about what must be wrong with my adrenals, thyroid, hormonal health, sleep patterns, food combining, mindfulness, sugar intake, etc. etc. etc. and I had worked on it ALL. But to no avail, and I was exhausted from the effort.
Frustrated, I hired a body image and emotional eating coach and, after explaining my long and convoluted health and weight story to this new mentor, she told me something I was wholly unprepared to hear:
“There is nothing wrong with you except for your belief that your body is wrong. You are exceptionally healthy: you don’t have a food problem and your body is exactly, happily, where it needs to be.”
It was one of the strangest, most revolutionary things I’d ever heard. It simultaneously crushed and liberated my soul. Crushed, because, OMG! All the lost time I’d spent trying to “fix” my body. Liberated, because I’d finally been given permission to shed the physical expectations of our culture and just live my life.
The mere suggestion that my body weight and shape may not dictate my health nearly blew up my brain. It set into motion a 7-year journey of critical thinking, self-discovery, and research that would ultimately serve to heal my relationship with food and my body and revolutionize my understanding of health.
What I realized was:
Conventional health messaging flattens beautiful, complex, and biodiverse individuals into 2D facsimiles. Squishes us into mathematical equations, diets, and wellness checklists that promise abundant health and complete control over our bodies.
This messaging makes us believe that if our bodies don’t fit, we are at fault – too lazy, not enough willpower, intelligence, or effort. And in our attempts to conform, we offer up our emotional and spiritual wellbeing, our peace of mind, and sometimes our sanity.
Now, we in the wellness industries are being called to dismantle and challenge outdated, oppressive, and limiting beliefs about food, movement, weight, and health. To present a model for inclusive wellness that is respectful of ALL bodies; critical of information that leaves us feeling confused and in lack; and that offers alternatives to restrictive and prescriptive health ideologies that ignore the lived experience and values of the individual.
This is my manifesto for a more inclusive wellness industry ….
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1// Pursue physical health without compromising your mental, emotional, and/or spiritual self.
When we exercise though our body is asking for rest; when we cut carbs or calories despite our body begging for sustenance; when we skip dinner out for fear of not having the “right” food options; when thinking about food and health consumes our every thought – we sacrifice our sense of peace, connection, and joy in the pursuit of physical “health.” The outcome is a feeling of depletion despite doing “everything right.”
The shift: Put physical health back in its place, as one piece of the health puzzle and not the whole picture.
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2// Respect and appreciate the diversity of human bodies.
All bodies deserve access to quality healthcare and health resources without judgment or shame. Current body type and weight ideals are problematic and unscientific (including the Body Mass Index or BMI). They negatively impact our relationship with food and movement, and encourage the stigmatization of all but a small percentage of bodies deemed “appropriate.” Those in bigger bodies are judged harshly and mistreated in every sphere of society, from the workplace to medicine.
The shift: We must shed the belief that losing weight is the #1 path to health and wellness and work instead to pursue behaviors that have been proven to have a positive impact on health – whether we lose weight or not – while developing a much broader and inclusive definition of bodies we deem healthy, attractive, and worthy.
Photo: Samantha Santy
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3// Define “health” and “wellness” for yourself.
These terms are social constructs that differ across communities and cultures. It’s also important to recognize that many people don’t have the privilege of prioritizing wellness, even if they want to. We can own our own investment and interest in health and wellness without projecting it onto others. Imagine how many hours a day/week could you free up if you let go of food, body control, and worry.
The shift: Consider what aspects of health and wellness actually light you up. Can you think of moments when you’ve judged the health and wellness choices of others? Begin to think about how our narrowly drawn ideas about these concepts impact the overall health of our society.
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4// Become the leading expert on YOU.
We have been taught that we must rely on externally devised, highly moralized food plans telling us how much to eat, what to eat, and when to eat. The Now Age way is to turn to models for nourishing ourselves that put us back in touch with our innate ability to regulate food variety and quantity. These models consider the needs of our physical bodies, while also taking the mental, emotional, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of food, movement, and health into account.
The shift: Promote eating based on our bodies’ internal cues instead of following fad diets or parroting somebody else’s food rules. (ED: read Jillian’s tips on using body positivity to unlock your intuition).
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5// Cultivate a sense of purpose and worth beyond your physical form.
The exhaustion, digestive issues, inflammatory processes, and body concerns I see in so many of my patients are one part physical, two parts spiritual/emotional. We feel disconnected and the stress of floating through the world unsure of where we belong, what makes us worthy, and what our purpose is shows up as dysfunction in our thought processes and bodies. We then cling to the rituals, routines, and ideologies of wellness and weight that serve as the ultimate distraction.
The shift: Replace diets and health “regimens” with rituals that connect you to the moon, meditation, talk therapy, dance parties, ditching toxic relationships, eating mindfully, speaking up, saying no, walking in nature, swimming in the ocean, lighting a candle, giving back. Anything that reminds us that our worth is inherent, we are more than our bodies, and we are connected to everyone and everything.
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6// Work to change the systems in place that deeply affect the health and wellness of our culture and community.
Socioeconomic status is the leading determinant of health. Accordingly, we must work to shift these issues on a systemic level if we truly care about our health and the health of those around us. There are systems in place that can’t be “love + light”ed away, and we all have a responsibility to pull apart our own oppressive beliefs and work toward amplifying the perspectives of those who experience this system differently.
The shift: Realize that representation matters – if we want to feel normal and acceptable in our various forms, we need to SEE those forms and diverse paths to health. Start with your social media feed by including a wide range of body shapes, sizes, races, abilities, and gender expressions, and enter into those spaces with the intention of listening. As you learn, commit to engaging those who share your social identity in conversations that question your current health and wellness beliefs. Be an active catalyst for change.
Dive into this month’s medicine for your sign with our Numinous Tarotscopes February 2019, cast by Melinda Lee Holm. Artwork: Prince Láuder
Art: Prince Láuder
AQUARIUS // AQUARIUS RISING The Lovers
Happy Solar return, Aquarius! Your birthday gift from the cards is a chance to cozy up to the concept of true partnership. While you are an exceptional friend, always ready, eager, and willing to help out, things can get a little sticky when it comes to the C word. The idea of commitment can sometimes get tarnished and dulled by conventional notions of settling down, falling into stale routines, and succumbing to boredom for the sake of stability. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can keep your beloved freedom and partner up – professionally or personally – benefitting from the support and talents of another, forming a whole stronger than the sum of its parts. The trick is in being very clear right up front about what you want and how you aim to get it.
As you begin another trip around the Sun, you’d be well-advised to test the waters of engagement early and often. Call up a friend to help you out on a project you’d normally forge ahead with alone. Finally say yes to that co-worker who’s always asking if you need any help. Go on a date. The magic of true, healthy partnership is that it allows both parties to thrive as individuals within and outside of the context of the relationship. While no relationship of any kind can exist without some sort of conflict, a great partner should keep you mostly feeling more powerful, productive, and inspired than you would be alone. Get out there and find out what it takes to have and to be the best partner you can!
Aquarius stone for February: Rhodonite opens and soothes the heart to allow a free outpouring of love and compassion. It promotes unconditional care for and appreciation of others.
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PISCES // PISCES RISING 10 of Wands
It’s the shortest month of the year Pisces, but it just might end up being one of your most productive. The great creative forces of Fire are waiting at the ready to burn through your to-do list in lightning speed and leave you time for more fun creative pursuits. Fire is the element of action, intuition, creativity and magic. The items on your list may or may not take place in the material world. Maybe you have a list of concepts you’ve been wanting to get around to mulling over, some ideas or political positions you’ve wanted to explore a bit more before forming an opinion. Now’s the time! Your processing speed is unrivaled throughout February, so focus in on what you want to accomplish and start checking those boxes.
The thing about the tens is that they anticipate a return to the Ace. You don’t usually build up from the ten, you circle around and begin again. So make sure that you’ve got your eye on the prize voted most likely to make you feel like a total champion once you wrap it up and tie it with a bow. This is a month for Big Chores. Passion projects are fueled by another beast, they are buoyed by emotion and existential need. Save them for a rainy day. This is your opportunity to tackle the things that you avoid eye contact with, the things you stay feeling guilty about because they seem too big to get into. Open your eyes and mind and step bravely into your new accomplished future.
Pisces stone for February: Gold Sheen Obsidian ignites the solar plexus, illuminating previously unrealized talents and the confidence to use them while clearing away any energetic blockages to success.
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ARIES // ARIES RISING 8 of Pentacles
You are getting down to the nitty gritty this month, Aries, digging around in the dirt to find exactly what sort of environment will suit you best in the long term. When I say environment, I mean it in the broadest possible sense. This being the suit of Pentacles, the most obvious interpretation is a physical environment, the material world that serves as your home. If this is where your mind instinctually focuses, go there. Rearrange your furniture, get into that tidying show everyone is freaking out about, throw some paint on the walls, whatever it takes to get your home environment to a place where it feels like it’s supporting you and not stressing you out. And if the place itself stresses you out and you have the means, get a new place.
However, there is more subtle interpretation of environment that also relates to the realm of Earth. The sort of color and buzz of the air around us, the charge of a space, the space in between that holds us all together. February is your time to make sure that THAT environment is set up in a way to support you long term as well. So if your apartment is editorial perfection, sit in it with your eyes closed and feel where it needs another kind of tune-up. Refresh your altar, ask your crystals whether they’d like a new view, experiment with a different cleansing modality than you usually use. The Pentacles don’t have to be all work, but they do have to work for you and this month you can make that happen.
Aries stone for February: Hematite grounds the energetic and physical bodies and brings focus to the mind, allowing a steady pace of productivity to unfold and progress.
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TAURUS // TAURUS RISING Wheel of Fortune
While the Wheel of Fortune can bring frustration to some, I am betting hard on this being a VERY cozy place for you to live this month, dear Taurus. The glory of the Wheel is that it brings everything in accordance with Divine timing. The cruelty of the Wheel is that it brings everything in accordance with Divine timing. You get what I’m saying? Surrendering to the timing of the Universe can be a huge relief or an extreme challenge. Commit to choosing the former now. Meet all goals, personal and professional, with an open mind and heart and an attitude of “this or something better in accordance with the good of all beings.” Sometimes we focus so intently on pushing on a particular goal that we cannot see a new opportunity flying right in front our face.
To be clear, I don’t mean to suggest you take your foot off the gas completely. We all need to do our part to keep this ball rolling. Letting go of the fantasy of control does not release you from responsibility. Rather, it focuses you on your specific tasks, opens your eyes to what you can control, and directs your energy to places it can be of greatest use. My goal here is simply to invite you to take in the scenery as you go, pay attention to signs, and if you hit crazy traffic, pull over and have a cup of coffee instead of sitting in your car fuming. You never know who might be waiting to meet you in that cafe!
Taurus stone for February: Blue Calcite eases worry and anxiety by opening communication with inner and Divine truths. It allows all levels of being to rest and be rejuvenated.
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GEMINI // GEMINI RISING Page of Wands
Ooo, Gemini, I like this movement for you. Hot on the heels of the master of manifesting abundance, you’ve got the open, experimental nature of the Page here to bring you new ways to play with Fire. Experimentation is kind of like having a really great conversation with yourself, something you are very adept at in the best ways. This month, that ease of developing and exchanging ideas is going to take root in a more intuitive place, bypassing the potential pitfalls of the analytic mind and instead taking hold in a more ancient animal instinct zone. You’re going to find all sorts of ways to express your creative impulses – personally, professionally, spiritually, magickally. This is a rare oppotunity to really expand your experience of your own power.
Say yes as often as you can to situations that allow you to explore new avenues of inspiration. Collaborate with new friends and with old friends in new ways, take art and dance classes, give yourself time to wander in whatever way and whichever direction you feel drawn to. This month truly is for you to play and there is no more playful element than the Fire that the Wands hold. It was some of our earliest real magic as humans to make it with our own hands and it still holds that promise and wonder energetically in our lives. What is the Fire you want to create in your life? Where will it take you? What will it transform and what can it destroy?
Gemini stone for February: Ammonite Fossils remind us of our ancient roots in the evolutionary chain, and focus our vision on how we can continue to evolve on this plane spiritually and energetically.
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CANCER // CANCER RISING The Hierophant
As a cardinal water sign, you are a natural teacher, dear Cancer. Your open heart and deeply held desire to do good in the world tend to lead you to places and situations where you can be of service comforting and quietly leading. This month, that instinct is getting a huge boost and alignment with your highest spiritual aspirations, maybe even those you are not yet aware of. While we have much to learn from all cards in the deck, The Hierophant stands alone as representing an embodied teacher here on Earth. This teacher can come in many forms and can represent us encountering or becoming a spiritual guide. Ideally, it foretells both. The very best teachers operate with the understanding that there is always more to learn, that we can never know everything, that even the most learned and experienced can benefit from a good teacher.
This month, make time to listen to the wise around you. Engage in deep conversations with the people you find most inspiring, read their books, listen to their lectures, follow their guidance. If you’re drawing a blank, ask friends you trust who they follow and try their teachings on for size. At the same time, be open and willing to lend a sympathetic ear and a gentle guiding hand to those around you in need of some direction. This can be a casual conversation over coffee, a more formal mentorship relationship with a co-worker, or even volunteering to read to kids at the public library. The spiritual can flow through the act, not necessarily the content. The Divine is often quiet, like a little crab in its shell.
Cancer stone for February: Magnetite works to draw in to your personal sphere all that will be useful to you in the pursuit of any goals aligned with your highest purpose.
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LEO // LEO RISING King of Wands
The King of Fire for my fiery king of the jungle. What a win, Leo! This energy is going to feel like a breath of fresh air, especially after the challenging introspection of last month. You are ready to burst out of your cage and into the world with newfound insight into what you want to experience and create. You’ll have a magic touch, able to turn drab to fab in the blink of an eye, whether in your personal space or any situation you happen to find yourself in. And I suggest finding yourself in as many situations as possible! Say yes to parties and social engagements, then focus on exactly how you want them to play out. I think you’ll find you have more sway than you may imagine on outcomes that seem from the outside to be completely out of your control.
Do be careful what you wish for. I am guessing you have a bit of cabin fever and may be tempted to focus on conjuring fun and adventure. I support that. All I ask is that you do it in a way that includes some measure of useful productivity. Itching to get out of town? Take a road trip with a friend you’ve been wanting to collaborate on a project with and make it a creative retreat. Want to go nuts on the dance floor all night long? Great! Stay hydrated and go easy on the booze so you get the physical benefits of moving that beautiful body without losing a day to a hangover. You get the picture. Have fun, keep it productive.
Leo stone for February: Aegirine is a great ally in facing challenges of any kind. It helps to clear negative thinking, allowing creative solutions and paths to emerge where defeatist thinking once was.
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VIRGO // VIRGO RISING Queen of Swords
Well, Virgo, it looks like all that wandering last month really helped you to clarify some things. That big heart of yours has something to say and the absolute NEED to say it. The beautiful thing is, with the Water energy the Queen brings to the Swords, you can bet that you’ll have a gift for saying it with love. You have a reputation for being … particular. And sometimes that can come with assumptions of rigidity or being harsh or judgmental, but I see right through all that. Your attention to detail allows you see the heart of a matter. Your finely tuned vision sees the minutae others gloss over and you can be affected by what you see quite deeply. This is a gift.
This month, all these impressions you’ve been logging along your journey are coming into focus in a very personal, emotional way. My guess is you’ve felt a shift churning for some time that really came to the surface last month. Now you are ready to talk about it. Begin at home, in conversation with yourself. Sit and ruminate, journal, make paintings about it. Once you have your messaging on point, you can begin to bring it out in layers, first to your inner circle and chosen family, then out to wider and wider circles depending on the nature of your message. With your high ideals and aspirations and the Queen’s insistence on being felt and heard, you could be giving a speech or publishing an essay on a topic near and dear to your heart.
Virgo stone for February: Celestite brings a feeling of deep inner peace, allowing loving and well-received communication of personal truth to flow freely both within and to others.
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LIBRA // LIBRA RISING 10 of Swords
You’re set up for high achievement in your native element, dear Libra, and I have full confidence you’ll put this energy to good use detangling some of the hairier mental predicaments you may have backed yourself into over the past few months. We all talk ourselves into a corner from time to time, either internally or right out in the open in front of everyone. That is a normal part of being human. The problem comes when the threads of our argument become so tangled that we can’t follow any of them through anymore. This is where the 10 of Swords excels, cutting through these knots to clear the path back to the pure truth of the Ace. So where are your knots, Libra?
I can feel you recoiling at the mere suggestion that some of your statements or positions may have caused chaos or confusion in any form. You have a deep desire for peace, and acknowledging having a part in disturbing it can be difficult. That’s ok. We’re not here to dwell on what happened, we’re here to forge ahead with grace and love! This month, focus on loosening your grip on the positions you take on issues great and small, on allowing some air in, letting the situation breathe a bit, relax out of an argument and into a rumination. When you do, you may find that some of your more challenging entaglements fall into discreet, sorted pieces all on their own, restoring the balance you hold so dear.
Libra stone for February: Aventurine encourages appreciation for and growth of loving abundance in all forms. It gently eases anxiety and turns the attention of the heart and mind to expansion.
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SCORPIO // SCORPIO RISING 4 of Cups
Your brooding heart is craving some emotional balance this month, Scorpio, and the cards are here to provide. The fours are a real mixed bag for me. I get a little uneasy at the potential of a false sense of security that they can sometimes hint at. But I am into this one, especially for you, my fellow Water sign. I admire your ability to face the deepest and darkest emotions head on, to dredge them up from the sea floor to see the light of day. It’s hard work that few are willing to do and I know can get exhausting. This month, it’s your turn to rest. Let the depths lie. Now it’s time for you to float gently on the waves, integrating what you know and forming an internal foundation for heart-centered peace.
Whether you’re partnered or single, see how many ways you can find to be your own dream date. I hesitate to even bring it up, but my preference would be for you to ignore Valentine’s Day. Unless you have a tried and true way of celebrating with a partner, the pressure is just too much. Spread the celebration throughout the whole month and find small ways daily to celebrate love, alone or in relationship. True emotional peace cannot be given to you by another, it must come solely from within. You have such an incredible capacity for love and devotion, Scorpio. Focus that attention on yourself and see how blissful the calm waters can be.
Scorpio stone for February: Ruby in Zoisite shows us all we have to appreciate and celebrate in our lives. It brings a happiness that can only come from a deep true love for and acceptance of oneself.
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SAGITTARIUS // SAGITTARIUS RISING Ace of Swords
Oh wow, Sagittarius! Straight from the King to the Ace. Look at you, fully integrating that Air mastery and getting right back in line for a fresh helping of Divine truth. While you’re staying in the highest vibrations of Elemental Air, the position you take within it will be quite different this month. In January you were in full delivery mode, shouting your message from the mountaintops. This month, you are the receiver, keeping your antennae tuned to the impulses of Divine communications emmanating from all corners of the world, all beings great and small. While this can sound overwhelming, you will have a knack for picking up exactly what you need to know exactly when you need to know it. Stay alert, stay open, and practice discernment.
The discernment piece can be tough. How do we stay open to messages potentially coming from literally anywhere and also discern which are truly Divine and which are a mere distraction? By maintaining high mental clarity. Drink plenty of water, meditate, get enough sleep, meditate, get some exercise, meditate. MEDITATE. Only with mental clarity can you trust your internal barometer to tell you when something just doesn’t smell right. We live in a world that blasts us with messages all day every day, and they all claim to be The Truth. It’s up to us to do the work to prepare for the onslaught, control our intake, and align with what supports our greatest good. Fortunately for you, Sagittarius, that should be easy to see.
Sagittarius stone for February: Covellite encourages diving deep to overturn stones hiding even the most uncomfortable truths, and assists in processing and integrating them for maximum growth.
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CAPRICORN // CAPRICORN RISING 5 of Pentacles
Well, Capricorn, you are getting a lot of heavy lifting done right at the top of the year. This month, you’re clearing up some fear of lack that was likely left kicking around in the void left by all that energetic excavation last month. Know that this is normal, natural, and healthy. All of the Fives revolve around distorted perception creating chaos. In the suit of Pentacles, this twists our pereption of our material world, bringing up fears around poverty and material inadequecy. We all know that there is no amount of money that can magically make every person feel they have “enough.” That is made perfectly clear in witnessing the phenomenon of greed in the world. Material adequacy is a mindset that can be cultivated and maintained to alleviate unnecessary stress in our lives.
If your total bills are more than your total bank account balance right now, you either hate me or think I’m an idiot or both. That’s ok. If I can open you up to the idea that fear of lack is not a useful strategy to alleviating financial distress, I will consider this a great success. Whatever your circumstances, moving through change and through release work will bring perceptions of lack in one or more of the Elemental spheres. We tend to ascribe “reality” to that perception of lack when it manifests in the realm of Earth. I’m here to invite you to release that too, and to work towards an acceptance that leaves you with more energy to put toward shifting any situation that is truly not serving you.
Capricorn stone for February: Aragonite Star Clusters lend support in facing the root of our fears. They can open up channels of insight that bring the clarity and strength needed to move forward.
As we launch into the innovative electricity of Aquarius Season, The Star Rx asks us to commit to authentic self-care and reclaim the parts of ourselves we’ve forgotten, says Brandon Alter … Cast using the Prisma Visions Tarot
The 2019 Leo Full Moon Lunar Eclipse is a powerful invitation to push past resistance, hit the refresh button on your creativity, and show up ready to sparkle, says Sandy Sitron …
Photo: Karina Tes
Full Moon Lunar Eclipse :: January 21 2019 :: 12:17am EST :: 0 degrees Leo
Lace up your shoes and get ready to play a game. Grab your bowling ball and hurl it down the lane. It’s time to take aim. You’ll set up the pins and you’ll knock them down. How the game is played depends on your exuberance, focus, and finesse.
On Monday at 12:17am EST, the skies light up with a Full Moon Total Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Leo. There’s a lot going on at this Full Moon. Most importantly, we get ready to hit the refresh button. Since February 2017, most of the eclipses have illuminated the Leo/Aquarius axis, and this is the final one. The Leo/Aquarius Eclipses have helped us define our individuality and loop us into the collective.
Eclipses help us end old patterns and start new ones. There are multiple themes coming to the surface at this important lunation. Mercury (the ruler of writing) is still in matter-of-fact Capricorn, so I’ll be practical and describe these themes one by one:
First of all, how are you approaching your work? How do you set ‘em up and how do you knock ‘em down? With Mars square Saturn exactly at this Full Moon, you need to go after what you want, but you need to do it in a structured way. This aspect can put the pressure on. Are you willing to release some tension and create a new pattern around how you work?
Next, put yourself out there and play the game, while tenderly tending to your ego. You have something to share and you need to shine. This is a Full Moon in the theatrical and brilliant sign of Leo. Leo urges you to share your unique soul with other people, through creativity and play.
Sometimes the R word, “resistance,” comes up when we try to put ourselves out there. It can be scary to be exposed. This Full Moon urges you to push past resistance and fear so that you can get out there on the slickly polished floors of the bowling alley, ready to play. Do a little dance. Show off! Shine!
Is there a message or creative spark that you’ve been too afraid to share? This Eclipse might open the windows and doors for you. Create a new pattern. The sign of Leo reminds us to begin by being playful and see where we go from there.
Finally, circumstances may seem precious or important right now, but can you set your ego aside and make it into a fun game where everyone gets to take a turn? The more that you are able to release a preoccupation with self, the more mental perspective you can achieve.
Overall, this is a moment for spontaneous and creative action. Have fun with it! Play a game. When the bowling pins are cleared away, it’s time to start all over. Let yourself have a fresh start every time. Allow space for your uniqueness, and use this Full Moon to celebrate and release!
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Full Moon square Uranus Electrifying dance moves. Shake it, shake it, shake it off. You’re dancing. And your body is making all kinds of surprising new shapes, almost without your conscious permission. Allow yourself to be surprised by your own choices. This Full Moon offers moments of action followed by lightening bolts of self-discovery. Did you even know you had it in you? Open to the fact that the plan can only take you so far. There is genius that arises in the moment.
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Full Moon trine Chiron A mud bath. You are removing layers of residue. Sitting in the muck might be a way to feel clean. Healing is happening easily and spontaneously. It’s taking unexpected twists and turns. It could be that one moment you’re covered in a dry clay mask, dirtier than you’ve ever been before, but in a good way. And the next moment your skin glows with refreshment. Don’t be afraid of tears or emotional release. Just like the mud bath, they are an unexpected way to peel back the layers.
As we prep for next week’s Total Lunar Eclipse, the Page of Pentacles Rx asks us to restore our connection to the deepest parts of ourselves so we can live straight from the heart, says Brandon Alter … Cast using the Prisma Visions Tarot
