Ruby Warrington

FACE YOUR FEARS…AT A SEX, DRUGS AND DEATH RETREAT

Posted on by Rose Surnow

Personal development can sky-rocket when you decide to face your fears—as Rose Surnow discovered on a sex, drugs and death retreat…

face your fears by rose surnow on The Numinous
Here’s me facing my fear of looking fierce AF.

I’m afraid of… basically everything. Swimming in a dark pool? What about sharks? Even though that’s impossible. Cute guy asks me on a date? He probably just wants to murder me and sell my pubic hair on Craigslist. Amazing job opportunity falls in my lap? It’s obviously a Ponzi scheme run by terrorists. So many fears, so little time!

Raised by intelligent but pathologically anxious parents, I was taught that the world is a land mine where nothing is safe. Wear a sweater! Wear a helmet! Wear a hazmat suit! Better yet, just don’t go outside. SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN. “Being Jewish is so relaxing,” said no one, ever.

So, it goes without saying I’d be terrified of things like sex, drugs and death. My greatest fear is probably having sex on drugs, and then dying. So, when I was invited to a mindfulness retreat called “The Taboo Weekend” to discuss these exact topics, I jumped at the chance. It was time to face some fears.

Organized by bohemian power-couple Michael Hebb and Angel Grant, the event is meant to help people open up about difficult subjects in order to live a more meaningful life. Hebb and Grant started the company Death Over Dinner, where they host dinner parties all over the world, to get people talking about death.

Held at a beautiful luxury retreat center in Atlanta, called the Inn at Serenbe the event was three days of discussion, meditation and reflection. And it was an incredible. I felt my heart break open a little more, my walls come down a couple inches, and my spirit get lighter and more free.

If you ever find yourself at the Taboo Weekend (which I highly recommend) or any retreat at all, check out my tips on how to get the most out of it. Because if I can get out of my fears and be present, literally anyone can.

:: PARTICIPATE FULLY ::
It’s easier to be a Skeptical Susan, judging life from the sidelines, than a Participating Pam. But Pam always wins in the end.

On the last day of the retreat we had a “sex lunch” which meant we sat in randomly assigned groups, ate fried chicken and took turns answering really personal questions about our sex lives. A dude in recovery confessed that sober sex was really intimidating. A beautiful blond talked about how her anti-depressants made climax impossible. And a hot German guy admitted that he didn’t like casual hook-ups and needed an emotional connection.

Everyone just spilled their insecurities like it was no big deal, and it was kind of an epiphany. Maybe our biggest insecurities aren’t that big of deal. Maybe we’re all just people doing the best we can trying to figure it out. I left that conversation feeling lighter than I have since I was a kid.

face your fears by rose surnow on The Numinous
This was our bangin’-ass hot tub where I met my retreat boyfriend.

:: GET IN THE HOT TUB ::
I think it was Shakespeare who said, “Hot things happen in hot tubs.” So get in already! (And, if your retreat doesn’t have a Jacuzzi, what the fuck are you even doing there?)

On the first night of my Taboo weekend, I ended up in a Jacuzzi with a group of cute, young people because, doy. Slowly, everyone left to go to bed until it was just me and this hot guy named Brian. HOW CONVENIENT. We looked at the stars for a while and pretended to ignore the implications of being the last ones left. Then he walked me to my hotel room where we made out until the sun came up.

The point is you could die at any moment, so get in the hot tub of LIFE and make-out with Brian. Sidenote: straight men who go on mindfulness retreats are amazing lovers. Slow, sensitive and sensual it almost makes up for every single dude you slept with in college.

:: INTERVIEW A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR BUT, SOMEHOW MAKE IT ABOUT YOURSELF ::
The speaker who gave us a lecture about drugs was best-selling author, addiction expert and Holocaust survivor, Gabor Mate. Even though he’s 72 years old, he’s still fine as hell in that tormented Eastern European way. He looks like if Adrien Brody melted.

Gabor spoke a lot about the mind-body connection and if I can reduce his two-hour lecture to one sentence, it would be: Every problem in your life stems from not getting the love you needed as a child.

Obviously, that’s incredibly simplistic, but I can’t summarize his entire lecture here (but you should definitely watch his Ted Talk).

After hearing Gabor talk, I interviewed him about his life. I asked about his experience in Budapest during the Holocaust and then somehow we ended up talking about depression. Gabor has been on and off Prozac for decades, and I’ve been on Lexepro since I was 19. Then Gabor started asking me all these really personal questions about my life, my childhood, my family. Suddenly, I found myself crying about my parents’ divorce…when this motherfucker SURVIVED THE HOLOCAUST.

I’ve never felt more millennial: “Oh, your grandfather was murdered by Nazis. That sucks. My dad didn’t support my art!”

By the end of the conversation, Gabor had me smiling and laughing. “How do you feel now?” he asked me.

“I feel great, relaxed,” I said.

“That is your true essence,” he replied. “That is who you really are.”

Gabor thinking deep thoughts. face your fears on the Numinous
Gabor thinking deep thoughts.

:: STAY CALM WHEN A WOMAN GETS POSSESSED BY KUNDALINI YOGA SPIRITS ::
Weird things happen at New Age retreats. I was sitting in a small lecture with Gabor Mate when all of the sudden this woman started violently convulsing. Gasping for breath, jerking, and shaking, I thought for sure she was having a panic attack.

Apparently, she was experiencing some kind of “Kundalini episode.” Whatever it was, it was scary to watch. I was starting to feel a little panic-by-proxy, when Gabor started to calm her down.

“What’s going on, right now?

“I can’t control it,” she said.

“That’s okay. How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I’m embarrassed. I feel like I’m being too dramatic. I feel like I’m too much for people,” she cried as she flailed around.

Then Gabor asked us all to stand up and get out of our chairs and imitate her movements. “We will do it with you, so you’re not alone.” We started jerking and shaking and it was kind of fun. We looked like a group of white people trying to dance. Finally, she calmed down.

It was like magic. Gabor turned this weird, edgy experience, into a supportive, playful exercise. Everything was okay. She was okay. She just needed to feel like she wasn’t alone.

***

If there’s one thing I learned over and over again on this retreat is that we’re all WAY TOO HARD ON OURSELVES. I spent three days having radically honest and open conversations with all types of people, from all types of backgrounds. And the thing I heard most was how much pain people were experiencing at their own hand. And I’m no exception.

All our problems are rooted in not feeling loved enough. And it starts with ourselves. I realize this article vacillates between sarcastic and cheesy, genuine and silly, but that’s me. I had no idea what to expect on a sex, drugs and death retreat. But what I got was compassion. A real sense of compassion for other people, for myself and for life.

When you face your fears, maybe the world’s not such a scary place after all.

TEMPLE OF VENUS: DRESSING FOR YOUR BIRTH CHART

Posted on by Elyssa Jakim

In her latest Temple of Venus column, Elyssa Jakim shares how to magnetize your star quality by dressing for your birth chart…

Elyssa Jakim dressing for your birth chart on The Numinous
Dressing in red for my Aries Sun sign

Personal style—that Venus-ruled, ever-elusive, je ne sais quoi that some people seem to exude and others find totally elusive. Is this something we’re born with? Can it be cultivated?

I have always been a clotheshorse and a believer in the power of dress to transform and heal us. But when I graduated college, I suddenly felt shy with my fashion choices, and didn’t completely trust myself to choose what worked and what didn’t. My embarrassment and confusion around this reflected a general insecurity that I was feeling, a very poignant and painful: “what the f*ck am I doing with my life?” kind of insecurity.

I began to find my stride in life and fashion as I turned toward healing as a path. Fast forward to a one-on-one shamanic healing training, during which my teacher told me: “You need to wear a bra sometimes.” Yes, really!

She also pointed out that I seemed to be hiding myself under too-loose pieces. I realized that her focus on dress was her way of encouraging me to feel my femininity, my sexuality, my radiance, my strength, and my beauty. And this is what Venus teaches us—that our clothing helps us cultivate our grace and sense of higher/inner self.

Meanwhile, I came across Kimberly Peta Dewhirst of Star Sign Style, an astrologer who helps people navigate the fashion and aesthetics of the zodiac, after she wrote a Numinous article about dressing for your Venus sign. And since Venus is my homegirl, I soon became obsessed and had to know more.

So Kimberly and I sat down for a reading and an in-depth discussion on the astrological tenets of style. She taught me that we are absolutely born with a style and that yes, it really IS personal. “The symbols of the zodiac are archetypes that translate further through color, accessories, image, patterns and attitude. Fashion is a metaphor for who we are, and astrology—the circle of the birth chart—is who we are,” she says.

As such, your chart, an imprint of the moment you were born, contains valuable clues about how to dress completely as yourself—and rather than blindly follow trends, to use fashion to enhance the traits that make us naturally irresistible, and completely comfortable in our skin.

During a reading Kimberly uses the birth chart as a starting point to identify key style signifiers, going on to create a style prescription based on the aspects at play—providing a mood board with images and inspirational celebrities: “That’s a big part of what I do—helping people to relate to their character through the style of the stars,” she says.

For those of us who don’t follow celebrity culture, this may seem irrelevant, but Kimberly insists that: “We all identify with public figures, their struggles, relationship patterns and mode of expression. Beyond the gossip mags, we need to work with these heroes because they tell us who we are—they’re our mirror, in a way.”

My personal style icons, mapped on my chart
My personal style icons, as mapped on my chart

Kimberly has a full style guide for each zodiac sign on her website—and there follows an overview of the key points to consider when dressing, a la Venus, for your chart.

:: RISING SIGN ::
The key is to dress for your rising sign, not your Sun—since the rising sign speaks to the outer personality that you present to the world. This makes it the sign to lean into when making a first impression. My Scorpio rising means I can come across private and secretive, so I do well in styles that shroud me in mystery. Black and deep reds are the colors of this sign, and because Scorpio is the sign of all things unknowable—the occult, taboo sex, other people’s resources, death, and rebirth—it speaks to a dark glamour, suggesting much hidden under the surface.

Elyssa dressing for her Scorpio rising sign
Rocking my Scorpio Rising, as compiled by Kimberly

:: SUN SIGN ::
The sun is the brightest star in the sky, and as such we often really resonate with our Sun sign which can feel like our “superpower” sign. With my Sun in Aries, a Mars-ruled sign, I can experiment with power dressing and also wearing brighter reds. Attention-seeking Aries rules the head, so can I can also wear statement headgear—which I always have! Kimberly suggested that because of how my Sun sits with the rest of my chart, I can lean into this Aries boldness, and rather than overpowering it will be luminous.

:: MOON SIGN ::
It’s really fun to dress for your Moon, since this represents your emotional core—what makes you feel comfortable, and “at home” (in fact this could hint at your preferred behind-closed-doors style). With my Moon in Scorpio too, no wonder I feel so safe and grounded in black. And when I’m at home, I love to wear a barely-there silk or satin dress, which makes me feel sensual, but is more mysterious than no clothes at all.

:: VENUS SIGN ::
Venus represents how we like to spend money, make friends, flirt, and how we dress to impress. She’s also the sign of beauty, so whenever you align with your Venus, you’re going to feel more beautiful. My Venus in Gemini adds a fun curveball to my fashion sense, since Gemini is a light, mischievous imp—a fairy that’s gone into the dress-up box and come out in a mishmash of sequins and stripes! She likes butterflies and magic dust and is attracted to jewels like a magpie. This has me mixing all types of patterns, wearing pink and babydoll dresses, and generally choosing playful and conversation-provoking pieces (Gemini’s a talker).

:: MARS SIGN ::
If Venus is more about flirting than sex, which is the domaine of passionate Mars. Mars rules our personal power place, and our deep, primal urges. So dressing for a night out on the prowl? Get cozy with your Mars sign. You can also totally dress for the gym in your Mars, which is how we assert our energy. My Mars in hard-working Capricorn means I feel sexy in clothes that are chic, understated, tailored, and just so. Think pantsuits, black lace, button down shirts. Ditto when I want to GET IT DONE, I happen to love white button down shirts at work.

Kimberly also pointed out that I kind of look like a lion, hello Leo Midheaven!
Kimberly also pointed out that I kind of look like a lion, hello Leo Midheaven!

:: THE MIDHEAVEN ::
The Midheaven is the impression we give off before people have met us. It’s our reputation and the spirit that precedes us. Oftentimes, our Midheaven is connected to the tenth house of fame and honors. It flavors our career. It’s how we come across on social media, which is a good starting place for personal branding. I have my midheaven in Leo, which means I am a natural thespian (I pursued acting for the first 25 years of my life). Leo is also proud, and can look regal with gold trimmings (especially about their face), baroque touches, crests, and crowns—hair can be styled to reflect this also, and I would definitely call my hair my crowning glory!

:: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ::
Through investigating all of these aspects of your chart, you can get a clearer sense of how you can dress as your most alluring, confident and authentic self. Even if you’re intimidated by the idea of dressing for some aspects of your chart, you may find that, through dress, it becomes easier to embody that part of yourself. Then you’re living more fully. And from this place of fullness, your style, like the perfect outfit, can come together seamlessly.

Kimberly is available for personal style consultations via starsignstyle.com or email: [email protected].

Need more Venus inspiration? Check out Elyssa’s last Temple of Venus column on water magic.

THE MOON SIGNS AT WORK IN YOUR CAREER

Posted on by The Numinous

Sarah Gottesdiener, the artist behind the cult Many Moons workbook, breaks down how your Moon Sign plays a role in your career. PLUS! Numinous readers receive free shipping on of her site through July 13. Use the code: NUMI

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Some astrologers believe that your Moon sign reflects your most essential self, your intuitive make-up, your emotions and innate talents. As such, for any entrepreneur—where what you “do” is a fluid reflection of who you are—a connection to your Moon sign is essential.

For example, having my Moon in Gemini (with Cancer Sun and a Taurus Ascendent), could  explain why I’m obsessed with research and reading, and why my childhood dream was to illustrate and write children’s books. Also why, as an adult, I have many interests and endless subjects I am curious about, while almost everything I do professionally requires some form of communication, whether it is design, writing, or reading people’s Tarot cards.

Day-to-day, my Gemini Moon means I can be funny, charming, witty, and engaging. It is easy for me to communicate what I intuit, and to utilize messages from spirit and channeling while I give Tarot readings or write. All my clients know how much I love to chat and talk things out!

But I also have a moody side, to be sure, and having many different pursuits can also lead to feeling scattered, which in turn affects my nervous system and adrenals. I’ve also experienced having people think that my flirting is more than just a fun exchange.

For my Gemini Moon, as well as the smooth running of my business, serving my body through physical exercise is really important to me, and my nervous system. As is drinking enough water, meditating, getting enough sleep, and listening to my body. I did not do this at all until my 30’s—and if there is one piece of advice I could give to any person running their own business, it would be to prioritize this kind of practical self-care!

Below, I share some wisdom for each Moon sign at work…

Sarah’s Many Moons workbook has attracted a cult following

:: ARIES MOON ::
At your very best you are pure fire water, a flickering flame of warrior inspiration. Bold and brazen, most likely you are a natural leader. Put your ideas out there—they are almost always completely unique to your vibrant vision, and usually serve the greater good. Just know that patience, long-term commitment, and compromise are parts of the process.

:: TAURUS MOON ::
The Moon is exalted in loyal, steady Taurus, and financial fortune may favor you. Try to flex your manifesting muscles, particularly with Earth-related projects and possessions: tangibility is the name of your game. The key here is making sure your self-worth is strong, and that you feel emotionally secure, with all sensory modes intact and engaged. Accepting how lovely you are, inside and out, is the key to sharing and spreading and harvesting more harmony.

:: GEMINI MOON ::
Curious, whip smart, lively Gemini Moon! Overanalyzing and over-communicating your emotions will not help you: utilizing your strong gift of communication to engage others will. The need for variety is strong; spreading out your many intriguing versatilities amongst different projects and groups is a way to keep interest piqued.

:: CANCER MOON ::
Sweet Cancer Moon, what a kind delight you are. With your Moon in this placement you are most likely emphatic, supportive and sensitive. As the Moon rules Cancer, there could be a strong chance you are psychic, a healer, a deep nurturer. It is imperative that you address your own emotional desires and boundaries, and the needs of your highest self before taking on the energy of others.

:: LEO MOON ::
Liberated, passionate, Leo Moon! You expect r-e-s-p-e-c-t, you regal, royal creature. And you deserve it: when you share and give to those you love, they feel lit up with all the shining force and power of the Sun. Incorporate your natural gifts for play, dramatic flair, and creative expression as much as possible when you lead the pack.

:: VIRGO MOON ::
Virgo Moons are naturals at writing and analyzing. Health, healing, and self-care is of upmost importance to those of you with a Virgo Moon: don’t forget that tending to your SELF must take precedence. You could be happy to be working behind the scenes, since being of service is a natural state for you. When things are organized and well-structured, the sky is the limit for you.

modern women projects moon dress moon signs on The Numinous
Photo: Seth Gottesdiener

:: LIBRA MOON ::
The emphasis for those with a Libra Moon is emotional and inner balance. Harmony, peace, and beauty are a priority to you: Libra is ruled by Venus, after all. You might be straight up gifted at art-direction, hosting, and anything that involves grace and design. While you are at your best around others, don’t let the perception of having to cater to others’ needs swallow yours whole.

:: SCORPIO MOON ::
Scorpio Moon: passionate, penetrating, and powerful! Part of your lifelong struggle may be dealing with the “feelings vs. facts” equation that all emotionally vibrant, attuned beings on this weird rock of ours must reckon with. But when you’ve poured your endless energy into something you care deeply about, there is no stopping you. With the suggestion of psychic and intuitive gifts here, you might be a psychologist, an investigator, healer, a change-maker, a trail-blazer.

:: SAGITTARIUS MOON ::
Teacher, preacher, permanent student, wanderer, brutal optimist: those with a Moon placement in this sign do not want to be pinned down. You want to inspire and be inspired. You want to wake others up and expand your own limits. Design your life and work so that your love and passions get expressed through metaphoric or actual travel and different perspectives.

:: CAPRICORN MOON ::
A Capricorn Moon most likely will have no trouble paying the bills, advancing in a larger company, and thriving in a long-term relationship. You are high-achieving, capable, reliable, and realistic: what a wonderful relief in this flaky day and age! Let your impeccable standards serve as an example to others, and not a harsh expectation, an excuse for flagellation. Let others catch a glimpse of your huge and warm heart sooner than you might feel comfortable.

:: AQUARIUS MOON ::
A big advantage you have is your ability to see the bigger picture: the collective is an easy point of access for you. Your propensity towards originality and the avant-garde is a gift. Your vision is future-forward, wide, expansive, celestial—at times you might even feel like an alien observer. Put your formidable intellect to use and help us turn the page towards progress.

:: PISCES MOON ::
Those born with their Moon in Pisces are lovers, sweethearts, romantics, idealists, dreamers, and old-souls. You might have heightened gifts in multiple art forms. Nurture your creativity and helping nature, give it the time and space it deserves. Use the urge towards escapism in a healthy way by recharging in the wild, making art, and through channeling. Show us the value of your subtle power.

YOGI SAYS: ”HOW CAN I BE OF SERVICE?”

Posted on by Eddie Stern

In a new column, yogi and philosopher Eddie Stern offers advice from a yogic perspective—with additional guidance from the tarot. This month’s question: “How can I be of service?” Artwork: Lucy Dyer 

artwork by Lucy Dyer on The Numinous

QUESTION: “All the recent socio-political unrest has left me feeling equal parts vulnerable and impotent. Alongside feelings of fear about what the future holds (environmental issues obviously play into this also), there is a huge sense of compassion for communities who’ve been affected directly and a newfound depth of empathy for all the displaced and marginalized people in the world. This has stirred up a desire to want to help in some tangible way, but it’s so hard to know where to start—and to not feel hopeless about the impact one individual can possibly have on such monumental global issues. How can I be of service?”

SUGGESTION: Knowing where to start is often the hardest part of service—the same way you might look at your kitchen sink after preparing a huge feast. Your sink will be overflowing with dirty dishes, pots and pans, fragile glassware and sharp knives, all covered in gook, and the thought of washing them, while you are tired and overfed, is overwhelming. Your initial thought might be to leave them for the morning, and perhaps you secretly hope that one of your guests or your partner will do it for you. However, while the whole mess is indeed completely overwhelming, washing just one single cup, or one plate, is not. If you start by washing just one dirty dish at a time, before you know it, the whole kitchen sink will be clean.

We can look at the world in the same way. For one person to clean up the whole mess of global warming, geopolitical conflict, poverty and hunger is not only impossible, it’s completely overwhelming to even think about. But taking personal responsibility for trying to do one thing better, and inspire others to do something better, is totally doable. In yoga, Sun Salutations—breathing slowly, and connecting each movement with one breath—teach us to embody a step-by-step approach to our lives. Further, if you can choose that one thing that you are going to work on or perfect about your behavior and attitude while here on our small, green and blue planet, you’ll also find that you are re-inspired, and will become filled with energy, inspiration and creativity.

In the Tarot, the Eight of Pentacles might be a good card for you to meditate on. This card shows a young man absorbed in his work; he is an apprentice, meaning that he is learning and perfecting a new skill, and has committed himself to hammering out the details that will lead to mastery. He works on one coin at a time, without stress, only moving on to the next coin when the one he is working on has been completed. The Pentacles are the suit of physical work, and are representative of the Earth energy. This is essentially what your question was regarding. Our planet Earth is a mess, what work can I do to help?

TAROT IMAGE

The first thing is to be grounded, stable, and practical, like the Earth; and then to take it one step at a time. Come up with a simple strategy that you can stick with, like the washing of one dish at a time. This is how a big job gets done. Your commitment to being of service to the world will strengthen and blossom when the job before you feels like it is attainable. The Eight of Pentacles also teaches us that we should not isolate ourselves for too long, for the kind of work you wish to do is not the work of one person.

We need spiritual friends to work with, and communities to develop who share our ideals, values and desire to be of service. Cleaning up the world is not the job of one person, it’s the job everyone! If you take it all on your shoulders, it will just be depressing. So look around, see what is close by that you can take participate in, or what you can create from scratch. After you have taken small steps, you can build bigger teams if you wish to, delegate more, and fulfill your vision of creating a more loving, compassionate world.

Discover more about Eddie Stern and his work here. Do you have a question for “Yogi Says”? Email: [email protected]

THE NUMEROLOGY OF 7/7

Posted on by Felicia Bender

The number seven is the seer, the thinker, and the seeker of truth. Felicia Bender explains how to use the numerology of 7/7 to renew your trust in the Universe…Collage: Bethany Harper Walsh

numerology of 7/7 collage psychedelic by Bethany Harper Walsh on The Numinous

Lucky number 7?

The numerology of 7/7 means the energy open for us today is indeed lucky. And yet more than this, it represents an open door to spiritual insight—and also a moment to contemplate the ways in which you place faith and trust in ourselves and in a “higher power.”

Ask yourself: do I anxiously push for things to? And if they don’t work out the way I think they should, do I find myself plummeting down a rabbit hole of despair, frustration, or cynicism?

Or am I willing slow down enough to listen to my intuitive voice, even when the direction it’s steering me might make no sense whatsoever? Or when it doesn’t give me the answer I think I want?

Well, the numerology of 7/7/ says today is the day to open up, to slow down, and to trust. To trust yourself and to trust that the Universe actually is on your side, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it. And if you feel like you’re already in this flow, then keep speeding down that open road!

It’s also the day to declare some gratitude. To be a little bit vulnerable. To analyze data and situations, and yet balance this with your heart and intuition. The energy of the number 7 supports analysis, research, questioning…and intuition.

In order to optimize the numerology of 7/7, allow yourself some time to get unplugged. To get outdoors. To meditate. To write. To read. To study. And to slow down enough to notice the magic of the Universe as it is revealed in even the smallest of synchronicities.

Yep, you get a free pass to go about contemplating your own navel today. And as you’ll discover, you can get some profound insights about yourself when you simply invite the voice of your higher self in—and are open to receiving the information.

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

Posted on by The Numinous

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

COSMIC FASHION + BEAUTY NEWS: JULY 2016

Posted on by Gabriela Herstik

Material girl, mystical world indeed—Gabriela Herstik rounds up all that’s cosmic in fashion and beauty for July 2016. 

Rihanna rick owens music video black lips on The Numinous

 

Rihanna in Rick Owens
In RiRi’s latest music video, “Sledgehammer,” we’re taken on a journey to a distant planet somewhere far away in the cosmos—where eyebrows are optional and Rick Owens is a necessity. Rihanna dons a burnt orange, draped Rick Owens masterpiece, face tattoos, textured silver cuffs and a matching choker, and the perfect black lips (which you can copy with this Kat Von Dee lipstick.) Who knew, but if anyone can play up the role of galactic fashion alien goddess, it’s Rihanna—proving this Pisces babe to be a truly mystical mama (who’d look perfect on a Starchild Tarot card).

vivienne-westwood- man ss17 on The Numinus

Vivienne Westwood MAN SS17
Aries powerhouse and activist Dame Vivienne Westwood has done it again, creating a genderfluid collection for MAN Spring/Summer 2017. In true Westwood fashion, there were drop crotch velvet trousers in plush scarlet, reworked netted blouses, heart chakra cut-outs, with plenty of layering in the house’s signature stripes. Westwood has always been on the forefront of what’s political in fashion—hello, mother of punk—and, of course, the runway show started with a video message in support of Julian Assange, as he begins his fifth year in unlawful confinement. Who says fashion is all fluff, anyway?

Willow Smith Chanel eyewear campaign on The Numinous

Willow Smith for Chanel
Willow Smith, alien enthusiast and soon-to-be power woman, has been named face of Chanel for the brand’s Fall 2016 eyewear campaign. Smith looks exquisite in the campaign (below) in Chanel shades, an evil eye chain (with plenty of diamonds) and a septum piercing. High fashion is still (!!!) finding its way to being truly inclusive, so signing Smith is a statement to say the least. Last time dreads were featured in a Chanel campaign, it was on a white woman.

SWETE fashion phoebe collings-james on The Numinous

SWETE
Is a new leisurewear label from Parsons-trained, London-based, Aussie designer Emily Nam. Easy-to-wear pieces include t-shirts, sweaters, sweatpants, dresses and skirts, inspired by 1990s street culture and woven with a social mission to boot. All cotton is Australian certified organic, which means grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, while Nam only works with suppliers who pay their employees a fair wage. And with a campaign featuring British artist Phoebe Collings-James (above), what’s not to love?

Concrete Minerals Black Magic Collection on The Numinous

Concrete Minerals Black Magic Collection
100% cruelty-free, vegan and American made, Concrete Minerals has us under their spell—especially since their “Black Magic” collection, which features names like Séance, Bitches Brew and Arsenic, is a everything a witchy woman could want in a mineral eyeshadow. The iridescent shades in hues of cranberry, rose and violet, are super pigmented and made without any preservatives, and are begging to be worn with your layered quartz necklace and cat eye. Bonus—stare into the pots of for long enough and it’s like looking at an ethereal planet somewhere in a galaxy far away…

Jeffree Star Cosmetics on The Numinous

 

Jeffree Star Cosmetics
The next frontier for celebrity makeup artist and all around bad bitch Jeffree Star is…makeup. Namely his line of cruelty free, Los Angeles-made eye, lip and face products, which are almost consistently sold out already. Perhaps the most noteworthy of his products is his Velour Liquid Lipstick, with names such as Scorpio (a muted lavender/violet), Gemini (a soft brick red) and Dominatrix (a deep chocolate brown). And for a truly otherworldly glow, check out Skin Frost—a highlighter that provides the perfect pixie/ mermaid/alien sheen. On it.

 

YOUNG, SCRAPPY + HUNGRY: THE ASTROLOGY OF THE U.S.A.

Posted on by Amelia Quint

Sun in Cancer, Sag rising…and Chiron in Aries suggesting an ongoing healing around violence and anger issues. Amelia Quint breaks down the birth chart of the USA…

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Happy Fourth of July everyone?

Given numerous painful events we’ve had to endure as a nation since our country’s last birthday, the mood at this year’s Independence Day festivities may be a little grim. Still, when Numinous founder Ruby invited me to look at the birth chart of the USA, the answer was an automatic yes! I was excited to look to the stars and see what answers they might hold about our national character, as well as America’s future.

The first thing I noticed was the Sun in Cancer with both traditional benefic planets – Venus and Jupiter – close by. That’s an amazing omen. Our founding fathers either had an incredible stroke of luck (or, some conspiracy theorists might say, some occult knowledge) working in their favor when they signed the Declaration of Independence.

Unfortunately, they also had Mercury retrograde in the same sign to contend with…

Cancer also rules heritage, something that’s deeply ingrained in the American way of life. As a nation of immigrants, we’re encouraged to always “remember where you came from,” with utmost respect for the family. And with family comes food, another inherently Cancerian realm – in particular comfort food, something our nation can do a little too well.

Cancer is also associated with hospitality, an American (especially Southern) speciality. With Venus and Jupiter here, it’s how we relate to and show our love to others, and it’s integral to our cultural philosophy. Mercury retrograde here in the USA birth chart means it might not always sound sincere, but when an American hopes you “have a nice day!” – we do generally mean it.

In contrast, Sagittarius rising gives America its “young, scrappy, and hungry” swagger.  Sagittarius ascendants are common among rebels, idealists, and philosophers – all archetypes embodied by the founding fathers. Competition comes naturally to this sign, as it has the United States, for better or for worse, at various periods during our nation’s history. Consider in particular the westward expansion, the early days of NASA, and the Cold War.

Saturn transited America’s ascendant from November to December last year, and will be hovering close by again throughout the summer of 2016. In close proximity to the ascendant, Saturn has changed and will continue to change we way we view ourselves as a nation.

What makes an American? Saturn is a difficult energy to contend with and, sadly, this conversation has taken a negative turn. It’s important to also remember that since Saturn rules karma, whatever we sow now, we will reap. If you are American, I invite you to work tireasly to invite more peace, acceptance, and openness into the American identity.

The United States also has Pluto in Capricorn, and will have a Pluto Return from 2022 to 2024. Because of his slow movement – it takes him 14 years to transit one sign! – it’s impossible for humans to have a Pluto transit at this point in time, but charts for events or countries can experience one. And since Pluto rules the cycle of death and rebirth, when he returns to his placement in the birth chart, an intensely potent transformational energy  is released. 2024 is an election year, so let’s hope the outlook then is much more positive than it is today!

Another important point in America’s chart is Chiron in Aries. Chiron is an asteroid named for the centaur that trained Hercules and other Greco-Roman heroes for their great battles. His presence points out an area that will return again and again for healing: in this case, that’s violence. Gun violence numbers in the United States wildly surpass those of other nations; yet, we can’t seem to let this go.

And so enter Chiron in Aries, making the Second Amendment the eternal dilemma our culture can’t seem to solve. Visionary Uranus transited the country’s Chiron in April and will do so again in December – so perhaps this will help us find a healing solution to the gun control debate.

In September meanwhile, Jupiter and the North Node in alignment with America’s Neptune and Midheaven in Virgo bring humanitarian efforts and the spiritual wellbeing of all people to center stage. If there were ever a time to see big victories for marginalized groups, this would be it!

Shortly thereafter, Jupiter moves into Libra –  creating an exceptionally lucky aspect called a Grand Air Trine, with the country’s Moon in Aquarius and Mars in Gemini. The element of Air rules communication and logic, so this should help everyone keep a clear head and healthy level of detachment throughout the rest of the election cycle.

JOURNALING BY SIGN FOR THE CANCER NEW MOON

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Deep, sweet healing is available under the July 4 Cancer New Moon—on a personal and a collective level, says Ruby Warrington. PLUS a New Moon journaling exercise by sign…

cancer new moon bedroom journaling on The Numinous

 

 

Buckle up, bust out the tissues, and get ready to feel some serious feelings under the cashmere blanket cover of the July 4 Cancer New Moon. But rather than a hair-raising roller-coaster of emotion, forming part of a tender, loving trine to Neptune in Pisces and a newly direct Mars in Scorpio, this feels more like a loving embrace of the most sensitive, idealistic aspects of our beings—both individually, and as a collective.

And MAN does the world need this all-enveloping, watery hug right now—which is not here to drown us, or invite us to get swept away on on a tide of sentimentality. Rather, here comes a clarion call to see past the drama, the blame, and the collective pain so many have been experiencing, and simply feel all that is ready to be healed.

The Moon is at its most potent in its home sign of Cancer, the nurturing care-taker of the Zodiac, where it is being charged by the life-force energy of the Sun. Joined here by PR planet Mercury, and Venus, planet of peace, love and beauty, not only is this stellium sending us a beam of pure hope; voicing our vulnerability and caring so much we cry won’t look weak during this Moon cycle—it will reveal us at our most beautiful.

Cosmos willing, we’ll see the same from our world leaders too—since the Cancer New Moon, along with her stellar backing singers, is opposite a retrograde Pluto in Capricorn, shining a light on just how ugly things get when it becomes all about the power plays, at the expense of truly empathetic, authentic leadership. A taste of which we’ve been getting already.

And so the bigger opportunity now is for us all to use whatever influence we wield—in our own lives, within our family constellations, and with whatever voice we put out in the world—to transmute anger and defensiveness to pure, unadulterated compassion. To an mother’s unconditional love. And from this place, to harness the fiery power of Mars direct in Scorpio to assist the downtrodden in rising, Phoenix-like, from the ashes.

Oh, and you know that expression about drinking your cares away…? Not even the most kamikaze-strength cocktails will be able to mask the outpouring of emotion (that which we care about) that must accompany this healing process. If anything, we can all expect to be crying into the guacamole way before Monday’s Cancer New Moon rises.

And so instead, we invite you to turn your back on the BBQs and the inevitable, albeit beautiful, public crying this July 4. To carve out a day for some Cancerian self-care, to retreat into your shell, and to engage in the below journaling exercise—which is designed to help each sign plumb the depths of what personal healing is available beneath the benevolent beam of this Cancer New Moon, and during the next two weeks of this Moon cycle.

If you find yourself stuck drop back into your gut—using the keyword as an anchor for your musings. And above all remember to feel it all, to keep feeling, and then to feel some more.

ARIES :: ARIES RISING
My deepest family or ancestral wound is… The personal power I have access to when I move beyond this is… So, what healing modality is my intuition guiding me towards this Moon cycle? What shift could this create in my career, and in my being a role model for others? Keyword: Mother

TAURUS :: TAURUS RISING
What am I most reluctant to voice right now? To whom? How might my connections and close relationships move forward this Moon cycle if I could just find the courage*? What wider impact could these honest conversations between me and my collective have on the world? Key word: Vision
*NB you can

GEMINI :: CANCER RISING
What do I value the most about myself? My greatest talent is… How can I bring more of this to my day-to-day during this Moon cycle? Of what service could this ultimately be to others? What new levels of depth would this bring to the legacy I am imprinting on the world? Keyword: Abundance

CANCER :: CANCER RISING
The creative project I am ready to invest in this Moon cycle is… What is the love note I need to receive from myself this week to get started? Why is it difficult to write? How does this shift when I see myself through the eyes of my dream lover? When I express my creative gives, how does this shift my relationships with others? Key word: Vitality

LEO :: LEO RISING
Where and with whom in my tribal system do I need to exercise more compassion this Moon cycle? This will also be healing for me because… What are the limiting beliefs I hold about my my personal power? Seeing beyond these, how am freed to be proactive in doing my dharma? Keyword: Integrity

VIRGO :: VIRGO RISING
My role in the group currently is… To what extent does this allow me to flourish as a creative being? And what part of myself is being stifled? The conversation needed this Moon cycle for me to express my true gifts begins with… In what ways might my relationships, in love and business, flourish as a result? Keyword: Innovation.

LIBRA :: LIBRA RISING
My greatest ambition for 2016 is… How can I expand on this vision to also be of service in the world? What limiting belief am I holding about my capacity for attracting financial abundance? Who in my family tree am I most inspired by career-wise? This moon cycle I will connect to their energy by… Keyword: Reputation.

SCORPIO :: SCORPIO RISING
Five new ways I can find creative inspiration this moon cycle are… My dream travel location would be… What does my highest self find so fascinating about this place, and its culture? What emotional need does this speak to in me? Speaking from this place, my message for the world is… Keyword: New horizons.

SAGITTARIUS :: SAGITTARIUS RISING
The great mystery I am being called to investigate this Moon cycle is… Five ways shining a light on this area will improve my family relationships are… What in my own life could be healed as a result? This will make me feel more confident in my ability to experience abundance because… Keyword: Obsession.

CAPRICORN :: CAPRICORN RISING
In my close relationships I am always the one who… How can I experiment with being more authentically myself this Moon cycle? Three things I would like people to know about the real me are… In what positive ways might this shift the way I am perceived by the people in my life? Keyword: Respect.

AQUARIUS :: AQUARIUS RISING
I have been neglecting my overall wellbeing lately by… How has this impacted on my ability to truly value myself? What ambitions have I achieved in the past as a result of instilling healthy habits and routines? What new way can I find to connect to my higher self this Moon cycle? Keyword: Efficiency.

PISCES :: PISCES RISING
When I am in my creative flow I feel… But the limiting beliefs I hold about my creative self are… What actions can I take this Moon cycle to challenge myself creatively? In an ideal world, in what ways would this transform the way others see me? Keyword: Play.

TAROTSCOPES: JULY 2016

Posted on by Lindsay Mack

Cast by Lindsay Mack, using The Starchild Tarot.

CANCER – Wheel of Fortune 

 

Happy Birthday, sweet Cancer! What a complex and beautiful energy you’ll be in this month with the Wheel of Fortune—a card that sometimes blesses us with her presence when we have left this moment and drifted off into the future. Honestly ask yourself, Cancer: have you been you checked out of your life in some ways? If so, ask yourself why this might be. Is some aspect of the present feeling uncomfortable, unpleasant, overwhelming, or unfair? Is there a struggle to trust that the future will unfold as it is meant to if you don’t plan every moment?

Be gentle with these inquiries, but be willing to go deep with them. Wherever there is resistance to the present moment is exactly where you must offer your attention and curiosity, especially for this month. The alchemy of the Wheel of Fortune happens when we make the commitment to keep our eyes on our own paper; that’s when we begin co-creating our future with the Universe. The magic happens when we foster this trust in the Divine and loosen the reins on our old methods of control. When there is more space within us, there is more room for the new! This month is about making that room and coming back to ourselves.

Just go slowly and give 100 percent to whatever happens to be in front of you. If you find yourself off in tomorrow or next year, come back home. You’re at choice all month, Cancer. Be willing to make the best of it. Write that letter. Go to the dentist. Wash your dishes. Just be HERE. The rest will come with ease, and it will be glorious.

The day-to-day of the Wheel of Fortune is not always going to feel like much is happening and that’s totally appropriate. The card will always be zeroed in on the minutia of our lives, and whatever is of most importance in this moment. Whatever is here is forming the bridge to the next phase of our lives, even if it doesn’t seem like it. This month gives you the chance to be totally empowered and responsible for the foundation of your future, Cancer, for the unfolding of your dreams. With each moment spent in the present, you create the conditions and the foundation for the future you want. Show up for it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

LEO – Eight of Cups

 

July is about transformation for you, Leo: empowered, powerful transformation. The month is going to be beautifully cathartic for many of you, and will have a lot to do with moving through transitions that will be life changing. You’ve been working your butt off for the last few months. Many of you have been in rebalancing mode, steadying your nervous systems and brain chemistry after some massive life swings. Now you have your ducks in a row; your feet are on the ground, your emotions are in check, and things will be so much clearer.

This is the perfect planting ground for Eight of Cups magic, as we need a healthy clarity of emotion in order to transform our lives in a powerful and balanced way. A huge aspect of this month for you, Leo, is about being willing to release aspects of your life that are no longer serving you. Being brave I staking out a new path, in a new direction—and not because you’re restless, bored or scared, but because its time. Every single one of you have an aspect of your lives to bless and release this month, effectively transforming that area and opening it up to new opportunities, loves, places and things.

After all, it is only when we make space in our lives that we can be open to receive the new—even if many of the things being let go of this month are things you may have worked hard for. Blood, sweat, and tears hard. Many of you devoted yourselves, sacrificed, tried, went to therapy, put in extra hours; cared for these aspects of your lives and were committed to making them work. Honor this work with all of your soul. Do ceremony and ritual to close the cycle. Speak and write about them; mourn them. In doing so, you’re honoring the preciousness of this life.

That nothing is permanent. That in order to have the beautiful garden we desire, we must weed the garden we currently have. This takes guts, something you have in your DNA, Leo. So rather than bemoaning the loss of something outgrown that you worked so hard to maintain, bless your humanness. Bless your work, your effort and your love. Bless your desire to keep going, too. Bless all life has given you up to now, and then take the next first step forward.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

VIRGO – Page of Cups

 

July has some real sweetness in store for you, Virgo. The invitation of the month is to dive deeply into your magic, to revisit your imagination, and play with abandon. Page of Cups is a gorgeous, whimsical energy, one that holds the dual element of water and earth. The water in Page of Cups can flow to magical realms with ease, because it is grounded and held by the loving embrace of its earthy side.

That is what you are going to be exploring within yourself this month, Virgo: how your earthiness allows you to stay steady and grounded while you fly to other worlds, have amazing experiences, get lost in the joy of the moment, or try something new. You’re going to be learning a whole new side to your Earth element—how it can dance with water, and how it can be a foundation for magic in your life.

Hanging out in this place of grounded dreaminess is the crux of the whole month for you. Because from here a lot of new gifts can flow in, which is really why Page of Cups is the master energy of July. You know how to work, Virgo. Now its time to learn how you can get the same satisfaction and abundance from play and ease. July’s energy feels a lot like a denouement after a climax; there has been so much expansion and shifting in the energy for you guys in the last few months, and now there’s a kind of a cooling off. It is no less exciting and wonderful than any other energy, just a little easier and more mellow. So much more flow will be possible.

You’re learning new ways of being on the planet with Page of Cups, Virgo; accessing the sweetness, magic and joy from the mundane moments of your life. You’ll have access to that energy all month long—if you’re willing to allow it to flow in. If you do, it will change your life, lighting up all of the beautiful possibilities that lay around a corner or just beyond our imagination. This is the perfect month to get into a new healing or magical modality, to play with a new tool or splash in the ocean like a child again. Whatever brings you to those places of preciousness or imagination, dive deeply and explore.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

LIBRA – The Universe

You are entering an evolutionary portal this month, Libra, one that will radically shift your life in a multitude of ways. Get ready for some big and beautiful upgrades in July, ushered in by the beautiful energetic waves of The Universe. It has been such a gift to track the expansion of Libra as a sign these last few months. You guys as a whole have been working SO hard, have been surfing such enormous waves—and if the past has been a challenging pregnancy; July is when you’re finally going to give birth. You’re finally on the edge of the next karmic cycle of your life, and it is going to be glorious.

The Universe, or World card, marks the end of the Major Arcana. It is the completion of an entire cycle of growth, expansion and wisdom. It has been said that the World card is not the end of a chapter, but the closing of a book. We will put this book back on our shelf, and we won’t revisit it in the same way again. For each of you, there is an aspect of your life, whether huge or mundane, that is ending permanently—and all for the better. The World always brings joyful change, change we desperately desire, and the promise of a whole new cycle of continued expansion ahead.

The main thing for you to digest this month, Libra, is that you don’t have to do anything to access this rebirth. You have created and called it to you by virtue of your hard work, and your willingness to move through all of the energetic invitations in front of you. You have said “yes” to every aspect of your evolution, and now there’s a gift at the end of the rainbow—the ability to permanently leave behind an old, outdated aspect of yourself, and blossom into the authenticity of who you really are.

This takes courage, willingness and trust; heart and soul. You’ve got it all, Libra, everything it takes to move into this new time. The intensity of the last few months hasn’t been just a shitty time—its been squeezing out the old beliefs that talked yourself out of your magnificence, out of what you deserved, and into victimhood, blame and excuses. All of that is ending, and a new way is beginning. All you have to do is allow it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

SCORPIO – Seven of Swords

 

Seven of Wands is a very complex energy, one that is working in subtle ways for you this month, Scorpio. It is about both the upgrading of an old thought pattern, AND the chance to speak and defend your desires in some way that will be truly transformative. Both of these central concepts will be woven together for you in July, providing the framework for a very powerful, internally fruitful month around your career, passions and endeavors.

Sevens in the Tarot have to do with inner work around an external thing; whatever it comes up around totally looks like an outside job. We are often focused on how that aspect of our lives looks, appears or seems—we might be busy with how the lives of others look and seem, too. Whenever we get a Seven, it is a redirection of our energy from external to internal. The Seven of Wands is specifically inner work around outer artistic goals and appearances. So, the first invitation of the month for you, Scorpio, is to inquire as to why external acknowledgement is important to you around that particular area of your life.

If you feel that it will give you something you are seeking, know that there’s no way you can get anything externally without first receiving it from yourself internally. Be willing to seek proof of this; see how much more flows into your life when you approve of yourself without comparison. When we are clear in who we are, we can honor, defend and speak to this. So share who you are, Scorpio: your truth, not your image. Look at all the places in your life you can be more raw and honest. Defend your position without fear that you will lose status or fall. Honor where you are and what you think without censorship.

When we understand that we cannot lose anything we are meant to have, our truth becomes easy to express. The other very subtle energy sweeping through you this month, Scorpio, is that one particular outdated thought pattern is being upgraded for a much truer, braver, more aligned operating system. Release any perception that you have to be anyone other than who you are, allow a new leader in the mind to rise up, guiding you to a renaissance in the way you create and share your art in the world.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

SAGITTARIUS – Akashic Records

 

This is an magical month for you, Sagittarius! A new paradigm within yourself and your life is now available to you, and you will be walking in a sacred energy not seen in any other Tarot deck. * The actual Akashic Records are said to be a sort of cosmic hall of records, in which everything in the Universe that has ever happened or will ever happen is housed. It is also said that we can access this information at any time, if it is in our highest and best interest, in order to receive wisdom and answers about our lives.

The Akashic Records is also a card in Starchild Tarot, and this month it brings brings magnificent tidings for you, Sagittarius—for it is bringing you into full alignment and embodied understanding of how your wishes and desires line up with your soul path. Opposed to the things we might want, desire or wish for in the Earthly realm, our soul path always lines up with our deepest soul desires, and they can align fully if we can honor the balance between what we are here to do and what we desire to cultivate.

You will be working with and living in the energy of the Akashic Records this month, which means that you’ll be experiencing what it is to be in co-creation with the Divine when it comes to your life now. So, on one level, there is a deep honoring of your dharma, your karma, your soul path, and what you’re here to experience, master and move through. What you truly long for—yes, THAT—will be taking root within the garden of the Divine this month. You are truly ready to receive it, and it will come with great wisdom and medicine.

You will also be unlocking an inner knowing that is crucial to receiving what you’ve longed for: an understanding of how what you have been desiring fits into your soul path. If one of us is here to master self-love, it is crucial that we walk solo in the world for a time. If we are here to master brain chemistry, we’re going to move through many mental ups and downs before centering. Expect life to radically shift for you this month, Sagittarius. You are moving into an alignment with the Divine, in total surrender and co-creation; see how what you desire blossoms from that place.

*this card was channeled and added to the Major Arcana by Danielle Noel, creator of the Starchild Tarot

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

CAPRICORN – Ten of Crystals

What a glorious month you have ahead of you, Capricorn. Ten of Crystals, or Pentacles in the traditional tarot, is such a rich energy; a treasure trove of blessings. There is so much abundance, healing and expansion possible within the month for you, if you are willing to allow it in.

So, firstly, congratulate yourself, Capricorn. It has been one hell of a ride for you during the last few months, and you’ve handled it beautifully. There has been so much willingness to move through uncomfortable soul growth; even when you hated it, you still said “yes.” Secondly, this beautiful energy is here this month because of all that hard work—it is showing you the harvest for soul work, rather than human/ego work. This is a crucial distinction, because the latter being replaced by the former is exactly why the last few months have been such a crunch: you’ve been evolving. Evolution is always inherently stressful to the brain and nervous system, but almost always means a wild and beautiful soul expansion.

Ten of Pentacles is the culmination of a cycle of work that yields to a beautiful harvest. The journey to that bountiful place is often difficult and challenging, but ultimately rewarding beyond expression. When we are in this card, we are in an incredibly abundant time, financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically. It is a moment when everything comes to fruit. It is also a card that speaks of healing a family legacy, too. Our choices have stretched back energetically and have taken us way beyond what our parents or their parents did, and rightly so. When we honor our path, despite the conditioning we have received, we can open to all that we desire and all that is here for us. It’s a beautiful energy, and one that you have worked your ass off for, Capricorn.

The key to the presence of the Ten of Pentacles in your month is that we only can receive its richness when we are aligned with our true soul path—not what we think we “should” do, or what others tell us they think we should do. The evolutionary upgrade that Capricorn has been in has been devoted to ending ego and struggle. July will be a perfect chance for you to witness how beautiful life can be when you surrender, allowing life to flow from your aligned path, rather than a place of fear or control.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

AQUARIUS – Five of Crystals 

You are continuing with your mastery around lack, scarcity and fear this month, Aquarius. Five of Crystals, or Pentacles, is traditionally a contraction card. It’s often viewed as a negative, difficult energy, although it has NOT shown up like that for you this month. It is important to know that right off the bat. The Five of Pentacles is only a mindfulness bell, showing you where your beliefs are not in line with your truth. Anytime we have a disruption between our thoughts and our truth, it’s going to create stress of some kind—that’s what this card is waking you up to, Aquarius, so you can smooth it out and expand through it.

Somewhere, for each and every one of you, you’re carrying a belief that is making you feel small, scared and desperate. Maybe even slightly, but it is there. Be really willing to explore this within yourself, because that’s what this card is in service of this month: correcting and rewiring any untrue beliefs. This is so important, because when we feel scarcity, lack or fear, it takes us out of alignment with our flow and truth. It can tend to make us more frantic or desperate, perhaps even in one specific area. Ask yourself: do you trust in the flow of the Universe in all areas but one?

It’s important to ask, because, ironically, the more we feel that begging, scared energy, the tighter we become and so the less we receive. Money, love, help, guidance and community cannot flow through a blocked drain, just as water cannot flow through a hose with a knot in it. So untie the knots and see how much more abundance floods your life. It’s a critical shift for you, Aquarius, and this might be coming up around an area that feels really sensitive right now. Go through it as gently as you can, but do explore it. Nothing will be able to get into your life until you do.

Five of Pentacles is a feeling, not a fact. We are never, ever truly out of alignment with the Universe, but we can squeeze ourselves out of receiving through believing something that makes us experience a tightness of spirit. This also has to do with anywhere that you feel you are undercharging—especially if this comes from anything less than an overflowing personal well. Check your energy levels. Be really clear about where you are, and then honor it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

PISCES – The Sun 

Understanding, clarity, warmth, truth and rebirth. These are just some of the beautiful qualities of your July, Pisces. Like a warm beam of sunlight on cold skin, this month is going to unravel you in the most delicious way possible. Expect to feel better than you have in a long time; there is nothing but goodness in store for you this month.

The Sun comes after The Moon card in the Tarot, the latter being a very intense card, often having to do with the void, old traumas and life being obscured in some measure of darkness. This is worth mentioning for you, Pisces, because the Moon card in the Tarot is ruled by your sign. You know how to surf and float through huge emotions, depths and times of darkness. You understand, innately, what the flow of the Moon feels like; each day, each moment a little more full or waning. And because you are the master of this, The Sun will feel so much sweeter. As cliched as it sounds, we cannot have the light without the darkness, which is why this month will be so brilliant for you.

The Sun is offering you the chance to fully embrace your innate nature, Pisces. It will provide a framework of appreciation and gratitude for your brilliant ability to coast in times of choppiness and changeability. The Sun’s energy brings us back to a childlike heart, back to the simplicity and to the empowerment that comes with self-acceptance and self-love. It also provides literal clarity, both in the form of light and answers. Light pours on every crack and cranny of our lives when we are in The Sun, helping us see things as they truly are. This card can bring deep joy, but more importantly it brings illumination. It brings answers to long held questions. It brings acceptance and forgiveness. It helps us to embrace all that we are, all that we’ve become. It’s a beautiful energy, and will radiate from your being this month, Pisces.

The last wisdom to offer about this card is that you can trust it. It is safe to come into the sunshine and the warmth. Explore any fear around that; the only fear there is of your own brilliance, anyway. So shine your light, let it beam out of you—know that you have been the light in the dark this whole time.

This is a good month for Pisces, especially those of you who are healers, artists or helping profe King of Cups wears a mask to do his healing work in the world. Not a bad mask, but one that allows him to hold both a private experience and a public face; and he can do this because he is a gentle leader, one who is coded for service.

Basically what this invitation means for you, Pisces, is that it’s time to get back into the flow of life. To show up. To speak your truth, share your wisdom, and to not hold back. The world really needs you. It needs you in your joy, in your light, healthy and happy. You have overflow, so use it. A gentle invitation to those of you who, at this moment, might feel miles away from this place of energetic abundance, this place of balance and generosity: remember you can always choose the willingness to stay open to the possibility of a different way of seeing, doing, and being.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

ARIES – Ace of Pentacles 

The name of the game for you in July is all about receiving, Aries. Are the doors and windows of your life open to gifts and grace? How much goodness and ease is able to flow in to you? This inquiry will be a very important one for you this month, and there will be consistent invitations to widen your channel of receiving; these invitations will come in many forms, so keep your heart open for them.

There are a gorgeous and magical worlds contained within the Ace of Pentacles, which is a seed of possibility and fruitful abundance. All Aces are spiritual teachers, containing gifts straight from the Divine. The Aces don’t always offer specific physical items—instead, they ask us to be available to receive the energy of whatever they carry, regardless of the form it comes in. The Ace of Pentacles lives in the realm of money, abundance, gifts, newborn babies, homes, and the body. Pentacles are about living spiritually on the material plane, so the Aces represent all that can be attained within this balance. It’s a beautiful, welcome medicine, and is here with some deep gifts.

For you, Aries, the time has come to truly embody that you will receive more from being open and rested than being exhausted and burned out. This month will flex your trust and ease muscles in a big way; let’s take actual money, for example. The more you understand that you only ever receive abundance directly from the Universe’s bank account, the more any monetary stress, strain, pressure and planning can be dismissed and upgraded. This Ace is both a gift and a healthy challenge in this realm; how easy are you willing to let it be?

The Ace of Pentacles is, above all, a seed. This is important to embody, because seeds don’t look like forests. They don’t look like the flowers and trees that they become. Be open and available to any gift this month, Aries, no matter what it looks like. The key is receptivity, openness and ease. You will be asked again and again this month to let it be easier; to upgrade your willingness to receive rather than cultivate. Feeling this connection to the abundant flow is our birthright. Once you can consider that there is a lush garden of Divine abundance around you, the harvest becomes a joy.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

TAURUS – Ace of Cups

Let the love flow in this month, Taurus, both from yourself and the external world. Let everyone and everything beautiful around you be your mirror, so you can begin see your own beauty, specialness, uniqueness and wonder through the eyes of those who love you. Even a beautiful sunset or a flower; as I said before, in this card, the world is your mirror.

The Ace of Cups is about love; falling in love, allowing yourself pleasure, being cleansed and washed anew. This may or may not be a month to receive new love from another, but it is certainly a month to receive love from yourself. This is the soul of the Ace of Cups, and the deepest teaching of the Cups as a suit, I think: that love is an inside job first. We must be willing to receive it from ourselves before we are able to receive it from another. And as in partnership, it’s not what you say, but what you do that counts.

July gives you the opportunity to clean up your inner dialogue, Taurus, to upgrade it to reflect new language and new forms of self care and kindness. Be kind to yourself, dear one. Honor and bless yourself, wholly and completely. Let this whole month be a ritual in self-celebration. If it makes you uncomfortable, it is exactly what you need. The Ace of Cups is not only upgrading the ways in which you love and regard yourself, it is also upgrading the love and relationships you have around you. If you desire a partner or community, the work and rewiring you do on yourself will open the door to brand new interactions and connections on that front. It will open your heart and open your channel.

Any and all relationships in our lives are mirrors; what are yours reflecting to you, Taurus? The love is there—you just might need to polish your mirror a bit so you can see clearly. If you allow pleasure into your inner life, you will multiply it 1000-fold externally. If you love yourself and regard yourself with worth, there will be more outer reflections of it. The more we love ourselves, the clearer the mirror becomes. Go slowly, go curiously, go gently. Consider it might be the most natural thing in the world for you to fall in love with yourself. The cup is right there; drink deeply, Taurus.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

GEMINI – Ten of Wands

Have you heard the term, “fool’s errand,” sweet Gemini? The Webster’s dictionary defines it as: “a task or activity that has no hope of success.” So often we can wind up in one of those, no? So wrapped up in our thoughts, beliefs and stories that we don’t take time to consider: is what I am doing sustainable? Is it manageable? Do I need to ask for help? In this case, Gemini, it goes no, no…and YES. It is not your hopes, dreams and dearest desires that are the fool’s errands—it is how you are attempting to fulfill them that needs an upgrade.

Not the what, only the how is unsustainable. And that’s what this month is dedicated to correcting. As such, you must ask for help, Gemini. You must. ask. for. help. You’re at a critical point right now, one where there is an opportunity for massive personal and external transformation. If you’re lost or struggling, ask for advice and then take the advice. If you’re burned out and exhausted, burning the candle at both ends, drop the story that fried equals productive. There is a happy middle ground that you have yet to master, Gemini. You can come up for air. You can take breaks. You can let people in; you can be vulnerable. You can ask for help.

How? Be willing to see the support that surrounds you. Be willing to see how much easier it can be if you can offer yourself a moment here or there. There is another facet of Gemini that this card is speaking to very specifically: yes, the totally hidden inner life you keep so secret. I’m talking to those of you who’s co-workers, friends and even loved ones would never know how full your plate actually is (Gemini men, I hope you’re hearing me).

This month, crack the door of your heart open to someone that can support the whole you. If this isn’t a partner or colleague, journal about it or see a therapist. It can be equal parts relief and painful to have such a good poker face that no one knows what’s really going on underneath. But it’s time to be brave and really let someone in. Because it can be easier, Gemini. It can be so, so, SO much easier. You have the chance to upgrade your operating system this month, in ways subtle and overt. Take a break, rebalance, ask for assistance. You deserve it.

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Lindsay here and follow her on Instagram.

POLITICAL CLIMATE CHANGE: A COSMIC OVERVIEW

Posted on by The Numinous

We’re living through a time of intense political climate change, as reflected in the Cosmos. Five of our favorite mystics unpack the signs of the times…and weigh in on the way ahead. Artwork: Sammy Slabbinck

political climate change artwork by sammy slabbinck on The Numinous

Here on The Numinous, astrology is not a tool for “predicting” future events, or explaining things away while abdicating our role in shaping how our lives play out—both individually, and as a society.

Rather, we see astrology as a language of symbols that speaks to our collective human experience on Earth, offering valuable perspective and allowing us to examine the bigger picture—especially useful at times when emotions are running high, clouding our judgement and making it difficult to choose the next right course of action.

As in the case of Britain’s recent referendum to leave the EU, the shock results of which have seen a nation spiral into panic and chaos. Made all the more vertigo-inducing against a backdrop of unrelenting terrorist attacks, and an emotionally fraught US election campaign.

Last month, in an eerie foreshadowing of the central issues to Brexit, New York magazine described the Clinton-Trump race as: “kind of a civil war. It’s a referendum on the country’s feelings about inclusion, about women, people of color, and their increasing influence…how it edges out the white men who have long held an exclusive grip on power.”

In short, it’s safe to say we are living through a period of intense political climate change—as written in the current movements of the celestial bodies. Skeptical? Since the political polls leading up to the Brexit referendum were woefully misleading (echoing the last general election in the UK), the wisdom offered by our resident astrologers below—including commentary on what will be needed of us moving forward—feels as relevent as anything the political scientists have got to say…

PLUTO IN CAPRICORN by Ash Bonelli
We are in unstable times, and have been financially since 2008 when Pluto, the planet of wealth/power, moved into the structural sign of Capricorn—and the extent of financial corruption in the world began to come to light. We’re currently half way through this cycle—during which we have seen a growing divide between rich and poor with the emergence of a super-elite, as well as major differences in values between the generations. (NB. “Even eerier? The last time Pluto was in Capricorn was 1762-1778, the exact time when the U.S. was fighting for its independence from England. It was also during this transit that Thomas Jefferson sounded the rallying cry for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and helped author the U.S. Constitution.” – Ophira Edut)

SATURN SQUARE NEPTUNE by Ameila Quint
The Saturn-Neptune square, currently occurring November 2015 through September 2016, is shifting cultural philosophies on a global scale. To give you the big picture, this alignment has caused ideological clashes for centuries in a looping cycle that goes back as far as the Salem Witch Trials and the Crusades!

Saturn is in Sagittarius, the sign of foreign affairs, expatriates, and immigration—all issues at the heart of the Brexit referendum. Sagittarius also rules expansion, so we’re being called to open our hearts and minds to new ways of relating and thinking. Unfortunately, this change won’t come easy with tough Saturn in play.

On the other hand, Neptune is in Pisces, his home sign. This magnifies the energies of compassion, healing, and spirituality. It’s a call from the Universe to ask, on a societal level, what you believe and why. The Brexit referendum did just that. It’s also interesting that Saturn and Neptune are both associated with karma in their own way, because the reverberations of this vote have certainly been karmic in scope.

JUPITER TRINE PLUTO by Ophira Edut
The announcement of Brexit also coincided with the June 26 barrier-breaking Jupiter-Pluto trine, a rare meet-up between global connector Jupiter and powerhouse Pluto. Trines are generally positive and harmonious—but they can also cause things to move quickly, and this massive upheaval happened in the blink of an eye, or so it seemed.

Jupiter is an excitable, optimistic planet that can quickly overshoot its mark. The hopeful populists did not wake up the morning after Brexit economically or politically empowered, but rather, to a currency that plunged to its lowest value in 31 years overnight.

Jupiter is also the “armchair philosopher” of the cosmos, whose starry-eyed visions don’t necessarily translate into reality. Stateside, we hear echoes of Trump’s “Make America great again” slogan. Um, perspective please? If anything, Trump—with his Plutonian land grabs and abuses of power—is making America hate again. And that’s the last thing this world needs now.

MARS DIRECT by Hannah Ariel
With warrior planet Mars about to go direct in controlling Scorpio (June 30th 2016) our urge to define, defend and protect boundaries is intensified to extremes. Mars in Scorpio demands that our actions reflect our integrity—and as it resumes direct motion, what we “yes” and “no” to becomes an act of personal empowerment.

This is a period of cutting ties, creating new bonds, and ultimately realizing from whence we draw our power—and what we must do with this power once we feel we have it. Scorpio rules creation and re-creation, so there is nothing being destroyed at this time that cannot be re-created.

THE UNIVERSAL 9 YEAR by Felicia Bender
In numerology, 2016 is a Universal 9 year—the number of completion, of letting go, transition, and transformation. It is a year of surrender, in it’s truest sense—a positive, intuitive way of living, that grows we learn to develop trust.

Trust that’s needed in a time where old paradigms are crumbling, dissolving, going up in flames or coming up for serious review. We can see this everywhere, from Trumpmania, mass violence, and displaced refugees, to the spotlight on rape culture, and the Brexit referendum—to name just a few boiling points. Numerologically, this is right on time.

This is the end of a cycle, and we can’t move into the next phase without a sobering and stark look at what has been (since the cycle began in 2008—the last universal 1 year) and where we’re at. The task at hand is to then let go of all that’s no longer serving all of us. This isn’t easy. It’s terrifying. It incites anger and fear and every other possible emotion.

THE WAY AHEAD…
“We can use this Saturn/Neptune square for the overall good. We must work on building a solid foundation (Saturn) that is created from a place of justice for all (Neptune). A place where everyone has their needs met. A society where equality becomes commonplace. But it will take time, patience, respect and dedication to achieve these Neptunian dreams.” – Ash Bonelli

“Saturn rules authorities while Neptune rules visionaries, and these groups were very much square to each other in the Brexit polling results. Still, the only way to make this transit work is to find a balance. In this case, this means steadying dogma with compassion, and laws meant to protect with laws that truly heal.” – Amelia Quint

“If anything, Brexit and Donald Trump’s shocking success is exposing an inconvenient truth: Despite the gains of social policies such as marriage equality, there’s a hate-filled Orlando shooter, a Brock Turner getting a tiny slap on the wrist in the Stanford rape case, millions of scared and small-minded people who would rather tank their economy than allow a Muslim or a Mexican to cross “their” (in some cases stolen) borders. We can’t sweep this under the rug or look the other way much longer…which, while also inconvenient, is a wakeup call we can’t ignore.” – Ophira Edut

“The key? Understand that what must fall away must do so without a net, leaving behind a liminal space—a gap. Understanding that we must make friends with this vortex of uncertainty while the old is cleared and the new is being created. And despite all of our impulses otherwise, we must enter into this space with optimism and a sense of excitement, because here is the opportunity of a lifetime to create something new on a massive scale. This process is not for wimps. It’s easier to criticize and despair. Yet it’s our challenge and our charge to visualize and create a now and a future that is more evolved and humanitarian across the board.” – Felicia Bender

“Stay tuned for how this plays out, as the Sun in Cancer will come into its yearly opposition to Pluto in Capricorn July 1st, reminding us that what brings us comfort can also at times hinder out ability to grow. No matter how much is perceived to be at stake these days, the astrology of the times reminds us that it’s all for the sake of transformation.” – Hannah Ariel

5 SIGNS I NEEDED A SPIRITUALITY DETOX

Posted on by Victoria Cox

When your practice becomes a crutch it could be time for a spirituality detox, says Victoria Cox. Artwork: Elayne Safir

Elayne Safir

I’ve been fascinated with the esoteric side of life since I was a little girl, but in recent years I’ve been delving a little deeper. Kundalini yoga, tarot, energy healing, astrology, crystals, meditation. You name it, I’ve probably tried it.

And lately I began to notice that whenever life got more intense, I would lean a little harder on these practices.

I’d pull a tarot card every day (okay, sometimes several), check five or more astrology sites religiously, and my morning meditation schedule became a non-negotiable. To the point I began to wonder if, instead of utilizing these practices to gain a deeper meaning of life, I was using them to numb out. After all, I was no longer experiencing the blissful results and striking insights I’d encountered initially. Simply put, the whole thing was starting to make me feel neurotic.

So, what was a girl to do?

In a twist of irony, my question was actually answered during an energy healing session. After listening to me whinge about how I was working so hard on myself yet my anxiety levels were creeping higher, I was informed I was being put on a month-long “spirituality detox.” In short, it was time to cut the woo-woo and get grounded.

Here are the five signs that showed me I was in need of a spirituality detox. If anything sounds familiar, you might decide to join me…

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A daily practice becomes a daily obsession
For me this was Kundalini meditation. At first, the results were impressive; I was calmer throughout the day and found myself less likely to get sucked into life’s dramas. Yet, as external challenges mounted, I became more rigid about my practice. I had to do it no matter what.

There were mornings where I woke up tired yet pushed myself through the practice, counting the seconds until I was finished. My morning “meditation” was beginning to feel more like bootcamp, and I was no longer enjoying it. As a result, the benefits I’d experienced when practicing from a place of reverence, began to ebb away.

Pursuing spirituality for personal gain
Over time I’d acquired a toolbox of sorts to deal with life’s rough patches. If was feeling anxious, I journaled about my feelings. If I was feeling uninspired, I meditated. If I wanted to create something new in my life, I would use visualization techniques.

These tools were extremely helpful in getting me through hard times, but I was starting to use them in the good times too, to satisfy my ego desires—opposed to spiritual yearnings. And then when life didn’t go exactly the way I wanted it to, I became angry. I realized that in using these practices this way, I was buying into the idea that the the Universe somehow “owed me”—and was mystically designed to reward selfishness, when actually the opposite is true.

Self-helping vs. self-medicating
I noticed a pattern of behavior that went something like this: waking up after a boozy night out I’d feel a familiar sense of self-loathing about having drunk too much. To alleviate these feelings, I would head straight to a yoga class to clear my head.

Feeling better about myself, I would then come home and have a glass of wine—undoing all the good work I’d done in class! I was essentially using my practice as a quick-fix means to feel better in the moment while ignoring the real issue (why I’d drunk too much again)—instead of a way to learn about myself on a deeper level.

Searching for the next spiritual fix
Living in New York, there are a classes and workshops offering every spiritual answer under the cosmos. Energy healing; Chakra cleansing; Past-life regression. You name it, it’s here. While this is wonderful in many ways, I noticed how the sheer abundance of choice made it feel like there was always one more thing to try.

I began to convince myself that I needed to do every treatment, attend every event. I was treating these revered spiritual arts like a mass consumer, always looking for more instead of stopping and simply asking myself what I was trying to heal.

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Spiritual neurosis
I discovered that my motives were becoming completely anti-spiritual, as I indulged in a sort of metaphysical materialism. Over time my beloved practices had morphed from a source of comfort into a supposedly mystical way to manifest my worldly desires.

Instead of wanting to go to a sound-bath at the end of the week to relax, I felt I had to go—or I would be missing out on some great revelation about myself. I wasn’t. I was living my life wrapped up within my ego’s neuroses instead of living from my heart.

***

Once I saw clearly how I was misappropriating my spiritual practice, I asked my energy healer what I needed to do.

Her prescription?

No mind-altering substances (i.e. alcohol) for 30 days. Stop reading or engaging with all esoteric information. Cease all meditation. Stop all energy practices or group healing

Instead?

Spend time on grounding activities such as house-cleaning. Practice intense cardio exercise. Sleep and rest. Spend time in nature. Take plenty of salt baths to detox the body and drink lots of water.

Initially it seemed like too big of a pill to swallow. But as I deleted my astrology and tarot apps from my phone I already began to feel lighter. When my alarm went off at 7am for my morning meditation I almost squealed with pleasure at the thought of sleeping for an thirty extra minutes. I relished the empty weeknights where I didn’t have some class to attend.

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I knew it was the right thing to be doing simply because it felt so damn good. I felt like a child taking a month off from a very strict boarding school. Admittedly the hardest part for me was not drinking alcohol; I didn’t partake during the week, but I’ll be honest and admit that I still dabbled, albeit lightly, some weekends.

And once the thirty days were up? There were some practices, such as Kundalini yoga, that I was dying to get back into—simply because they made me feel better. But there were others, like my incessant tarot card pulling, that no longer held any appeal.

Most importantly, my experience taught me far more about myself then I’d learned in my obsessive pursuit of all things Now Age. I learned that the spiritual path is a long and meandering one; that there are no quick fixes or shortcuts.

Most importantly it taught me to listen to my heart instead of my head, and to always ask myself if what I’m seeking is in service of enlightenment or egotism.

Have you had a similar experience to Victoria? Share your thoughts with the Numinous tribe Instagram and Facebook, or in the comments below…

SENSITIVE SOUL: WORK WITH A CANCER MOON SIGN

Posted on by Ash Bonelli

Tips and practices to help understand and work with your Cancer Moon sign from Ash Bonelli. Artwork: Prince Lauder via Behance.net

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The Moon represents the inner subconscious world that we usually only share with those we love and trust. It can show us our needs and how we care for others—and as such, our Moon sign (where the Moon falls in our birth chart) shows the style in which we express this softer side.

Work out your Moon sign, when you do you chart for free here.

The inner world of the Cancer Moon sign is a gentle, vulnerable and emotional landscape. The Moon rules the sign of Cancer so she feels quite at home in this sign making it easy to fully express her archetypal nature. When we think of the crab itself (the symbol for Cancer), we see the hard protective shell on the outside but know there is nothing but softness on the inside. A small being that carries its sanctuary on its back so it can feel at home wherever it goes.

These themes symbolize the Cancer Moon sign. You can put on a brave face, but deep down you feel EVERYTHING. You usually cry easily and really experience the emotions of any particular situation or environment you happen to be in. This Moon is very in tune with its intuition, thoughts and feelings—so much so you sometimes forget that not everything is always about you. Being sensitive is great, until it isn’t and you become resentful and hide away in your shell. There is a fine balance to be found with the Cancer Moon sign.

Taking care of others usually makes you quite happy, but when it goes unappreciated or the care isn’t returned you can get quite hurt. And so Cancer Moons are often working on expressing their needs. Working on being vocal about this is really important, as you can get so lost in taking care of others that you end up with the short end of the stick.

Fear of getting hurt is very real for you for you, mainly since being hurt in love, for example, you may feel it more deeply than others. Honestly, unless you live under a rock, you will be familiar with this pain and what it can do to you. So this is a genuine fear, but not one that should stop you from receiving love.

Often times the Cancer Moon sign is associated with the mother, and rightfully so—since both Cancer and the Moon represent this energy. But not every Cancer Moon sign wants to be a parent. The mother archetype is actually about nurturing and caring for others, offering tender love and support, and this can be applied to anything in life. Your career, your pets, your friends, your home or your hobbies. You can channel this inner need to love into anything and it will be fulfilling, just as long as you let others love you back so there is a sense of balance in your life.

Below are some suggestion to connect more to your sweet Cancer Moon sign, and make the most of its intuitive expression…

:: ACTIVE LISTENING ::
The Cancer Moon sign has a tendency to feel first when engaging with others. This can go badly if you what you intuitively pick up about someone is incorrect, which can shape the relationship in the wrong direction. You can get your feelings hurt because you feel you know what they “really meant.” But assumption is really dangerous, since it can lead to un-founded resentment which can turn into distance.

This can be easily avoided if you work on listening to what they are actually saying, rather than simply feeling into their energy. If assumption-based feelings occur take the time to ask questions to gain further insight. Use your nurturing nature to engage in a more open conversation. This way you aren’t incorrectly just reading (or rather feeling) between the lines.

:: SANCTUARY ::
All Cancer Moon signs need a place to retreat. They need a space to feel safe and secure where they can let all of their emotions out without judgement. This doesn’t need to be an entire home or apartment either. It could be one room, or even a space within a room. Maybe a meditation pillow with a small altar if this practice speaks to you.

It could also be a certain location, such as your favorite park or beach. For some it could be a place from your childhood. The Cancer Moon sign can be very nostalgic so places that awaken happy memories really warm your heart.

:: NURTURE ::
Find something to nurture in your life that isn’t another person. The need to express care is innate, but you can get burned out if this means attracting energy vampires. Needy people love the sweet lunar crab, for you will always try to help solve the problems they should be dealing with on their own. And so learn to be selective.

Finding a hobby that will reward your nurturing with feelings of worth and accomplishment is such a good idea. Think gardening, or cooking, working with animals, or becoming a beekeeper. What do you want to be good at that requires time, nurturance and patience? Find something that makes your heart feel good and you will bring some emotional balance back into your life.

:: INTUITIVE PROTECTION ::
Being that you are such an intuitive, maybe even psychically gifted person, you need to work on protecting your energy. Otherwise it’s likely people will energetically take from you until you are totally drained. This can make you feel vulnerable in an unhealthy way.

Begin by taking time each morning to visualize yourself being cleansed by white healing light. Just a simple shower before (or even during!) your regular shower. Then imagine a bubble of light surrounding you, which people can only enter into when invited by you. It can be any color that you love.

These are your mental and energetic guards for the day ahead. You could also burn some sage in your space before your start your day or make a healing spray with essential oils to mist yourself with. Anything that  creates an energetic boundary between you and the world will help.

Also, be present to when you feel depleted. What was going on? Who were you around? Sometimes the best defense is creating literal space between you and the people or situations that take advantage of you.

Above all, may you find comfort in your innate ability to be vulnerable—and use it to show others the strength in letting down our guard in a world that needs it more than ever before.

MY MYSTICAL LIFE: CONNECTIVITY CONSCIOUSNESS AND A CALL TO SHAKTIVISM

Posted on by Ruby Warrington

Is it enough to “be the change we want to see”? This week’s call to “shaktivism” got me asking…

Numinous virtual full moon ritual elyssa Jakim alexandra Roxo ruby warrington
Photo by Natalie Reyes, Mexico

:: MONDAY ::
SO MUCH LOVE for the 90 beautiful souls who joined from all over the world for our Virtual Full Moon Ritual, with Alexandra Roxo and Elyssa Jakim. We cast a circle of love and light, got the lowdown on the current cosmic energies, did a journalling exercise to get into our deepest desires for the next Moon cycle, and sat in a guided meditation to light the fire in our solar plexus. The vibe was ELECTRIC—but above all, in a week where the divisiveness and separation in our world has been brought yet again to light with the UK’s deeply saddening vote to leave the EU (more under “Friday”), it was a small example / reminder of how, beyond politics, we ARE united, and how connectivity consciousness is alive and thriving. Our virtual Full Moon rituals will be happening monthly—watch our Instagram for links to sign up.

:: TUESDAY ::
A delivery from lovely Bri Luna (a.k.a. The Hoodwitch), who collaborated with artist Robin Eisenberg on this rad collection of pins. Um, could they get any more Numinous?! My fave is the palm tree crystal ball, the perfect talisman for, say, manifesting a move to LA?

Crystal Baller enamel pin, $10, The Hoodwitch
Crystal Baller enamel pin, $10, The Hoodwitch

:: WEDNESDAY ::
When I got invited to a Full Moon comedy show, I really had no idea what to expect. But what I GOT was a night of whip-smart laughs from an all female line-up of comics, united by the theme of la luna. Hosted by Sara Armour and Jessica Brodkin, an actual life coach and energy healer, there was also an appearance from brilliant/hilarious astrologer Kristina Belich (who also managed to include some actual real life astro insights!) FUN. And gonna be a regular happening in NYC, so sign up for our newsletter where we’ll post details of the next event.

:: THURSDAY ::
Launch party at comprehensive health clinic The Ash Center for Rebecca Gordon and Stephanie Marango MD’s new book on astrology for wellness, Your Body And The Stars. Surprise / fascinating insight of the night—until only a couple of months ago, Stephanie had been living the wrong chart—i.e. not knowing her real Moon and Rising signs. She claims discovering “the truth” of her chart has given her a whole new perspective on her life path, and obviously we’re planning a tea date to discuss this in more depth. But I was also kinda distracted by the results of the Brexit referendum rolling in, which leads me to…

:: FRIDAY ::
“Shaktivism” is the name of one of my favorite new Instagram accounts, and it’s a term curator Jessica Fish describes as “spiritual practice + activism…the power of the divine feminine to heal, empower + transform individuals + society.” A huge theme for this year, since world events occurring in real time can make it hard not to feel like what’s the freaking point of yet another heart-opening guided meditation, when what’s really needed is campaigning and direct action.

But what does this really look like, in our everyday lives, in the now? What are the actions we as individuals can take TODAY to keep building towards the “consciousness shift” we hear so much about—the shift to a more open, loving and accepting global society? I’m asking because these are questions I am constantly asking of myself lately.

So what do the answers look like in my life? Constantly returning to the idea that a true “shift” has to happen one mind at a time (even if this means many minds awakening to the damage animal agriculture is doing to the planet / humanity after watching Cowspiracy, for example); consistently promoting the concept of self-healing as the way past limiting beliefs that foster feelings of fear, otherness, and even hate; and starting initiatives like Club SÖDA NYC to encourage people to stop using alcohol and other ways of numbing out to hide from the truth—that it is our human responsibility to be the change we want to see.

But I want to do more. Don’t we all? And so I want to hear from you too—what would you have a platform like The Numinous do?

If you didn’t already, check out the below poem by spoken word artist Lisa Luxx, which I commissioned to inspire the light-worker massive after it became evident Trump would win the Republican nomination. In it she states: “If politics show us the apex of hatred, there is equal measure in the depths of love.” In other words, if current events are shining a light on the fact this is, and by the laws of nature always will be, a planet of polarities—then in the name of the cosmic balancing act we all walk in this life, the time to embrace the path of the shaktivist is now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPNLoF4e3Kw

HOLY F*CK: SIX WAYS TO SEXUAL HEALING

Posted on by Alexandra Roxo

The sexual dysfunction on our planet is DEEP, says Alexandra Roxo—time to address our collective second chakra problems. PLUS six ways to begin your own sexual healing journey…Additional images: Instagram.com/look_at_this_pussy 

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The last month has been a head-slam-against-the-wall of a reminder of our modern world’s second chakra problems—the shooting in Orlando, the Stanford rape cases…WTF. I’ve felt the weight of our planet’s dysfunctional relationship to sex and sexuality more than ever before. I’ve also heard people from around the world pour out their stories online during this time and come together in solidarity and sharing. This has been incredibly moving for me. So many people I know have been assaulted, abused, or experienced attempted assault or rape because of their sexuality, or simply because they are a woman.

Our planet’s sexual dysfunction is DEEP. It’s passed down from generation to generation, and we are all living with it in our DNA and in our bodies. This may manifest as strange and irregular menstrual cycles. Louise Hay says many STI’s are shame-related. So many women have trouble orgasming. You can’t post an image of a woman’s nipple on Instagram. All proof that sexual shame and general fucked-up-ness is still rampant.

And then there’s men’s sexual trauma. Most cis gendered men born in the US are mutilated the first day they’re alive on this planet! My friend Daniel Moglen has been doing workshops with the ManKind project in order to heal himself and his relationship to his own masculinity: “What pains and angers me about my circumcision is the fact that the opportunity to experience deeper sexual pleasure was taken from me (violently!) without my consent within the first few days of entering this world. And that this is such a normalized process in our culture,” he says.

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Male genital mutilation is archaic. Its barbarian. And it’s accepted. As well as the supressed anger many men have about this, in a recent podcast sexpert Jaiya discusses how it could even be a reason many men have no rhythm: their hip energy froze out of trauma. WHOA. As a feminist who can be quick to blame things on the patriarchy, lately I’ve been accepting that this early sexual assault on many cismen could be behind a lot of sexual aggression.

And we haven’t even BEGUN to discuss global sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, systemic rape. The list goes on. So are we just…fucked?

Well, it’s my personal belief that one of the answers to healing this insane deadening of the Earth’s sacral chakra is indeed that: Fucking. And cuming. As much as possible. In the most sacred of ways. I mean, John and Yoko knew what the fuck they were talking about!

As a queer woman who has been through my own second chakra traumas, I feel like I am doubly called to this mission: CUE MARVIN GAYE’s Sexual Healing. (Also this video.)

My friend Daniella Rabbani and I have even been working on a new project called “The Cuming and the Curious” which chronicles a West Village/Hamptons Jewish living married gal (Daniella) and a queer free spirit single gal (me) in search of better sex. And in this search we have discovered MANY sexual healing crusaders of note!

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Our fave sexpert is Kim Anami. Please watch this video. She believes that women all over the world are under-fucked—claiming that a stronger vagina and more orgasms keeps your body in better shape than 1000 pilates classes a week. She claims your depression will lift. Your ass will lift. You will radiate wellbeing. And she makes it a point to add: “This does not come from junk food sex. Only gourmet sex.” We are talking about a deeper sex. An orgasm that strikes you to the core. UM YES PLEASE.

Sexual energy has the power to heal you. Also to heal your lover. And the Earth. And yet avoiding or bottling up sexual energy is another form of dysfunction for 99% of people, and therefore society. See many Catholic priests, and how their vows of celibacy lead to sexual perversion.

On a physical level avoiding sex can also mean trouble. Depression. Weight gain. Endless snacking. When you have sex you wash cortisol out of your body, preventing belly fat. Your breasts also swell up to 25%. We are animals, people! And our bodies were made to be animalistic!

But what if you aren’t feeling like sex, or even masturbation, at all? Well, sorry to break it to ya but this means the energy simply isn’t flowing down there. It’s happened to me before and it sucks. Kim Anami says, if you aren’t getting wet for someone (including yourself!) then there is a dysfunction. She is anti-lube for that reason!

So how do we find sexual healing in this fucked up world, with it’s second chakra pain? We start with ourselves. Like Gandhi said. Like Rumi said. Like basically everyone said. So here goes…

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:: How To Begin Your Sexual Healing Journey ::

  1. Volunteer. I’ve been doing this since I was a pre-teen and it’s one of the most rewarding things on the planet. Find an LGBT youth center. A women’s shelter. A sex trafficking organization. Whatever touches you, give your time. It will heal you and also others in turn. Once a month or once a week just start doing it.
  2. Start a jade egg practice. I started using a jade egg when I saw Aislinn from Moon Root Yoni Eggs post about them on Insta, and immediately began feeling the power in my puss. You can get all sorts of stones for different kinds of healing—I got a red agate to bring the heat and I really feel it. Kim Anami is also pro-jade egg. She even adds a weight!
  3. Conscious touch and relating. If you’re in a relationship and haven’t been feeling sexy lately start slow, with some massage and conscious touching. And if you’re single, consider ways you can be touched that don’t involved you getting wasted and ending up in a stranger’s bed. Maybe it’s contact improv. Or trading massages with a hot guy. Or finding a tantric sexual practice. Or exploring touch with a friend (with some clear boundaries in place). Once you release social conditioning about touching and being touched the possibilities are endless.
  4. Movement. I am SO pro-movement. Daniella swears by Gyrotonic. I love 5Rhythms, dancehall, and hip hop. Move those hips.
  5. Sharing. Find a women’s circle where you can talk about your orgasms or lack thereof. Your sexual traumas. You desires. Or create one! THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. Carrying shame and guilt and secrets around sex can be really harmful to yourself, so find a way to let it all out in a safe space.
  6. Do your research. Read books. Watch videos. Learn about your body. Did you know that there are reflexology points in your pussy? That the cervix is connected to your heart, which is what makes orgasms from that space so opening? That tiny points on your clit are connected to your whole body? When you start to get to know it you’ll be like “Dang the left tip of my clit connects to my deep belly! WEIRD!” Educate yo’self!

Finally, I am guiding a weekly Virtual Women’s Circle to facilitate conversations about conscious sexual practice and healing. One hour a week on the phone, it’s totally anonymous (you can use a sexy pseudonym!) and anyone can dial in to ask questions and chat about sex and spirituality. Email me here to sign up.

Alexandra Roxo is an LA based filmmaker who also does one-on-one intuitive counsel, energy work sessions, and mentorship. Red more and contact her on alexandraroxo.com. Follow her on Insta here and read her past Numinous articles on Now Age love and sex here.

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