8 THEMES TO WORK WITH IN THE YEAR OF THE SHEEP

Enter the year of the Sheep, gentlest beast of the Chinese zodiac and harbinger of creativity, peace, and healing. Here’s how to make the most of this Cosmic gear-change in the months to come…

8 themes to work with in the 2015 year of the sheep fashion shoot featured on Thenuminous.net

What’s weird is that in China people traditionally avoid having babies in Sheep years, as these passive personality traits are perceived as a weakness. But actually, isn’t more empathy for others, more nurturing, and more open-heartedness exactly what the world needs right now?

If last year’s Horse energy was all about putting ourselves out there in the name of progress, then the Sheep ushers in a time of quiet reflection, and careful consideration about the impact our actions have had on the wider world. Our best work will be done behind the scenes, and in the moments we feel safe to settle into our creative flow.

Relating to the Western astrological sign of Cancer, home and family are where the heart is in 2015. But as the Sheep is the 8th sign of the Chinese zodiac, correlating with this being an Eight Year numerologically, there is also the opportunity to cash in on the bold initiatives we began under the entrepreneurial influence of the Horse.

Here are eight key Sheepy themes to work with in the months to come:

FORGIVENESS
The Sheep bears no grudges. Virtually every spiritual tradition teaches that forgiveness, of ourselves and others, is pretty much essential on the path to enlightenment, and here comes your opportunity to let bygones be bygones. Even if the bygone in question involves a cheating rat, or a backstabbing biatch. Remember; their actions could only be born of suffering (as, you know, the Buddha might put it).

HEALING
The licking of wounds, both physical and emotional, is actively encouraged this year. No more suffering in silence or simply soldiering on, Sheeple! It’s time to embrace the idea that only once you are fully whole will you truly be free to thrive. Where to start? Your intuition knows where your deepest issues lie. From there, you might want to check out our Nu Review to find a Numi-approved practitioner near you.

GENEROSITY
When was the last time you truly sacrificed of your self for the benefit of others? And no, sharing your HBO Go password with everybody in your apartment block doesn’t count. The Sheep is the humanitarian of the Chinese Zodiac, and since the dawning of the Sheep year coincided with the philanthropic Aquarius New Moon, the stage is set for us to rethink how “I” can benefit this year, to include the Universal “we”.

SELF-NURTURING
This goes hand-in-hand with healing, and prioritising your self-care schedule this year is about tapping into a unique opportunity for regeneration. 2015 is the year of the Wood Sheep (each year also has a corresponding element), and since the Wood element is associated with all living things, there’s a Spring-like theme of renewal in the air. Time to scrub yourself clean, inside and out, and detox step forth all shiny and new.

DIPLOMACY
Let’s all play nice this year, yeah? And that goes for you too, politicians. The Sheep invites us all to strive for peaceful negotiations in 2015, to temper our own agendas and embrace the concept of compromise. This isn’t about keeping your opinions to yourself, more an invitation to see each situation from all sides.

INTIMACY
Let your secret softie show! It’s amazing how people warm to you when you show your vulnerabilities, and the Sheep year encourages wearing your heart like medallion of honor. Bye-bye bravado, hello real heart-to-heart connections. The kind new best friendships, authentic life partnerships, and life-altering family breakthroughs are made of.

CREATIVITY
An open heart also creates an aperture for you to connect to your inner muse. As the Wood Sheep heightens our sensitivity to the world and the people around us, artistic expression becomes catharsis, a way to channel our subconscious in service of making our world a more beautiful place. The soul speaks in mysterious ways; and our creativity is what gives it a voice in the material world.

ACCEPTANCE
Don’t fight it. Make “I surrender” your mantra this year, and then just watch how much more fluidly life unfolds. This is not, we repeat NOT, about adopting a pushover stance and allowing yourself to be taken for a ride. Rather, it’s a time for tapping into the Universal oneness energy, and trusting, simply, that whatever you’re being asked to accept today is in the ultimate service of your highest good.

How will you be working with the Sheep energy this year? Connect with us and share your journey on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Wood Sheep illustration by Dani Katz featured on thenuminous.net
Illustration: Dani Katz

TAROTSCOPES: FEBRUARY 2015

Cast by Louise Androlia using the The Rider Tarot Deck

Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – Two of Wands

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

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

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

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

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

 

Pisces / Pisces Rising – Ace of Pentacles

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

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

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

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

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

 

Aries / Aries Rising – Seven of Swords

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

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

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

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

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

 

Taurus / Taurus Rising – Strength

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

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

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

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

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

 

Gemini / Gemini Rising – Ten of Pentacles

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

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

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

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

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

 

Cancer / Cancer Rising – Queen of Wands

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

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

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

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

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

 

Leo / Leo Rising – The Tower

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

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

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

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

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

 

Virgo / Virgo Rising – Knight of Swords

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

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

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

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

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

 

Libra / Libra Rising – King of Pentacles

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

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

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

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

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

 

Scorpio / Scorpio Rising – Six of Swords

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

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

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

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

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

 

Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Ten of Wands

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

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

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

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

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

 

Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – Four of Cups

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

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

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

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

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

VALENTINO’S COSMIC PRE-FALL 2015 COLLECTION

Oh wowow – how cool is Valentino’s cosmic pre-fall collection? It’s enough to make us think the Italian designer is secretly astro-obsessed. And guess what, it’s all in his chart…

valentino-pre-fall-2015 cosmic cape featured on TheNuminous.net

What up, Valentino? First there was this super sexy astrology jewelry collection – and now this. The star-gazing 2015 pre-fall collection from the legendary Italian fashion house is totally inspired by all things galactic – so is the designer hiding a secret fascination with all things astro?

Garavani Valentino was born in Voghera, Italy, on May 11 1932. This places his sun in luxury-loving Taurus, and with both his Moon, Rising sign and Venus, planet of beauty and attraction, in deeply intuitive Cancer, it makes total sense that he possesses a natural empathy for the esoteric mysteries of life. How rad!  You can check out his full chart here.

Can’t wait to see these cosmic creations rocking the red carpet this summer…

www.valentino.com

Valentino's cosmic 2015 pre-fall collection featured on TheNuminous.net

Valentino's cosmic 2015 pre-fall collection featured on TheNuminous.net

Valentino's cosmic pre-fall 2015 collection featured on TheNuminous.net

Valentino's cosmic 2015 pre-fall collection featured on TheNuminous.net

Valentino's cosmic 2015 pre-fall collection featured on TheNuminous.net

Valentino's cosmic 2015 pre-fall collection featured on TheNuminous.net

ASTRO-TASTIC! THE BEST ASTROLOGY GIFTS FOR EVERY SIGN

Because astrology themed products = THE BEST Xmas gifts, here’s a tightly curated edit of some of our favorites this year! From the affordable to the total fantastical, each item featured generally comes from a selection including a version for each sign…Home page image: Sagittarius jersey by Astrology IRL ($150)

:: ARIES ::

SingleEarringWithArrowStud-Zodiac-Aries by Jessica De Lotz. Read more at TheNuminous.net
Jessica De Lotz Zodiac Earring with Arrow Stud, $300-$405 (depending on materials)

:: TAURUS ::

Valentino Taurus bracelet. Read more at TheNuminous.net!
Valentino gold tone Taurus bracelet, $620

:: GEMINI ::

Yeezus Was a Gemini Shirt. Read more at TheNuminous.net
Private Party Yeezus Was a Gemini sweatshirt, $83

:: CANCER ::

Solange Azgury Partridge Cancer ring. Read more at TheNuminous.net
Solange Azagury-Partridge Cancer ring, price on request

:: LEO ::

Chanel Mademoiselle Leo watch. Read more at TheNuminous.net
Chanel Mademoiselle Prive Collection watch with Leo constellation, price on request

:: VIRGO ::

Wild Unknown Virgo print. Read more at TheNuminous.net
Wild Unknown Virgo print, $40

:: LIBRA ::

Strange Invisible Perfumes Libra fragrance featured on TheNuminous.net
Strange Invisible Perfumes Libra fragrance, $125

:: SCORPIO ::

Astrology IRL Scorpio shirt featured on TheNuminous.net
Astrology IRL Scorpio jersey, $150

:: SAGITTARIUS ::

Anne Garrison Studio Sagittarius print featured on TheNuminous.net
Anne Garrison Studio Sagittarius poster, $15

:: CAPRICORN ::

Capricorn identity ring by Louise Androlia and Jessica De Lotz featured on TheNuminous.net
Jessica De Lotz Zodiac Hand Ring, $258-$336

:: AQUARIUS ::

Satya Zodiac necklace for Aquarius featured on TheNuminous.net
Satya Zodiac necklace, $98

:: PISCES ::

Cashmere Pisces scarf by Amanda Wakely featured on TheNuminous.net
Amanda Wakely cashmere scarf, $352

LET’S GET DEEP: YOGA SEQUENCE FOR SCORPIO

As the nights get longer, Scorpio season is here to make us face our inner demons – all in the name of transformation, of course. Use Ash Baker’s simple yoga sequence for Scorpio like a physical prayer to take you there…

Madonna shot for her 2006 H&M collection to illustrate a story on a yoga sequence for Scorpio. Read more at Thenuminous.net
Madonna shot for H&M 2006

SCORPIO
October 23 to November 21

Ruler: Pluto, Mars
Element: Water
Modality: Fixed
Anatomy: The nose, genital organs, blood, bladder and bowels.

8th sign of the Zodiac

Phew – we survived. Coming out of Mercury Retrograde and two Eclipses, now it’s time to transform and integrate what we’ve learned – and there’s no better sign than Scorpio as a backdrop. Symbolising re-birth and transformation on the deepest level, the most mysterious sign of the Zodiac invites us to do a deep dive and shine a light into the Cosmic cave.

Scorpio season knows it takes serious determination to kick out of our comfort zone and rise above the banal. As for the famous sting in the Scorpio tail? Sure, if you piss ‘em off you’ll feel it – but all of us possess that inner warrior, the loyal guardian of our deepest truths.

To harness this energy in the month to come, let us focus on the strength, wisdom and determination of the Scorpion. The poses chosen here are designed to ignite the energy to overcome that which no longer serves you, and to dig a little deeper into your own dark corners to bring your truth to light.

Mysterious woman hiding her face. Read more at Thenuminous.net!

Skull Shining Breath :: Kapalabhati Pranayama
This breathwork will help to eliminate toxins, amp up your energy, and get your blood moving. Find a comfortable cross-legged seat on a blanket to prop up the hips and lengthen the spine. Let your hands rest on your thighs. If you’re a tactile person you can place your hands on top of each other on your belly. Take a deep inhale through your nose. Exhale and quickly contract your belly inward pressing all of the air out. The next inhale should be automatic and passive. Aiming for 60 rounds of beath per minute, the contractions in your lower belly should follow in rapid succession. One minute is enough if you’re new to breathwork, otherwise try three minutes. When you’re finished take a deep inhale through the nose and exhale fully through the mouth.

*Avoid this if you have high blood pressure, hernia, heart disease or are a pregnant mama to be!

Boat Pose :: Navasana
Come to sit and bend the knees with the feet on the floor. Take your hands behind you with your fingertips pointed towards you. Press your hands and sit bones down towards the floor to lengthen your spine upward. Engage your pelvic floor by scooping the tailbone slightly forward and your pubic bone up towards your chest. This action will automatically engage your abdominals. If you’re a total beginner stay here and just breathe. If you wish to go further, draw your calves up in alignment with your knees, parallel to the floor. You can keep your hands behind you for support or take them behind your thighs. Keep lifting your chest up and keep the spine straight. Don’t let your lower back round at all. To move into the full pose, straighten one leg and then the other, reaching through the toes. Take your arms straight out parallel with the floor. Keep lifting the heart with each inhale and squeeze your pelvic floor (bathroom muscles) with each exhale.

Mysterious naked woman in the woods. Read more at Thenuminous.net!

Bound Angle :: Baddha Konasana
Find a comfortable seat. Imagine your spine lengthening with each inhale, pulling you up from the crown of your head. Draw the soles of your feet together to touch. If you need a little support or feel a pulling sensation in your inner thighs you can sit on a blanket or place a block under each knee. Take a hold of your feet and pull your chest through your arms to feel as much length in your spine as you can. Inhale your arms up over your head and begin to fold forward at your hip creases with a flat spine until you reach the edge of your stretch. Then place your hands down and allow a little rounding of your upper spine and neck to happen. Stay here and use your breath to help you relax into the pose more deeply. With each inhale lengthen out a little more and with each exhale sink deeper.

*Counterpose: Lay down on your back and bring your feet as wide as your mat. Let your knees fall in. BREATHE.

:: Sea Breathing Meditation ::
Come to lie on your back and drape a blanket over your body. You want to be fully relaxed so take a pillow under your head and a rolled up blanket under your knees if you wish. Imagine you are on the beach, warm and safe. Everything is calm and serene. Feel the heat coming from the sand beneath you and a slight breeze in the air. Scorpions are usually linked to fire but we often forgot that they are water warriors, so direct your attention to the ocean. Listen to it breathing, inhaling as the tide comes in, exhaling as the tide goes out. Now listen to your own breathing. Imagine your breath is syncing up with the tides. You are breathing the ocean. Think briefly about what you would like to wash away from yourself. Picture the vast amazing power and beauty that is the ocean cleansing that which you don’t need. Use the strength of the ocean to find your inner strength. Stay with this practice for as long as you like.

Monthly Mantra: “I am empowered by my own truth.”

THE COOLEST ASTROLOGY JEWELRY COLLECTION

Do we basically want everything from Numi contributor Louise Androlia’s new astrology jewelry collection? Well, what do you think…

Cancer Zodiac Hand ring by Jessica de Lotz and Louise Androlia. Click to read more!
Zodiac Hand ring, £165-£215

Let’s be completely honest – a lot of astrology jewelry out there is a little (okay a lot) on the cheesy side. So when Numinous contributor Louise Androlia (a.k.a. Louniverse, author of our spookily-accurate monthly Tarotscopes) revealed that she was working on a zodiac collection with British jeweller Jessica De Lotz, let’s just say it felt like something in the cosmos finally aligned.

With a vintage feel, the gold and silver pieces are each set with a precious stone and feature signature illustrations by Louise. Titled As Above, So Below, the collection includes necklaces, rings, earrings, bangles and brooches, as well as collar pins and cufflinks. Which means there’s something for everyone – of every sign!

As well as the signs of the Zodiac, the duo have created select pieces featuring the infinity symbol and the awakened eye – and each come packaged with an illustration by Louise and an empowerment sentiment. So if you were in the market for a new talisman for fall? Just sayin’…

Prices start at £65. View the full collection at Jessicadelotz.co.uk

Small Sagittarius Zodiac necklace by Jessica de Lotz and Louise Androlia. Click to read more!
Small Zodiac necklace, £315
Zodiac earring with arrow stud by Jessica de Lotz and Louise Androlia. Click to read more!
Zodiac earring with arrow stud, £195-£259
Astrology jewelry zodiac pin by Louise Androlia and Jessica de Lotz, click to read more!
Zodiac pin, £95-£135
Astrology Jewelry Taurus Zodiac Oval Bangle by Louise Androlia and Jessica de Lot, click to read more!
Zodiac Oval Bangle, £235-£310
Awakened Eye Collar Pins by Louise Androlia and Jessica de Lotz. Click to read more!
Awakened Eye Collar Pins, £189-£255
Jessica de Lotz and Numinous Tarotscopes mistress, Louise Androlia. Click to read more!
The gorgeous designers themselves, Jessica de Lotz and Numinous Tarotscopes mistress, Louise Androlia

VENUS IS HER NAME: A YOGA SEQUENCE FOR LIBRA

With a Mercury retro period and two eclipses to navigate in the coming weeks, is the Cosmic joke on us? Ash Baker shares a grounding and balancing yoga sequence for Libra, to foster harmony and equanimity in the chaos. Main image: Brittany Alcorn.

yoga sequence for libra

LIBRA
September 23rd to October 22nd

Ruler: Venus
Element: Air
Modality: Cardinal
Anatomy: Kidneys and lower back

7th sign of the Zodiac

Venus, cosmic queen of love and the ruler of Libra will be energetically present throughout the heavens this month. This is a time to focus on cultivating harmony, balance and peace within your life. So much change is coming upon us. Mercury will retrograde from October 4th – 25th, during which time we’ll also experience a lunar eclipse on October 8th and a solar eclipse on October 23rd.

Now people tend to run for the hills when Mercury retrogrades, but personally I prefer to use this time to pause and deeply reflect on all the changes that may be occurring within you and around you. Those changes may come apparent as the eclipses also stop by to say hello.

Eclipses are known for removing something in your life, may it be a fear producing attitude, a toxic relationship, or whatever is blocking you from getting your dream job. Thankfully, all this cosmic drama is going down in the month of love and harmony. Use the Libran energy to find balance in the crazy, cultivating gratitude for what is, and peace with what isn’t.

The poses below have been chosen to help you find your inner calm and be your very own Venus.

yoga sequence for libra 3

Goddess Pose :: Utkata Konasana
Come into Tadasana, standing Mountain Pose, at the front of your mat. Step the right foot back as if you were about to do a lunge. Instead, turn your whole body to the right, making sure your torso is in the center, right above the pelvis.

Step both feet to a 45-degree angle, with the toes out and the heels in. Take a deep inhale and as you exhale bend your knees directly over your heels. Make sure your hips are in line with your knees. Bring your hands in front of your heart in prayer.

Allow yourself to feel the heat being created from the strength in your legs, and with each inhale imagine scooping up that fierceness from below and exhaling it into your full, gorgeous heart. Hold for up to one minute.

Warrior Two :: Virabhadrasana Two
Come back to Tadasana. Step the right foot back three-four feet. Turn your right foot to a slight angle with the toes out and the heel in. The left foot should be pointed forward.

Inhale and reach the arms up and out in line with your shoulders like wings. Your torso should be facing the right side, arms extended above your legs. Simultaneously exhale, and begin to bend the front knee so it lines up with the ankle. If you’re a beginner, lessen the bend in the knee but never take it further than your ankle.

Look directly along the length of your left arm, chin aligned with your left shoulder. If you gaze down, you should see your 1st/2nd toes. Make sure your torso is directly above your pelvis.

Reach your arms out wider and feel them lengthening. Press your feet down into the ground, gathering energy back into the body. Hold for 30 seconds, up to 1 minute. Come back to Tadasana and switch sides.

Cat / Cow Pose :: Marjaryasana & Bitilasana
Come to hands and knees. Make sure your hips are right over your knees and your elbows are directly above your wrists. Keep a slight bend at the elbows.

As you inhale, arch your spine and pull your chest through your shoulders creating an opening in your collarbones. The chest and the sitting bones reach upward.

Exhaling begin to tuck your tailbone, press the hands downward into the floor and round your spine. Feel your shoulder blades spread wide across the back. Repeat for five rounds.

yoga sequence for libra 4

Scales of Peace Meditation
Find a comfortable seat. Prop yourself up on a blanket so the hips are higher than the knees, creating a slight pelvic tilt. Take a moment to notice your natural breath, but don’t change it. Just soften into your energy.

After a couple of minutes start to deepen your breath by following a count of five seconds for the inhale and five seconds for the exhale. Really focus on expanding your belly on the inhale, and then drawing the belly button inward towards the spine on the exhale. Try five rounds of this deeper breath.

Now bring your hands to your heart and think of something in your life where you want to create balance. Hold that in your heart space for a moment. Then picture what it would look like if it were in balance. How would that feel? Keep breathing with that feeling.

Stay here for as long as you need and allow yourself to arrive at answers that may assist you in creating actual balance in your chosen issue. Try doing some journaling afterwards to create action-worthy ideas to help bring equanimity into your life.

Monthly Mantra: “I am the ruler of my own harmony.”

I CAN SEE CLEARLY: NEPTUNE RETROGRADE FOR YOUR SIGN

King Neptune, planet of intuition, imagination and illusions, has begun its annual backward spin of the Zodiac. Ruby Warrington gets to grips with this elusive but powerful entity, and asks what this retro period will ask each sign to confront.

Neptune is the planet I find it hardest to get my head around – but then, that’s to be expected. Ruler of Pisces, Neptune is the dreamer and the empath of the cosmos, the planet ruling our imagination, our intuition and our ideals. One of the slower-moving celestial bodies (or “collective,” as their influence extends over generations), in the natal chart of anybody born between November 1970 to January 1984, and again briefly between June and November 1984, Neptune will be in Sagittarius, a sign where this deep-sea diver feels quite at home.

Sagittarius appreciates high ethics, prophetic thinking and spiritual seeking too, and has been working hand-in-hand with King Neptune to wire today’s thirty-something generation to idealize a broadening of our collective worldview. Welcome to the global village, baby, where the lure of escape into foreign cultures and spiritual codes is felt like the pull of the poles, altruism is aspirational and even the yoga or meditation practice we idolize is often seen as a gateway to a higher state of consciousness.

For Neptune the escapist and the mystic, mind-altering substances are another portal to the other dimensions that are always there in our peripheral vision. And with expansive, optimistic Sag on hand to pour or roll us another one, “go on, why not, it’ll be fun!”, it’s not surprising we found a stairway to heaven through ecstasy culture and invented binge drinking in the 1990’s. Or that addiction is the symptom of so many Neptune-in-Sagittarius casualties. Lucky we’ve learned to embrace the Neptunian notions of self-help and self-love too.

With Sagittarius rising, I have also have Neptune in my first house. Enter the body dysmorphia that led to an eating disorder in my teenage years, compounded by my controlling Scorpio North Node return – but also, Sag, for granting me the compassion to love myself out of it, allowing me to learn from it and refusing to let me take it too seriously. Neptune in the first house can also mean an effortless slide into the deeper reaches of the imagination, an alluring shape-shifter and a storefront displaying the mysteries of the Universe. So go figure, Numis…

Why all the Neptune research this week? On June 9, he began his annual retrograde cycle. Of all the outer planets, Neptune spends the most time treading water in retrograde motion – 158 days every 12.07 months – a fitting pattern for the planet that also governs subconscious memories of distant childhood and even past lives. In a Neptune retrograde cycle, the mysteries he usually conceals are brought to the surface for us to examine in real time. Our intuition is given more currency. Dreams demand to be interpreted. Illusions, and delusions, are exposed, and creative ideas that have been gestating come forth and begin to take shape in the material world.

Currently in Pisces, Neptune’s cosmic castle, I was curious to explore what this might mean for me in the coming months (he resumes direct motion November 16) and what subtly sensed waves his backward strokes will send across the Zodiac at large.

* For a truly accurate reading, get your birth chart for free here. As an Aries with Sag rising, I will feel ripples of Neptune retro in Pisces in both the twelfth and fourth houses. But as Pisces actually rules the third house in my natal chart, I’ll look here for the most meaningful and relevant insights.

Aries / Aries rising (twelfth house)
Here is your chance to dive deep and rise to the surface of your subconscious with that most highly valued prize: the truth. Pay close attention to the neuroses that occupy your thinking now, and be bold in seizing the opportunity for healing that comes with smoking them out. Avoid indulging in mind-altering substances. Be honest with yourself and embrace clarity as a tool for lasting personal development.

Taurus / Taurus rising (eleventh house)
Choose not to ignore your paranoia about issues affecting any area of your life where group dynamics rule. Demand to know the details of the political dealings you rightly sense are going on behind the scenes. Then, think not what your friends can do for you, but what you can do for your friends. Fall into compassion and fire up your humanitarian efforts. Meditate on the germ of a revolutionary idea, and watch it flourish.

Gemini / Gemini rising (tenth house)
Duties or responsibilities you’ve been avoiding can no longer be ignored. It’s time to take the reins and begin to steer your ship into deeper waters, however intimidating this might feel. Don’t be afraid to tap into your inner ball-breaker. Act “as if” you’re the boss. When the limelight beckons, don’t hide away in the shadows. Get real about the sacrifices you need to make if you want your career to take off the way you envision.

Cancer / Cancer rising (ninth house)
Come out of your cave and give in to your wanderlust. A spiritual awakening could be in store for you when you open your mind and put paid to fears you can now see are completely unfounded. Dive into your studies in the University of Life, and embark on a vision quest or spiritual pilgrimage. To achieve enlightenment, deal only in what you know in your soul to be the truth, and demand the same of others.

Leo / Leo rising (eighth house)
Like a butterfly, you are on a journey of transformation and rebirth. But now you’re being asked to come clean about wherever wallowing in your comfort zone is stunting your personal growth. Escape into obsession and control will only compound your sense of being stuck. Ignore your intuition at your peril, and pick up creative projects with Leonine gusto. A mystery about an inheritance or money owed could also be resolved.

Virgo / Virgo rising (seventh house)
Expect a breakthrough in your couple’s therapy sessions, as deep-seated fractures in your closest relationships come up for air and healing. Embrace situations that show your creative and business collaborators’ true colors, and resolve to accept what you see. Give in to the notion of compromise. See past your ego for ways for justice to be served. Accept that the skeletons in your closet could actually be good PR.

Libra / Libra rising (sixth house)
Any flaws in your logic will be exposed now, so arm yourself with a backup plan. Details you’d prefer to gloss over will demand your attention. Tackling mundane-seeming tasks could actually lead to the breakthroughs you’ve been looking for. Knuckle down. And no more excuses about your emotional over or under-eating. Your health and wellbeing is at risk if you continue to delude yourself about your diet. Be ready to redraft a creative project to perfection.

Scorpio / Scorpio rising (fifth house)
A clandestine affair or flirtation could come to light, or maybe you’ll be asked to play your hand in matters of the heart. Your secret vice won’t stay a secret for long. A creative project you’re personally invested in could come to fruition now, and this fertile creative phase could also see your parental urges kick in. Be wary of situations that allow you to escape into over-indulgence. A hidden talent for the performing arts could also be revealed.

Sagittarius / Sagittarius rising (fourth house)
Expect the unexpected from a family situation, as whatever’s been going on behind the scenes is unveiled. Family constellations therapy could prove especially insightful. In all other areas, embark on a Dream Quest to get to the heart of the matter, and let your subconscious be your guide. Now examine your daily habits. What nourishes you and what is holding you back will be clearer to you now.

Capricorn / Capricorn rising (third house)
Be ruthless in speaking the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Allow yourself to hear the same in what others are saying. A hidden affinity with writing or speaking may come to light, embrace opportunities to explore this. Allow your logical mind to be infiltrated by your intuition. Journal about your dream life. False advertising won’t be tolerated. A sibling’s or neighbor’s secret may be revealed.

Aquarius / Aquarius rising (second house)
Get real about your finances and banish your credit cards to the back drawer. No more hiding your head in the sand and spending beyond your means, especially if shopping is a means of escape for you. Ask yourself; who am I without my luxuries and creature comforts? A creative way to add to your income may be unlocked. Look out for it, leave no stone unturned. Then act.

Pisces / Pisces rising (first house)
You’ll see past what’s in the mirror and view body image issues for what they really are: nothing but a figment of your insecurities. Now is the time for honest self-observation. Get real as you analyze your actions. In what ways do you allow your emotions to sabotage your personal vitality? Clean up your act. Insist on clarity of self-expression, no lying to yourself or your inner child.

THE FASHION WEEK ZODIAC WHEEL: DESIGNERS BY SIGN

The creations of our most iconic fashion designers always reflect the traits of their sign – so what part of the Fashion Week Zodiac Wheel speaks to the fashionista in you?

ARIES: MARC JACOBS

**DARING ** SELF-CONFIDENT ** TREND-SETTING ** EGOTISTICAL ** ATHLETIC ** STRONG **
One of fashion’s true thought leaders, with the show that closes New York Fashion Week Marc Jacobs is pretty much the only designer out of NYC with the power to set trends (not just capitalise massively on them). He also turned high fashion on its head when he invented grunge, and famously spends two hours a day in the gym honing that athletic Aries physique.

TAURUS: DONATELLA VERSACE

Atelier Versace Couture 2014

**SENSUOUS ** AESTHETIC ** MATERIALISTIC ** LOYAL ** LUXURY-LOVING ** RELIABLE  **
The ultimate material girl, Donatella’s vision never wavers – women have red carpets to walk down, and damnit she’s going to give them the glamazon gowns to do it in. When her brother Gianni (a flamboyant Sagittarius) was brutally gunned down in 1997, the Versace family knew they could rely on determined Taurus Donatella to follow in his diamante-studded, gold leaf inlaid footsteps.

GEMINI: HENRY HOLLAND

House of Holland AW07

**ORIGINAL ** COMMUNICATIVE ** QUICK-WITTED ** VERSATILE ** IMITATIVE **
As the sign that rules communication, is it any wonder that Gemini Henry Holland launched his House of Holland label with a line of cheeky slogan t-shirts? This set the tone for a playful streak that runs through every collection – the “House” in question also including his legion celebrity friends / fans always crowding out the frow at his shows.

CANCER: VERA WANG

Vera Wang Bridal SS14

**DEVOTIONAL ** DOMESTIC ** EMOTIONAL ** TRADITIONAL ** NOSTALGIC ** FAMILIAL**
Who else but Cancer Vera Wang could have cornered the market for high fashion bridal gowns? Wang’s name has become synonymous with the kind of wedding that fairy tales are made of – having dressed everyone from Mariah Carey to Victoria Beckham for their big day. As Cancer also rules the home (and by default, wedding gift lists?),  it makes sense that she expanded into homeware in 2002.

LEO: JEREMY SCOTT

Jeremy Scott SS14

** PLAYFUL ** CHILDLIKE ** ENTERTAINING ** DRAMATIC ** HUMOROUS ** FUN-LOVING **
The eternal club-kid, Leo Jeremy Scott refuses to grow up and get serious. This is the man who invented a pair of sneakers with a teddy bear’s head where the tongue should be, FFS. And he walks the walk. His own outfits are as outrageous as his you-cannot-be-serious creations, while in his case the lion’s mane is his signature (sometimes peroxide blonde) quiff / mohawk.

VIRGO: STELLA MCCARTNEY

Stella McCartney SS14

** PERFECTIONIST ** RESERVED ** INTELLIGENT ** PRACTICAL ** DETAIL-ORIENTED ** NEAT **
Smart women love Stella’s less-is-more, demure-yet-doin’ it approach, and, as a health-conscious, righteous Virgo, she’s as  known for her staunch vegetarianism as her catwalk prowess. Hello seriously discerning women paying astronomical sums for pleather bags and shoes. Consistently hailed as a designer who serves the needs of “real women,” she also has a penchant for virginal white.

LIBRA: DONNA KARAN

Donna Karan Urban Zen

** BALANCED ** SOCIALLY AWARE ** GRACEFUL ** REFINED ** RELATIONSHIP-ORIENTED **
Before Donna Karan came along with her ‘Essentials’ line in 1985 – seven easy pieces that could be mixed and matched to create the perfectly balanced work-life wardrobe – there were suits and there were leisure suits and there wasn’t much in between.  She was also being true to her Libra roots when she launched her Urban Zen foundation, selling thousand dollar shirts to aid indigenous cultures and support holistic wellness studies.

SCORPIO: RICK OWENS

Rick Owens menswear FW09

**INTENSE ** SEXUAL ** MYSTERIOUS ** AGGRESSIVE ** TRANSFORMATIVE ** FORCEFUL **
Who else but Rick Ownes would you wear to a high fashion sex party in the backstreets of Berlin? Not only is his all-black aesthetic directly out of some futuristic occult situation (I mean, he has a diffusion line called DRKSHDW), his bondage-inspired creations have the power to totally transform the body of the wearer. And, openly bi, you just know he and his wife Michele Lamy are into some kinky shiz.

SAGITTARIUS: JOHN GALLIANO

** OUTGOING ** EXPANSIVE ** BLUNT ** FORTUNATE ** PROFESSOR ** MORAL **
Outspoken to, ahem, a fault, it’s still unclear where disgraced designer John Galliano will settle following the antisemitic outburst that got him sacked from the top spot at Dior in 2011. After a guest slot at Oscar de le Renta (brokered by none other than Anna Wintour, hello resourceful Scorpio fashion fairy godmother) for AW13, rumors are circulating that he make take up a teaching post at Parsons.

CAPRICORN: DIANE VON FURSTENBURG

** PRACTICAL ** BUSINESSLIKE ** AMBITIOUS ** AUTHORITATIVE ** FOCUSSED ** REALISTIC **
Where would working women the world over be without Capricorn DVF and her iconic wrap dress?? The consummate fashion mogul, when she launched her company in 1970 her decision to “be someone of my own, and not just a plain little girl who got married” made her a figurehead for fashionable feminists. A walking talking brand in her own right she was even named President of the CFDA in 2006.

AQUARIUS: MARY QUANT

** INNOVATIVE ** REBELLIOUS ** INDIVIDUAL ** LIBERAL ** AWAKENING ** FREE **
Nobody but Aquarius Mary Quant could have invented the mini-skirt, and in doing so single-handedly created a uniform for the 1960s women’s lib movement. Although she always handed the credit to her customers; “It was the girls on the King’s Road who invented the mini. I was making easy, youthful, simple clothes, in which you could move, in which you could run and jump, and we would make them the length the customer wanted. I wore them very short and the customers would say, ‘Shorter, shorter.'”

PISCES: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

**IMAGINATIVE ** FANTASTICAL ** CREATIVE ** VISIONARY ** OTHERWORLDLY ** MYSTIC **
May we all bow down to the memory of Pisces Alexander McQueen, a true fashion visionary whose beautiful, fantastical creations seemed like they were beamed onto the catwalk from another dimension. Taking skulls and religious iconography as his motifs, his work was entirely impractical, darkend by an obsession with the realm beyond the veil, and utterly, achingly, beautiful.

THE WILD UNKNOWN: TALKING TAROT WITH KIM KRANS

Illustrator Kim Krans has gained a cult following as creator of The Wild Unknown Tarot deck. Launched in 2008, her mystical vision has since expanded to include zodiac prints, jewelry and even a kids’ alphabet book. As she launches her latest project, a collection of one-off paintings based on the cards, she explains her connection to the Tarot an invites us to take a trip into the wilderness within. Words: Ruby Warrington. Portraits: Daniel Arnold.

What was your first introduction to the Tarot and why did it resonate with you?
One night when my band was on tour we crashed at our friend’s house in Boston and I slept in a bed that had a beautiful woodcut print of the Magician hanging over it. I remember starting at it before I fell asleep and saying to myself; “someday I will draw the Tarot deck.” I was introduced to the Tarot well before then but I swear something happened that night…The Magician crept right into my bones.

The Wild Unknown Tarot deck

The Magician: When the Magician appears in a spread, it points to the talents, capabilities and resources at the querent’s disposal. Depending on the card’s placement in relation to other cards, the message is to tap into one’s full potential rather than holding back, especially when there is a need to transform something. There are choices and directions to take. Guidance can arrive through one’s own intuition or in the form of someone who brings about change or transformation.

What makes the Tarot so relevant in post 2012 life on planet Earth?
We all want a little guidance, right? We have lots of voices within us – some come from places of fear, doubt, low self-esteem, bummer things that happened in the past, etc. These voices get all tangled up and lead us to believe we are less amazing then we are. But underneath all that, waiting for us to hear it, is one super clear, resonant, calm voice that knows exactly what to do. It’s tough to hear it if we don’t consciously listen for it, but Tarot helps us get there… in that it helps us see ourselves and our patterns. If you wonder why after a good reading you feel “relieved” or “more yourself” (even if it’s a dark-ish reading) it’s because you made contact with that inner voice. Keep finding ways to connect with it, listen to it, and soon your path becomes golden.

Images from the new Wild Unknown “One of a Kind” series

What’s your favorite card in the Wild Unknown deck, and why?
The Moon card, for sure. The most important reading of my life had The Moon as the central card…that reading was a real turning point. It was just months before the deck came out. So I am ever-loyal to that card. The Hermit is a close runner-up fave.

The Moon: The Moon is the card of intuition, dreams and the unconscious. The Moon provides light as a reflection of the Sun, yet this light is dim, uncertain, and only vaguely illuminates our path as we journey toward higher consciousness. When a path leads between two towers into the distance, it is showing the way to the unconsciousness. The astrological sign associated with this card is Pisces – psychic, receptive and mysterious.

Jewelry designer Pamela Love shows off her favorite card in the Wild Unknown deck. Image: Frommoontomoon.blogspot.com

We discovered your Zodiac project on Pinterest. Will we see more of this? (Obsessed!)
Yes! The Zodiac series I drew just came out as a blank notecard set. All twelve drawings in one box…no more stressing to find your far-out friend a birthday card!

How do you connect to the Wild Unknown inside you in your daily life?
The best access point for me is meditation, yoga, and mantra. I also take walks on Zuma beach a lot. Singing also helps me.

Sagittarius
Aquarius

Is that “Wilderness” the same thing as the guru they say lives inside us all?
I’m going to take a bold stab at this big question and say – the “wilderness” is not the guru but instead it is the place within where the guru can be found. It is the realm of the guru. But the wilderness is fluid, changing, wild, magical, creative and mysterious…while so far…the moments I have glimpsed the guru it is perfectly still. Perfectly, perfectly still.

And if it were an actual place on Earth, what’s the closest you’ve come to finding it?
In a small shrine in the Poconos.

“So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away, to the wild unknown country,
where I could not go wrong…” – Bob Dylan

www.thewildunknown.com
@thewildunknown