With Venus and Mercury shifting gears, and Halloween adding a heavy dose of magic, the 2018 Leo Waning Moon invites us to surrender to the mystery, and conjure connection with the invisible, says Jennifer Racioppi …
Photo: Pierrick Van Troost
Waning Quarter Moon // October 31 2018 // 12.40pm ET // 8 degrees Leo
With the 2018 Leo Waning Moon happening on the day the veil between worlds is the thinnest, we can expect things to feel fun, with a heavy dose of spooky.
How apropos for the Scorpio Sun squaring playful Leo? Meanwhile, with Venus Retrograde still in full effect and simultaneously in direct opposition with Uranus, unleash your desire to change your identity (dress up anyone?) Enjoy the mysteriousness of the day …
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// The Cycle // The 2018 Leo Waning Moon serves as the midpoint between the hunter Taurus Full Moon, and the upcoming Scorpio New Moon on November 7th. This critical turning point of the lunar cycle asks us to let go of what’s no longer working while simultaneously bringing outcomes to seeds planted with the August 2, 2016, Leo New Moon.
Check-in; what’s coming to fruition now that connects to dreams set in motion and actions taken then?
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// The Transits // With Venus retrograde moving into Libra, and Mercury moving into Sagittarius, our spiritual world may feel impacted. Especially with Venus opposing Uranus, an astrological configuration that often suggests a change in a relationship (perhaps even an ending).
Today’s transits ask you to go with the flow and roll with any abrupt switches in direction. Additionally, given that it’s Halloween, there’s real opportunity to connect with the other side via ceremony and prayer (and your inner witch).
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// The Square // With the Sun in sultry Scorpio squaring the Moon in light Leo, we have a classic case of water (Scorpio) vs. fire (Leo). While we all know that water can extinguish fire, let’s not forget that when the two combine we get steam, too.
My suggestion? Aim for steam. Lean into Leo’s natural optimism and ability to magnetize joy. Even with abrupt changes afoot, allow yourself to feel lighter through the release of what’s no longer relevant.
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// The Opportunity // Today offers the strong potential to conjure, create, and align, while paying homage to those who have passed away. Even with Venus opposing Uranus, a transit that connotes the need to release what’s no longer working, you can sincerely connect with your spiritual self.
If something, or someone, exits your life today, let it go! And allow the depth of who you are to shine through. Then enjoy the night of play!
Discover more about astrologer and success coach Jennifer Racioppi and her work HERE and follow her on Instagram.
Get this week’s astro symbol for your sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising A ball rolling down a hill. You’ve caught onto some momentum. It’s time to connect with the concept of flow. What does flow mean to you? When do you feel like it’s not just your energy pushing you forward? This concept can sink in on levels of mind, body, and emotions. You can feel it if you are open. And flow will take you in the right direction at the right place and time. With less effort. This is the way.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising A tiny seedling grows in the dark forest, pushing out of the soil in the shadow of a leaf. Your growth is happening in a way that no one else can see. Do you know it? Like, really know it? Or are you hiding from the truth of it too? This is a time to celebrate the growth that you’ve achieved. Maybe you’ve been working against some tough odds. Or changing an old pattern. The change you’re creating is microscopic now, but it will continue to unfurl.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising Watching a movie. What messages are seeping into your psyche from the collective consciousness? You can be a passive observer, a receiver who just takes in any ideas that flow by. Or you can set up some boundaries about what media you will consume. Right now, it’s important for you to be the director, not the audience member. Be very intentional about your thoughts.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising A squirrel in a tree. At first glance, the squirrel may not seem like the most ambitious of creatures. But when winter comes and everyone else is either starving or sleeping, the squirrel is enjoying the fruits of its labors. So take notice. What have you built that you can benefit from now? What is the platform that you’re standing on? Put effort and attention into building up your career. At the same time, enjoy the connections and reputation you’ve already developed.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising A message in a bottle travels by sea. It’s time to connect with your own inner truth. What is your message? You may need to do some travel or exploration so that you can open your mind. A different perspective can help illuminate different ideas. Go for a journey to find your message. It could be a journey through books, or in real life. Take this time to find out what makes you feel alive.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising Getting dirt out of the cracks in the floor. Take all of your energy and direct it inward. What digging do you need to do to cleanse? You can’t just step over the mess anymore. It’s too obvious. This is a moment for less busyness and more investigation. What are the old feelings, lodged away in the cracks? These need to be dug up and felt fully. Get help with this, it’s a big emotional project.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising The wheat grass and the grain. There’s a harvest taking place. Move through the tall grasses of your relationships. Separate out what really matters. Get clear. You need to communicate better. You need to share your truth in a diplomatic but firm way. As you harvest the grain of truth, you’ll become more and more familiar with what’s important to you when it comes to your relationships. That clarity will be easy to communicate.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising Spoon feeding a baby. Your curiosity is a renewable gift that you can always give yourself. But right now, you need to settle in and slow down. Instead of bopping around with the energy of a pollinating bee, notice your more mundane routines and rhythms. Where do you need a little more repetition? How would more structure in your daily life serve you? Slowly feed yourself the meal, in a deliberate and steady way.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer // Cancer Rising A carrot on a string. Have you been trying to push yourself forward, against your own will? If things are feeling like a lot of effort, take a step back. Throw away the carrot. You need to be propelled by a feeling of fun and enjoyment. Get yourself to a mental state of receptivity. It doesn’t have to be such a push. Allow the passion to be so intense that you’re actually inspired. What will inspire you right now?
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising A whirling dervish. Let all of the emotions well up within you and then overflow. You can’t contain it, so express it instead. There’s gonna be a mess. You can’t do anything about the messiness. You need it so that you can thrive. Let this emotional mess feel like a true ecstatic dance. An overflowing that comes from your heart center and your connection with your higher self. That will feel good.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising Rolling the dice. There are so many possible combinations. Get random. Just try things. If you can do this with a smile, you’ll end up with more variety in your life. The influx of new experiences and people can help you feel more engaged. But you have to take the first step. Randomly choose something to learn about, visit or talk to someone new. You might learn something.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Libra // Libra Rising A litter of kittens. Those kittens don’t worry about how they are going to get fed or sheltered. They are simply supported by their mother, nurtured, and they grow. Think of how security and support may feel. Write about it, ease into the feeling of it. Maybe Mother Earth is like your mama cat, and she just naturally takes care of your every need. Allow yourself to receive the abundance that is truly all around you.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
The Chariot asks us to clarify our deepest desires, chart our own course, and act as agents of exhilarating change, says this month’s reader-in-residence, Anna Toonk … Cast using Holly Simple Tarot
The Venus-ruled 2018 Taurus Full Moon wants us to open our hearts, forgive where possible, and find pleasure in the process of smoking out old patterns, says Sandy Sitron …
Full Moon :: October 24th, 2018 :: 12:47 pm EDT :: 1 degree Taurus
Two crows are silhouetted in the moon light. Are they fighting or are they dancing? As they peck at each other they each seem to vie for authority. But then suddenly, their heads and beaks curve toward each other to form a perfect heart shape.
On the 2018 Taurus Full Moon, the Scorpio Sun and the Taurus Moon face off. Not unlike the crows, these two luminaries are performing an ancient dance of tension. It’s hard to say if this is a dance of aggression, or a chance to settle into the peace and harmony of love.
Symbolically, the ancients believed the crow to be a harbinger of death. In more modern interpretations, the crow means change. Release, purging, letting go, metamorphosis and rebirth are all symbolic of the crow and also the sign of Scorpio. This season is urging you to molt and release.
In my vision, the crows are dance-fighting and forming a heart at the same moment. There may be moments during this Moon phase when you look at yourself or someone you’re close to as an enemy. If you misdirect your aggression it can leave you feeling hollow. Slow down. Pinpoint where resentment is rooted. This is a good time to forgive (if it’s safe) and let go. If you can open up your heart with self-awareness and acknowledge the true source of your pain, you’ll feel better.
Your knee-jerk reaction CAN be peace. Even if that’s not your usual speed, let this Moon teach you about patience. Taurus is the emotional style that we can emulate now. Taurus teaches us body-awareness, simplicity, appreciating beauty in all forms, patience, and slowing down.
Enjoy the present moment by noticing how your body feels as you move through your day. This practice will keep you grounded and centered. Maybe that feeling of centeredness will give you more space for love. Practice giving and receiving heart-to-heart hugs. Slow down when you eat. Sprinkle rose petals on your oatmeal. Investigate the patterns of bark on a tree.
Taurus is ruled by Venus, and this planet of love and peace features prominently in the Moon picture. She’s retrograde, so she’s calling on us to review our own personal love stories. Her retrograde cycle is drumming up issues of reciprocity and trust in relationships. Fun!
Plus, in this formation, she’s opposite the Moon as she cuddles the Sun in Scorpio. Maybe she’s saying, “Get pleasure from deep emotional catharsis and let that give you the stillness you need to be present in the moment.” Stay attuned to what you need to let go of. This mega-release will give you more space for Taurean peace and harmony.
The sky is filled with planets in fixed signs. We are collectively contacting the deep marrow of our lives, our relationships and our societies. We’re unearthing any rot in our foundations. The 2018 Taurus Full Moon is conjunct Uranus, the planet of change and revolution. We’re getting into the deep, old stuff now and blasting it open.
But there’s a lot of work to do and this change won’t happen overnight. We can chip away and make changes slowly. We can make time and space for each other.
With this fixed sign energy heightened, this is not a moment to flit around changing the channel and succumbing to the media cycle. Instead, we must dedicate our attention and continue to consistently raise awareness of the gunk that has got to go. Let the crows carry it all away. With a heart shape indicating Taurean love and peace, they have all the patience in the world to help us transmute our old pain.
The crow symbol can remind you that even with all of this purging and releasing— there’s magic around you. Take this time to honor the magic of Mother Earth, your body and the here and now. And notice the magic of the death and rebirth cycle. Ask yourself what you’re ready to let go of so that you can move into a new phase …
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Moon opposite Venus Knocking over a canoe. Everything is wet and soggy with this aspect, now that the canoe is knocked over. There may be some emotions flowing. Encourage that. You can let it all hang out. There’s no more need to try to be perfect or precise. Be as graceful as you can, but real too. Your challenge is to open up your heart, be vulnerable, and let yourself receive.
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Moon trine Saturn A club sandwich. That sandwich its stacked high and it has a nifty toothpick holding the whole thing together. And these layers of meat, bread and cheese are oh so real. What are you building that’s real? This aspect will help you find the organization and structure to make it happen. The sky is the limit.
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Moon conjunct Uranus Dragging your feet across shag carpeting and getting a shock of static electricity. A slight jolt is needed. This is time to change things up. Shock yourself into a new wavelength. Do it on purpose, as in the symbol. Put on big woolen socks and drag your feet along that olive green carpeting in Great Aunt Neecy’s living room before you touch the metal doorknob. It might hurt a little, but it might blow your mind and be hilarious too.
Scorpio Season 2018 is awash with opportunities to let our tenderest emotions out, in the name of our collective healing, says Bess Matassa …
Photo: Joren Aranas
Slip into the hot tub cauldron clad only in your charcoal masks, Numiverse. Scorpio Season 2018 asks us to uncover the profound pools of pleasure that are present when we go beyond the surface, and to fully feel into the wet and wild whirl of our desires.
With Venus retrograde traveling back through Libra’s heart-shaped castles in the sky, and Mercury and Jupiter adventuring their way through barebacked Sagittarius, there’s a magic carpet quality to the Scorpio Season intensity this year. Rather than a burn-it-to-the-ground funeral pyre, can you treat your transformations like a technicolor trip of shifting forms and stop-motion emotions? Scorpio Season 2018 invites us to relish the full-throttle ride, without having to empty our tanks.
As powerhouse Mars enters Pisces, and the North Node of collective calling slides into Cancer, we’re being ushered to fight for our tenderest feelings and to come forward exactly as we are. It’s a time for remembering that forgiveness is a secret source of badassery: proof of our capacity to make peace with ourselves, so we can extend our humanness to others. Lubricate, loosen, and liberate the parts that are shrouded with the most shame and fear.
The stakes are high, whispers Scorpio Season 2018. We’ve only got one round to make it real in these bodies. So mix your hardcore with your softest self, and risk serving it up real and raw.
Listen to the full Scorpio Season 2018 report from Numi resident astrologers Bess + Sandy on SoundCloud and iTunesand read on for the quick and dirty on the season’s 4 key astro events …
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Photo: Sarthak Navjivan
Sun in Scorpio (10.23-11.22) and Venus Retrograde in Scorpio Enters Libra (10.31; stations direct 11.16) 90s Dance Music
The Scorpio Sun, combined with Venus retrograde in Libra, invites us into the drama-drenched stylings of a teenage dream. Riding the waves of bittersweet emotion, we’re invited to stay present for every dip and rise on the rollercoaster without having to assess its “rightness.” The grand finale of Venus Retro wants us to consider the way we assimilate pleasure, while harnessing the power to police the doors to our boudoirs when necessary. What is love? Let the pumping, plumped-up beats of guileless 90s dance music lead you on a solo, sweat-soaked journey, as you relish the rhythm of the night.
We get a powerful hit of energy from the zodiac’s wildly nomadic pony this month, reminding us to find magic and meaning in every moment. As we slough off old skins, we must also become the seeker, racing across the open plains of our next adventure. Dance with your “whys,” and recapture a sense of sparkling curiosity amidst the detritus. These planets in Sagittarius urge us to roll the dice and risk expansion that blows the lid off our limiting beliefs. Let young Virginia’s infamous turn-of-the-century letter to the New York Sun (linked above) remind you that a mystically meaningful world is perpetually pulsating just beyond view.
The North Node’s journey charts our collective destiny. Shifting into Cancer’s blue lagoon this month, this call to embrace cardinal water energy urges us to fight for the vulnerable, and to use the intensity of our feelings to reshape the landscape that surrounds us. While sometimes written off as frivolous fairy fluff, Enya’s potent pipes transport us to a melodious cave that’s both soft-lit and surprisingly badass. Let her languid croonings remind you that you have ever right to sing out from your wellsprings of sentimentality, and that yin yearnings have a prime place at the table of social change.
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Mars in Pisces (11.15-12/31) // Jacuzzis
After this Summer’s Mars retrograde schooling, we’re poised to harness our power. In Pisces, this penetrating planet is asked to act with both courage and compassion. Let your motivation stem from your most secret waters, and allow your actions in the world to feel like the call and response of salt soaks on the shoreline. There’s nothing to do and nowhere to go until you’re urged forward by a much deeper siren song. An invitation to slip only into actions that fit us like a second skin, Mars in Pisces reminds us that fighting for our right to some sweet retreat can feel luxuriously healing.
Want more on Scorpio Season 2018? Listen to Bess and Sandy Sitron’s latest podcast HERE.
Get this week’s astro symbol for your sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Photo: Gabriel Jimenez
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising Flipping through the pages of an old book. Review the history. Is what happened back then, the same thing that’s happening now? The current focus is on breaking into new relationship patterns. To do so, you’ll need to get very familiar with the architecture of those patterns. When it comes to your relationships, what cycles do you continue to repeat? Look at your record and then grab that book and start scribbling new pages. You can rewrite your story.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising Rehearsing your lines. What if life is a rehearsal? When we feel like we need to perform, the ego gets all activated. If this is a rehearsal and we’re just practicing, we can dissolve some of our fears. Enjoy the practice. Take some of the pressure off yourself. You’re just doing the best you can with what you’ve got. Play and participate with a high level of engagement, but keep it light.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising A bloodhound on the trail. Discovery! What will bring you more love, more joy, more ease? Get on the trail. Visualize to manifest. You don’t have trudge through a monotonous daily existence. You can find a better way. Use your magnificent mind to help you track down and manifest a more joyful reality.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising Signing a peace agreement. Create your own ritual for peace. If there are people you want to make amends with, invite them to join you around the hearth fire and welcome them home. If there are parts of yourself you are warring against, organize a ceremony to honor them and create inner peace. When your inner world is harmonious, that energy will radiate outward rapidly.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising A chemist jots down an equation. Before you can make something new, you need to get clear about your ideas. Take notes, brainstorm and double check your answers before you go into the lab. This is the time to think, study, read, learn, listen. Get the equation just right before you begin. Stimulate your mind so that new ideas can flow.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising Shoveling out a deep hole. It seems that you are about to plant a tree. There’s something you’ve been tending to that’s ready to receive more space and attention. Let the root system establish. With every effort you put in, you’ll feel more stable and secure. Stay focused and fixed on your goals. Consistency is key.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising A bouquet of sunflowers. These flowers are unconventional, wild, and tangled. You don’t need to do anything but admire them. Admire the beauty that you are and that exists all around you. Slow down and see/feel/touch/taste beauty. Appreciate. This will raise your vibration and help you arrive at new conclusions that might just blow your mind.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising Cupping your hands to catch the stream of water. Reach toward the emotional flow. Tenderly focus on your feelings. It’s easier to skip over them. But now is the time to sit with them and let them move. Get good at saying the name of each and every feeling as it flows pasts your consciousness. That’s all you have to do. Reach out a hand and make conscious contact with your emotions.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer // Cancer Rising All of the ants work together in the ant hill. You don’t have to do anything alone. Why is that doing things alone seems so much easier? It wasn’t always this way for humans. Find your community. Collect your group and connect with others who have the same goals. It will feel so centering now. Collaboration just might be the answer for whatever is coming up.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising A bear in a circus. It’s time to perform. Is there something about performing that feels unnatural? Bears aren’t meant to perform. It’s humans who force them to. Are you feeling forced? For you, performing should feel like love. Like sharing your soul with the world. Notice what feels natural and what feels forced. Try to find inner peace so that you can shine your light.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising Sewing a quilt. To sew a quilt, you need to have a plan. What is the end result you desire? Pause for a moment and connect with some goals. What is your mission statement for these goals— why do you want them? The more heartfelt your process, the better. A quilt is made up of many parts. Work incrementally toward these goals, paying attention to the details as you go.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Libra // Libra Rising A camel’s humps. What emotions have you stored away, like water in a camel’s humps? Carrying water works for a camel, but holding on to old emotions will not work for you. If you stop to pay attention, you’ll likely notice the impact it’s having. The moment is prime for releasing and letting go. Don’t be embarrassed and don’t be too busy. Make time for your feelings.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
At the Capricorn Waxing Quarter Moon, step away from toxic dynamics and focus on what you need to fulfill your 2018 mission, says Jennier Racioppi …
Photo: Tiffany Combs
Waxing Quarter Moon // October 16 2018 // 2.01pm ET // 23 degrees Capricorn
The Capricorn Waxing Quarter Moon brings with it fierce medicine. With the Sun traveling through the last days of Libra, squaring the moon in the Cardinal earth sign of Capricorn, the cosmos is asking us to name our obstacles and make intelligent decisions.
With harvest season coming to an end and winter soon to set in, now is the time to surrender the dead weight, holding onto only that which remains vital to your mission.
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The cycle This Capricorn Waxing Quarter Moon sees us reach the halfway mark between the last New Moon in Libra, and the upcoming Full Moon in Taurus. Simultaneously, it reaches back to the first New Moon of 2018, which occurred on January 16th at 26 degrees of Capricorn, asking us to reevaluate goals we set right at the beginning of the year. With Samhain (Halloween) fast approaching, marking our descent into the darkness of winter, this waxing quarter moon commands us to take stock of how far we have come bringing these hopeful New Year’s intentions to fruition—and make any necessary adjustments.
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The transits With the sun at 23 degrees of Libra, the final degrees of this cardinal air sign, we reach the end of the Sun’s transit through the sign of balance, harmony, and justice. Simultaneously, Libra’s ruling planet Venus, currently in her retrograde cycle, conjoins Mercury in Scorpio, while squaring Mars in Aquarius.
This mashup of planetary energy encourages brave naming of truth. This is not the time to avoid or deny, but rather, boldly claim what YOU know as the truth. Fortunately, with these aspects, circumstances speak for themselves; especially with shadowy Pluto being needled into a big reveal by its square to sun, while conjoining the intuitive moon.
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The square With the Sun in Libra squaring the Moon and Pluto in Capricorn, this Waxing Quarter Moon asks you to take charge and move forward fearlessly. Any dysfunctional or toxic dynamics will be revealed for what they are, allowing you to disentangle yourself from the web of deception. The good news is that little guesswork will be needed as you walk towards the light. Trust that it’s safe to take things at face value and go with your instincts.
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The opportunity In the words of Maya Angelou, “When someone tells you who they are, believe them.” With Venus Retrograde, the Sun and Moon squaring in Cardinal signs, while Pluto (the mistress of the underworld) is conjoining the Moon, now’s the time to break free from deception. Rather than letting things slide as you remain committed to someone’s “potential,” choose to fearlessly name and digest the truth instead, making decisions from a sober mindset.
Healthy new choices will stem from profound realizations during this Waxing Quarter Moon. With the mid-way point of the fall season so close we can taste it (hello pumpkin spice almond milk latte), seek to ready yourself for the restorative tucking in of the coming winter months. Surrender anything (people, beliefs, situations) that feel toxic to you. Let go of the clutter in your home. Ready your mind, body, and spirit for the fullness of the winter months promise.
Meanwhile, as you look to the months ahead, ask yourself these questions:
-How has 2018 gone so far? -What goals or intentions did I set with the first New Moon of the new year? -What obstacles do I currently face in bringing my dream to fruition? -How can I make the most of the time remaining this year to bring my dreams to reality?
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Discover more about astrologer and success coach Jennifer Racioppi and her work HERE and follow her on Instagram.
Get this week’s astro symbol for your sign with our Numinous horoscopes from Sandy Sitron …
Photo: Dmitrii Medvedev
Libra or Libra Rising An optical illusion. Your task is quite challenging. You need to strengthen your ability to be objective. First, practice self-care so that you can balance your emotions. Meditate and connect with your guides. This will give you the emotional freedom to be able to see the illusions that are all around. Then you can choose for yourself how to think.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio or Scorpio Rising A litter of puppies Keep yourself tucked away like a newborn puppy. Let your sense of play incubate. What if you only had space and time for playfulness? Allow it. None of this is worth anything if there isn’t any fun. Its so easy to forget that. Playfulness and fun may feel like the last thing you have time for and that makes them even more important.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius or Sagittarius Rising Sand dunes stretch as far as the eye can see. You’ve got mountains to cross. The work that looms can feel oppressive. What if you found a new way to navigate and suddenly it all became a breeze? Stop pushing so hard. Take a step back to admire the view, look at your goals with fresh eyes, and a new path will appear like magic.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn or Capricorn Rising An ancient vase. Focus on what will have lasting power. If you can create something that’s so solid and timeless that it becomes a treasure, you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing. Strive for less effort and higher quality. If what you make is valuable you’ll find recognition for generations to come.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius or Aquarius Rising A goldfish swims with a school of fish. Although its easy to believe that you’re alone, it’s not true. The values and philosophies that you believe in are shared by many, you just have become more of a leader so that you can find your group. You don’t need to be inspired by yourself, you can be inspired with others and feel the power of connection.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces or Pisces Rising Hold onto your hat. You are in the washing machine of life and you need to hold onto only the things that are most important. The rest is being cleansed away. Decide what is most important to you now. Make a short list and be ready to change the rest. Cleanse yourself of blame, resentment, guilt and shame. If you want some important things to change, embrace the process of letting go.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries or Aries Rising A warrior. Find the part of yourself that’s angry. Talk to that part and truly listen so that you create a strong channel of communication. When you understand and appreciate your anger, you make space to use it in healthy ways. This is a time to build new channels of communication and refine your commitments with yourself and others. Somehow, understanding what you’re angry about will help you do this more clarity.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus or Taurus Rising A stream goes by. The stream of time is constantly moving. Are you being pushed along by it? How do you feel about time? Work on your structures of time management and reorganize how you keep track of your to-dos. What’s your relationship with time? The more that you can get honest about how you think about time, the more you connect with your power.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini or Gemini Rising A young deer leaps through the field. Jump your next hurdle and make it look graceful. You can embody grace and beauty and fun, just like the deer. Notice if you judge grace, beauty and playfulness in others. That’s a clue that you’re disallowing them for yourself. Instead, make them a priority. In this very moment you can have fun and frolic— it will change your whole mindset.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer or Cancer Rising Mushrooms grow in a cave. Go off into your cozy cove and spend some time alone. Nurture yourself and feel your feelings fully. See what’s really there. When you let the feelings have their own space to bloom, you’ll be more clear about what actions to take later. For now, rest, restore and feel fully.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo or Leo Rising The lion roars. You are a strong one. What commitments are you keeping and which ones are you letting slip through your fingers? If you can’t show up with it, don’t promise it. This will help your energy stay strong. Notice what you need to say no to and what you ned to say yes to. Holding healthy boundaries and following through on your commitments can make you even stronger.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo or Virgo Rising Digging in the garden. A seed is a potent abundance code. What seeds are you ready to plant within yourself regarding abundance? You are able to fully embrace abundance and find yourself fully supported by your environment. Use affirmations as seeds to support your bountiful manifestations. Trust in the process in the same way that you trust the flowers to grow.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
The Sun invites us to welcome illumination, while protecting ourselves from the burn of over-exposure, says this month’s reader-in-residence Alisha Cigalotti …
Want to have Divine on speed dial? In her latest Holy F*ck column, Alexandra Roxo reveals that experiencing ecstasy is the key to strengthening our channel …
People have been seeking ecstasy for a long time. Whether it’s through herbs and psychoactive and psychedelic substances, or through ritual, prayer, meditation, fasting, sleep deprivation, pain, sex, and extreme temperature baths, most cultures have rituals and celebrations that invoke deeply ecstatic states.
From Greek rituals involving mind-altering substances, to the Sufis’ dance into ecstatic bliss, and the tantrikas’ journey into oceans of “samadhi” (ecstatic union with God/Goddess), religious texts usually speak of this search. In Norse mythology, the berserkers would enter into an altered state to be able to fight. And even animals have sought out herbs and fermentation that brought about some sort of consciousness shift.
These exercises can allll produce states of BLISS that allow the participant to commune with “God” or the Divine. And, well, who wouldn’t want that?
I’ll tell you who! A culture that DOES NOT want its people to be empowered to know the Divine on our own terms. That would prefer us to have to pay into the Divine via tithing (offerings), and bow to the leaders of a church. This being one of the epic reasons WHY ecstatic states became stigmatized in the U.S., specifically, and in the Western world in general.
Personally, I blame the Puritans for labelling seeking ecstatic states as scary, transgressive, or somehow shameful. If people, and women especially, had the Goddess on speed dial, than what would they need the church for?!! SO, they got the ax. Or rather, in the case of the Witch trials, when women would dance themselves into states of ecstasy, the noose.
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What exactly is an “ecstatic” experience? In my terms, it is an experience that overrides the default mindset, the internal and external conditioning, and allows for a mind/body/spirit connection that transcends the normal, the typical, and the everyday.
This can result in waves of bliss, with senses ablaze and alive, heart open to a massive flow of love. Where the normal perception and experience of reality is transcended and expanded into a massively blissful, joyful, and loving one that shakes you at the core.
I’ve been exploring this for many years. At age 12, I was attempting to speak in tongues and faint on the floor at Baptist Church camp. And I experienced my first waves of sexual ecstasy around the same time. Since then, I’ve experimented with meditation, prayer, fasting, ritual, dance, song, pain, sex, and psychedelics. Each produces a different type of ecstasy.
Now, I take other people on journeys in my work through ecstatic states that can reframe and contextualize trauma, release stored emotions, and promote a deeper connection to self. Within a safe space, this process of finding ecstatic states can be very, very healing.
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A dating app for ecstasy? I am drawn like a fly on honey to people who know and experience ecstatic states withoutdrugs.
A few years ago, I met two men who had participated in the Sundance ceremony, which involved piercings on the chest, and days of dancing and fasting. To me, these were the HOTTEST men alive! “Um, you spent multiple days with flesh wounds on your chest while fasting and dancing and singing, in the name of uniting with Divine energy and helping save the Earth?! Sign me up!!!”
There is nothing sexier to me than someone who sees and understands the value of finding ecstatic states on the regular without having to pop a pill. Someone so adept at meditation that turning their body to light is NBD. If there was a dating app for this category of human, it would make my life a lot easier!
It’s not Burner vibes. It’s not adventures with psychedelics. I’m talking about people with a thirst for ecstasy that comes from wanting to know the Divine. Wanting to know love. From a remembrance of a state that your soul knows, and longs for.
Anybody else with me on this one?
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5 paths towards ecstasy for the Modern Spiritual Human **A disclaimer: When you enter into ecstasy, you are opening yourself up massively, so you want to allow for this shift in your reality, perception, and internal state to happen in a safe setting. If you enter into an ecstatic state in a train station for instance, you could get taken away to a mental institution. So set and setting are key! You want be in a safe space. Surrounded by people you trust. Or alone. Remember you are opening ALL the channels and you want to do this with care. Especially if you are new to it.
1// Start simply. If you want to start safely, you can explore ecstatic states through something simple like chanting or ecstatic dance. Many cities have “Ecstatic Dance” communities and classes. Places with DJs and it’s sober and you just shake it out.
If you’re a yogi, chanting mantras in Kirtan could produce these states. You can seek a Bhakti yoga practice. Many cultures and religions have their own styles of song, and some may take you into ecstasy. Some not. When I used to go to the Agape Church in LA, their gospel choir had me in tears and I sang and danced til I lost myself.
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2// Explore your blocks. Because it can take years to release your default programming and open to the ecstasy available through song and dance, many people reach for a psychedelic or drug—because it offers a quick way in! But that also means it may have the most emotional, spiritual, and physical hangover, since you are literally stretching into an expanded state very quickly, flooding your body, and then snapping out fast.
You can micro dose different plant medicines if you want to go slowly. But beware; before you are granted ecstasy, you will likely first be shown any blocks you have to ecstasy! If you take MDMA, for instance, you may be opened quickly, but will likely be asked to deal with some spiritual and mystical pain the day after from that flood of chemicals and expansion, and the ensuing lack thereof.
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3// Ease in with meditation. It may take years before you get to ecstasy this way, but it will happen. Trust me! I’ve been meditating for 15 years and it happens often now. I feel like I am being made love to by an invisible force (consensual of course!) and it is amazing.
If you want to reach ecstatic states in meditation and not wait 10 years, you can try White Tantra or a Vipassana retreat. Both are in-depth practices and you’re likely to access ecstasy faster. But no guarantees of course!
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4// Get it on (consciously). If you establish trust, a deep connection, and emotional and physical safety, you can achieve insane ecstatic states with sex. Again though, if you open too fast, without a safe container and the spiritual and emotional components, you will suffer the repercussions. Chances are, you will feel depressed, anxious and shitty for days after. Perhaps you will feel guilt and shame as well.
Conscious BDSM is an amazing way into ecstasy in a safe space. Set the intention to open to the Divine before you begin. Japanese rope bondage and suspension work in particular has taken me to great heights of ecstasy, and I led two retreats last year that took women into that space for transcendence, ecstasy, and healing.
Pain can be a tried and true portal to ecstasy. Again, within a safe container, an intense consensual pain session with spanking or flogging or whipping or caning can produce deep and ecstatic bliss. Some religious sects also used pain as a portal to divine and ecstatic bliss. Light spankings are a safe place to start!
You can also start a self-pleasure practice that opens you to ecstasy. It will take time. Practice. A safe space so you can let go and scream and cry and release. At dinner the other night with my two besties, I was talking about my magical rose quartz wand and the orgasmic bliss I have with it, and their jaws dropped. It’s profound!
Japanese “Shibari” rope bondage
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5// Remember that integration is KEY. Integration means the time you take in between practices to process, rest, release, and allow your system to recalibrate. If you mix drugs and sex and pain and all of it you may go into wild ecstasy, but have a “WTF did I just do?!” the next day, feeling like you got hit by a train.
Unless you have stretched yourself internally to hold some levels of ecstasy over time, you will fuck with yourself psychologically, spiritually, emotionally and physically if you rush things. Seriously. I’ve learned this the hard way.
If you don’t have the skills or tools to integrate ecstatic experience into your life, you can blow a fuse, go back to exactly where you were before, or contract even smaller. But if you integrate your experience fully, you can allow the ecstatic experience to expand you. And you can STAY expanded, therefore experiencing levels of ecstasy OFTEN.
Begin by simply noticing when you feel ECSTATIC and take note. Breathe it in. Don’t zip by. As you notice, your capacity will grow. As you practice, you will stretch into holding more.
Rest. Be gentle on you. You’re re-teaching your system that’s its safe to feel this good. After centuries of being told that IT IS NOT. Write. Journal. Take salt baths.
Start slowly, but be diligent and don’t give up on finding this KEY and GIFT to your human system!!
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Stay tuned for more Holy F*ck from Alexandra. Over the next few months, she will be interviewing women who learned how to access deep healing and ecstatic states during her yearlong program. Learn more about Alexandra and her work HERE.
Intensified by powerhouse Pluto, the 2018 Libra New Moon wants us to sit with challenging emotions, tend to deep-rooted wounds, and embrace release through conscious healing, says Sandy Sitron …
New Moon :: October 8, 2018 :: 11:47 pm ET :: 15 degrees Libra
A droplet of rain rolls slowly off a leaf and lands in the shadows below. The sun comes out and the leaf quickly dries. But the water that has pooled in the shadows remains.
The symbolism reads: just become a tiny puddle. Find your spot in the shade and wait. While you’re there, feel your feelings and heal.
This New Moon is in the sign of balance, and the Moon and Sun are making a square to Pluto, the planet that symbolizes grief, loss, letting go, healing the past, and rebirth. This is an emotional New Moon, but in air sign Libra, it’s an intellectual time as well. Tending to your feelings will help you make room for new ideas.
Letting yourself go through the phases of grief will support your ability to speak your mind, say what your boundaries are, and communicate diplomatically with those who have different viewpoints. This air sign New Moon can help you verbalize and communicate your emotions.
Because this is a New Moon, it’s a time of germination. A chance to plan the future. While you’re resting in your emotional puddle, tucked away in the shadows— pinpoint what you want. What are your intentions for fairness, harmony, balance, healthy relationships, and open communication?
The balance that is developing will feel like fresh air after a thunderstorm. But the first step is to slow down and sit quietly with what you’re feeling.
Remember that somewhere along the way, it’s important to face challenging emotions. The Plutonian wound is festering. This New Moon invites us to perform a sacred purge. The only way to move past this moment in history is to push right through. We must sit with the wounds. Let the emotions move. Let the emotions flow. Release. Burn it up. It will take time. This is a cathartic process of healthy release.
Heavy healing. We don’t always want to do it. But here we are, working with personal and collective wounds to move through and come out the other side. Pluto’s symbols are the Phoenix rising out of the ashes, the butterfly coming out of the cocoon and the snake shedding its skin. We can move through this phase with the resilience of a Phoenix, the grace of a butterfly, and the wisdom of a snake. The cycles continue and change is wonderful.
The heaviness of this moment will soon funnel into action and activism because of an upcoming t-square between Uranus (change), Mercury (clarity), and the North Node (purpose). So don’t worry, we won’t be sitting in the emotional muck for ever. But sitting here for now can help
Heal as deeply and powerfully as you can. Put your conscious attention on it. Ponder the parts of you that are triggered and asking for support. What kind of support do you need to rally, so that your inner child feels safe? Imagine your healing happening on a cellular level.
As this is an intention setting time, keep part of your vision trained on what you are creating. Mark some intentions. Visualize what you want to see when the healing is complete.
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New Moon Trine Mars A fire ball. An important part of this New Moon story is the energizing jolt that comes through its trine to Mars. Drive, enthusiasm, motivation. Where does this energy want to go? Let it help you integrate your healing and impassion your speech. Having energy can help you feel that you can get through whatever needs to be done. This aspect offers a dose of spirit.
New Moon square Pluto Sharpening a stick until it becomes a spear. Getting yourself to sit down and do the work of emotional healing may be a challenge. The Moon and Pluto are square, which is an aspect that requires practice before it can be mastered. Repetitive, steady effort is required. Keep chipping away and soon the stick transforms. Eventually, you’ll break through into a new shape. Look at whatever is happening in your life and notice where persistence may be the answer.
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Use the below journal questions to help you set intentions the 2018 Libra New Moon. Look for the house containing 15 degrees Libra in your chart for the most accurate insights. Don’t know your chart? You can enter your birth details HERE to calculate it for free.
Aries // Aries Rising // New Moon in the 7th house “My most healing relationships allow me to …”
Taurus // Taurus Rising // New Moon in the 6th house “I feel most joyfully productive when I …”
Gemini // Gemini Rising // New Moon in the 5th house “I am falling in love with …”
Cancer // Cancer Rising // New Moon in the 4th house “Truly caring for my self means …”
Leo // Leo Rising // New Moon in the 3rd house “I can’t stop myself getting excited about …”
Virgo // Virgo Rising // New Moon in the 2nd house “I understand my value in the world when I …”
Libra // Libra Rising // New Moon in the 1st house “My confidence gets a boost whenever I …”
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising // New Moon in the 12th house “I am taking the steps to seek closure with …”
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising // New Moon in the 11th house “When I rise above the small stuff I see …”
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising // New Moon in the 10th house “I feel most confident in my abilities when I …”
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising // New Moon in the 9th house “My next big adventure will be …”
Pisces // Pisces Rising // New Moon in the 8th house “A deeper level of intimacy requires me to …”
Get this week’s astro symbol for your sign with Sandy Sitron’s Numinous Weekly Horoscopes …
Photo: Toby Wong
Libra // Libra Rising A sundial. Get to where you want to go by being logical. Find a way to measure your progress. You don’t have to get bogged down by the details, but you do need to look at the facts. A sundial is a simple way to measure time. What are simple ways to measure your effort and your success? Take stock so that you can move forward more effectively.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio // Scorpio Rising Making a nest. Go inward. It’s time to take a time-out. You could probably use a nap. Take a nap, but when you wake up, don’t run right back into the fray. You’ll find that you’re running on empty. Slow way down. Nap, read, journal, meditate. Just sit. Sit with all of the feelings. When you plug back into your normal life you’ll find that you have much more energy.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Sagittarius // Sagittarius Rising Spoonfuls of medicine. Give yourself your daily dose of positive thoughts. The medicine in the symbol represents a visionary thought. A magical thought that can change your reality. Use your mental power to create a wonderful world for yourself. What is your vision? Feed yourself the mental medicine every day.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn // Capricorn Rising Horseshoes. The superstition states that it’s lucky to hang a horseshoe over a door. Iron is deemed magical because it can withstand fire. What is like iron in your life? How is your discipline? What are your boundaries? All of these strong structures will bring you luck. They will help you minimize effort and maximize results.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius // Aquarius Rising Sewing clumsy stitches. At this moment it’s not so much about technique. Think of whatever is coming up in your life right now as your first draft. Piece together a pattern for a new outfit and try it on for size. After you’re sure you love it, you can make adjustments and then finalize your plan.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces // Pisces Rising Journeying to new lands. What happens when you let go and move on? Possibilities open up. Letting go doesn’t have to be extreme– you don’t have to make big changes. But start with forgiveness. By forgiving yourself and others you open up space for prosperity. Set intentions to forgive.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Aries // Aries Rising A match flame. When you spark, you become visible. The light becomes a beacon and you attract the moths. Light yourself up and notice who begins to orbit around your flame. There’s a chance for relationships and partnerships to become more defined. Begin the process by knowing yourself.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus // Taurus Rising Jumping on a pogo stick. It’s time to focus on your health and wellness. When it comes to taking care of yourself, get into a rhythm. Balance and moderation are key. If you can make it fun, you’ll be able to maintain positive habits. How do you make it fun? Think about what you loved as a kid. Encourage yourself without criticism. You’ll find that with the right mindset, fun comes easily.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini // Gemini Rising Flying close to the Sun. It’s time to get close to the Sun and experience success. Examine any fears that may linger around success. Icarus was instructed that flying close to the Sun was dangerous. But what’s been erased from the myth is that flying too close to the sea was dangerous too. We’re taught that success is more dangerous than failure. Is that the story you want to believe?
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer // Cancer Rising Feather beds. Comfort is important. When you are comfortable, you feel secure. Can you let yourself sink in to the metaphorical feather bed? Can you train yourself in relaxation? Survival instinct keeps us on our toes. Comfort opens up space for creativity. It’s a mindset more than anything else. Allow yourself to feel cozy, expansion will follow.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Leo // Leo Rising A canary flies. The freedom that birds represent is profound. What if you could just jump up and fly out the window? How would your life seem different if you could do that? The message for now is to free yourself from old ways of thinking and get fresh perspective. The birds-eye view will open up new possibilities.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo // Virgo Rising An umbrella shelters from most weather. You can’t plan for everything, but you can definitely be prepared. There are some practical things you can do right now to help yourself feel more secure and grounded. Do those things first. Don’t put them off any longer. Taking care of business will help you expand your sense of self-worth.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandyhere or follow her on Instagram.
Growing up British but with her family history in Mauritius, it was reconnecting to her Hoodoo roots that helped Stephanie Victoire finally feel at home …
My grandmother always said that bad luck could never follow you across water, the oceans would purify you anew. That the ocean could take away spirits who wanted to join you for the ride, and you’d land on the other side of water, cleansed and blessed.
Flying every few months back and forth from England to Mauritius as a child, I was always set to start anew. On hot tarmac I’d step with tiny feet in jelly sandals, my hand in my Nana’s, and my English tongue would immediately be lost, Creole nestling itself into my small canon of words. Crossing the Indian Ocean back, somewhere over the Sahara desert I’d leave that language behind again, which at the time had no dictionary—no official place in the world. And, just like that, I’d become English again.
I acquired a nickname with my Mauritian relatives: Ti Anglaise, “Little English One.” With English-born island friends at school, we’d laugh that I was a “coconut”—brown on the outside, white on the inside. But I also remember how confused and disconnected from myself this made me feel. I was two different things, rather than one whole. I was being mocked for my Englishness, while being called out as somebody who looked like she had roots elsewhere, but was actually clueless as to what they were. From a very young age, I had no idea who or what I was—something I would grapple with well into my adult years.
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My parents are both Mauritian, my mother white with green eyes, my father dark-skinned with brown eyes. It was hard to explain to people that I wasn’t ‘mixed-raced’ as they classed me. The simple fact was, the French somewhere in our lineage had milked our tea-colored skin and heavily creamed my mother’s. I wanted to look like her, to be her child in the eyes of strangers as we walked down the street together.
But there’s no denying I was birthed of my grandmother’s line. Even though her skin is also pale—more European-looking than Mauritian—there’s no question that she is Creole. It’s a glint in her eye as she bites into her chilies, the way she fries up salt-fish, kneads flour for roti. Her Creole is in her accent; thick, warm, and wise. She is full of phrases and double-entendres that only hold meaning in the language they were first created in. There is magick in everything she does and says, in the way she speaks to God under her breath.
Mauritius humbly hosts a multi-religious population. A Hindu temple is built next to an Islamic mosque that’s built next to a church. Be them Hindu, Muslim or Catholic, all will tell you that they are Mauritian. I learned very early on that I was not Indian-Mauritian or Chinese-Mauritian, or of any other Asian heritage. We were Creole people, descendants of African slaves, the first people to inhabit the island when it was colonized. We had grown with the sugar cane fields from the ground up, with the papaya and lychee trees. We were the ones who sang sega songs to feel some small piece of freedom in our voices, beating our cries into the Ravanne drum.
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I was sent to Catholic school in London, with my very English packed-lunch of ham sandwiches, crisps and yoghurt. But Mauritian Catholics are not exclusively Catholic. Sure, they feel connected to saints and enjoy the ritual of prayer and church service—but they also believe in hexes, ghosts, omens and witchcraft. And I had all this knowledge with me, too.
But I had no translation for what I witnessed growing up, playing in the tropical gardens of my Mauritian kin: the incessant sweeping, the lighting of candles at the mini mausoleums, which to an outsider seemed like a prayer space. I did not know back then that these shrines were for keeping the garden protector spirit, Gardien Lakour, appeased, with offerings and prayers in exchange for keeping ‘evil’ spirits away from the house.
I also learned that if you sweep a bachelorette’s feet with a balyé—a makeshift broom traditionally made of twigs and vegetable matter—the single lady will never be married. If you throw salt under the chair on which an unwanted guest is sat, they will not return to your home; another handful on the doorstep after they leave will ensure they’ll never darken your door or your life again. If I had a rupee for every time I heard such superstitions from my grandmother, I’d have enough to buy myself a villa on the beautiful Northeast coast. Except these were not superstitions but traditions, brought from Africa, the same way they arrived in Haiti or New Orleans or anywhere else the magick found itself.
Stephanie with her grandmother, Giselle, in Mauritius
Rebelling against everything I was taught in my teens, I left my ‘Mauritianess’ alone, confused about whether I’d really had it anyway, and certain I didn’t want to be Catholic. But after a brief spiritual hiatus, witchcraft found me. Just as Mauritius is a patchwork of different nations and different religions, I developed my own blend of spiritual truths, mixing in Pagan, Hermetic, Native American, and Eastern ideas and practices. Along the way, I’ve worked on healing my confusion around my identity. But I’ve still never felt fully in my skin—more one with the cosmos than with life here on Mother Earth.
Mother. The very word can knock me unsteady, see me crying on my knees. I’ve wanted so much to feel I belong here, I’ve dug my hands into cold, loose soil just to see if I could feel a heartbeat. I’ve travelled the world to try to make the whole planet my home. And it was during a trip to New Orleans last summer, I discovered there was something I’d overlooked.
The Creole words, the Creole faces. Similar to those of my family’s island, but not quite, still I was asked to explore it. I felt it in puddles of rum, the worn wooden doors, the whispers of ghosts. Something was being recalled in my blood, and I warmed to the sensation of ancestral spirits drawing close. It was powerful and overwhelming, a feeling that I was being called back to something I’d find depth and beauty in—the depth and beauty of where I truly came from, that was the makeup of me.
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I started to read books on Hoodoo, and as I read through conjures and fixings, I heard these stories in my grandmother’s voice. Because of course there was Hoodoo in Mauritius. We had come from the same place as the Creoles of New Orleans. Brought our magick down generations with the teachings of the tongue, the ways of the elders, and my grandmother was no different. Old tales told under the moon on a balmy island night; the properties of herbs explained in the kitchen; candles lit for prayers; curses broken with salt, heart and will.
She is a witch, a priestess; a spirit woman, just as I am growing to be. As I recovered memories of the magick in my family, something in me shifted. I had found the roots I was looking for. I stepped further into my power, shedding from myself a fragmented identity, and in its place claiming one that feels like the entire Universe itself. Each star, each planet, each galaxy is a piece of me—a complex and powerful harmony I can feel as I walk the land of this great mother we call Earth.
All of it is mine to belong to, and all of it is me. This magick that Mauritius possesses so quietly finds its voice in me. A witch, a priestess and a spirit woman. This has been my birthright to claim all along. I feel blessed to have been born in England, to speak a language that can share with the world the stories I have stored in my Creole blood. I will tell them with pride.
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Stephanie Victoire is a London-based writer and author. You can discover more of her writing HERE, and follow her on Instagram @petalandmossapothecary for more about her HEALING WORK.
