The Akashic Records card is a divine reminder of our free will. And it’s here to remind us that we don’t have to be slaves to tradition, says Lindsay Mack in her latest weekly tarotscope…
Get more wisdom from Lindsay at Lindsaymack.com, and sign up for Moon Club for ways to work your spiritual tools in your life.
In her final Holy F*ck column of 2016, Alexandra Roxo has 5 ways to jumpstart your love and sex life in 2017…Portrait: Alexandra Herstik
2016 has been a wild year for the planet and for America. For me it’s been a year of change and growth and reshuffling and purging and mourning and planting seeds and learning. I also hadn’t been single in 10 years, and have spent this one being VERY single. I’ve used this time to have a giant rethink of ALL my ideas, values, and beliefs about love and sex.
I’ve done some dating, sure, but I put the brakes on things in the name of some deep diving and learning and observing of myself and my clients, which is hard for a Piscean princess who loves to dive into romance. My birthday is just days from Anais Nin (if that means anything to you you’re prob my tribe!).
Last week, in search of my culminating thoughts about love and sex and spirit for the end of this year, I called my friend Gala Darling, whose latest love story is one of my faves! After a divorce, Gala met her adorable boyfriend online a little over a year ago and I’d been swooning over them via Insta for a while. I wanted to hear the dirt…Did she believe in soul mates? Manifesting the man of your dreams with spells and rituals? Making a list of important things in love and meditating on them? I had a lot of questions for her.
Gala said many things but what stuck out the most was: “Relationships are not meant to be easy. Marriage is not easy. They are not meant to be comfortable. They are meant to push you to see things about yourself that are not actualized. Having a soul mate is not a party!” This sentiment is way too overlooked in the twin flame/soul mate discourse. Where’s the footer that says “Hey BTW this shit hurts”?
She also reminded me that there is no certainty. Like ever. In marriage. In relationships. In any of it. People who are single think “Oh when will I meet that special someone?” And then people who are in partnership may be asking “Is this right? Is it supposed to hurt this much? Be this hard? Do I still love them?” There is no certainty but our devotion to ourselves, and our practice of keeping aligned with our heart’s needs.
So in order to do just that I’ve prepared some writing exercises for this column, to help you too rethink/ rewrite / jumpstart your love and sex life in 2017…
So get out your journal. Put on a kimono. Or silk PJ’s. Select some quiet tunes. Burn some incense. Make yourself a cozy nest. I rec bed surrounded by blankets and pillows and some rose tea and a few candles.
We all make these grand lists of what we want in a partnership and we often forget that the human we imagine coming into our life will also be flawed. Just like us! Do you have some list you’ve been working on for years? Fantasies in your mind about how your partner should or shouldn’t be? This can change as you grow so def revisit every six months. So use this time to make a list of HARD YES’s and HARD NO’s, and to really meditate on them.
Ask yourself big questions like: “Could you be with someone who doesn’t believe in God? Or do you absolutely need to be with someone who wants kids?”
Do you have people in your life you have let see the whole spectrum of your madness and beauty? Your most ugly side and your most beautiful? I believe all the people who can hold all of us and push us to our edges are our soul mates. If you’ve never let your darkness come out with anyone I say deepen a friendship with someone who you can do that with. Not in an abusive way, but in a way where the connection can go deep under the surface. That will get you ready for partnership, and if you’re partnered it will keep you deep diving into yourself.
My friend Rebecca and I really did NOT like each other when we met. I thought she was a dirty hippie and she thought I was a stuck up goodie two shoes. 15 years later we are best friends. During that time we’ve hated each other. Not spoken for a year. Had the most heinous of fights. But had the most enlightening and fun and hilarious moments together too. She knows me in a way no one else can. Our love is as deep as the ocean.
Ask yourself: “Who are my soul mates now? Who has pushed me to the edges and helped me grow? What can I learn from these relationships about myself?”
If you haven’t dated in a while, will you commit to a dating practice? Perhaps you and a friend can buddy up, open an online account, make a ritual of creating your profile (which Gala says is “like casting a spell!”) Practice connecting with strangers in a non-attached way. Go on coffee dates with no agenda except chatting with a stranger. Maybe 1 out of 10 will be someone you’re actually attracted to, so keep it chill. No expectations. Treat it like a morning yoga practice!
If you’re in a relationship commit to a growth practice. Is it seeing a relationship coach once a month to make sure you are growing? Does your sex life need a reboot? Can you commit to an afternoon every other week of sexual exploration time to keep expanding there? If your relationship has become too dependent can you commit to developing and nurturing solo space?
Decide what practice you want to commit to in 2017 and break it down over the months and weeks.
How do you like to be loved? (If you need some inspo you can do the 5 Languages of Love quiz.) I know I mostly need to be loved with touch and kind words, and if I feel I can communicate that to my next partner they don’t waste their time buying me gifts or giving me rides or cooking for me. I told Loulou (one of my besties) about this, and now we know that we both highly value a solid compliment we pay each other loving compliments regularly! It just takes knowing and asking.
Make a list of ways you like to be loved, either within a partnership or solo. Do you need more touch? Schedule a weekly massage or trade with a friend.
Don’t make me quote Michael but um…he had a point! If you were a potential partner meeting yourself for the first time what would you think? What would you want more of? Less of? This is good to look at whether you’re single or attached. Would you prefer someone who is more available? Someone who is more financially stable? Someone in better shape? Someone who meditates daily? Well, this is a great way to see where you need to make changes on yourself.
For example, I was thinking I would just love a partner who can chop wood—so fuck it, I guess I’ll learn to chop wood in 2017 too! You can also be the partner you want to your friends. I mean, don’t make out with them passionately or anything (unless that’s how you roll!) but love your friends like you wanna be loved. Cook for them. Write cute notes. Romance your friends and yourself!
Set some goals for how you can become the best partner and self and friend.
***
If you want to go deeper with this work sign up for my Holy F*ck course where we will be using creative writing and storytelling to dive deep into our habits, tendencies, hopes and dreams in love and sex in a conscious way. I also see clients one on one for six month periods of mentorship and on off coaching sessions. More info here.
Alexandra Roxo is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, writer, entrepreneur and mentor currently residing in LA. She recently co-founded Moon Club with Ruby Warrington (founder of the Numinous) and has been featured in Well + Good, Nylon, Out Magazine and more.
When the only altar you’re bowing to is busyness, your soul wants you to unplug says Folk Rebellion founder Jess Davis. If not now, then when?
Do you arrive at your bed each night wondering how you got there? Has your life become an endless sea of “Oh CRAP! I have to do ______” moments, and blips and beeps that leave your phone feeling like Grand Central Station? Raise your hand if you’ve been bowing down at the oh-so-exhausting altar of busyness.
Now, I can’t see head-nods because you’re reading this on a screen somewhere else in the world. The Internet is an AMAZING invention that allows me to share ideas with you by simply clicking a button. But the idea I want to share with you right now, is in order to profoundly connect with each other, we must use boundaries and rituals to balance our life both on and offline.
As a formerly plugged-in digital strategist and brand consultant, I learned this the hard way. After over 10 years of helping clients discover their digital voices, I found that I had lost track of real-life connection to my own higher Voice. To ensure you don’t end up burnt out and zombie-eyed like I did, let’s identify some warning signs that your soul wants you to unplug:
If you found yourself nodding along to many of these, it may be time for a reset. You can plan your own unplugged mini-retreat, or go all the way and join me on Folk Rebellion’s Digital Detox Under the Aurora Borealis this February 17-24th in Northern Canada, where we’ll teach you how to better manage your technology, so it doesn’t manage you. PLUS, Numinous readers get $250 off using the code NUMINOUS (caps sensitive) at checkout. Together, we’ll build igloos, ooh and ahh under the Northern Lights from viewing decks and tipis, make friends over fireside chats, and reconnect to the world, each other, nature, and ourselves.
Folk Rebellion is a media-concept-meets-retail-outfit launched by Jess Davis in 2014. Through Folk Rebellion’s content, events, and products, Jess champions a return to the offline, personal interactions we’ve lost since the dawn of the smartphone.
Capricorn season brings the sweet satisfaction of a sumptuous, slow, climb to the top, say Cara George & Bess Matassa of Mojave Rising…
Capricorn season sends us straight into the blizzard as we snowshoe towards an unshakeable trust in our sumptuous self-sufficiency. The zodiac’s alpine survival school reveals that the striving and the staying with can be just as succulent as the arriving, and that there is incredible sweetness encased inside enormous difficulty.
So lay out your finest faux fur-lined vests and diamond-encrusted ice picks as you get ready for the slow, delicious uphill climb. And know that you can bear the weight of this world and brave your body against the bedrock like the majestic mountaineer you already are.
While you can’t always get what you want, the things worth wanting are worth waiting and working for. Your ability to hold on and hold out brings with it the invaluable gift of sticking around just a little bit longer to put another notch in your lipstick case. Just when you thought your chance had passed.
***
The keyword: Majesty.
The song lyrics: “Oh your road is dark/And there’s a thin, thin line/But I want you to know/I’d walk it for you anytime/So if you’re lookin’ for love/Honey, I’m tougher than the rest”—Bruce Springsteen, “Tougher than the Rest.”
Check out our Capricorn season playlist, complete with stately songstresses, rugged rhythms, and structured vogue-ing.
The color palette: Old Hollywood hues fit for a self-sufficient starlet. Carmine red, jade green, aubergine, and ivory.
The style: Marlene Dietrich meets après ski. Smoking jackets, high-waisted trousers, shearling, silk dressing gowns, fine tailoring, and floor-length faux-fur coats.
The scents and flavors: Mature, expensive, and lavishly timeless. Chanel No. 5, cave-aged cheese, dark chocolate, cigars, and Frankincense oil.
The healing: Luxe treatments and regally rugged empire building. Entrepreneurial courses, wilderness survival schools, fencing lessons, ice baths, elaborate manicures, the slow precision of acupuncture, and high-end spa days fit for a queen.
Want more juicy cosmic insights and sensory explorations? Arrange an astrology reading or private event with Mojave Rising here or follow them on Instagram.
***
Sensuous Invitation of the Month: Boss Ladies In the Boudoir (by sign, below). With Mercury retrograde passing between Capricorn and Sagittarius, Uranus stationing direct in Aries, and Venus entering Pisces, Capricorn season 2016 brings a month for balancing between ski-lodge preparations and full-on mountain moving.
This Capricorn season presents us with a 24-karat opportunity to discover the potency of solitude as we retire to our dressing rooms and revel in the richness of our own resources. In an opulent boudoir selected from the iconic Madonna Inn’s palatial suites, each sign can channel its own brand of boss lady who’s equal parts badass survivor and high-end hedonist.
Aries
Capricorn season invites you to savor slowness and trust that your actions can unfold in their own sweet time. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Bette Davis chooses the Lucky Rock room’s Vegas meets Graceland bachelor stylings, and savors a slow and steady sink into a scrumptious bubble bath.
Taurus
Capricorn season invites you to engage in a little mountaineering as you leave the shelter of your cabin without having to lose any feeling of security. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Penélope Cruz gathers kindling on the grounds and then settles into the wall-to-weather leather couch in front of the Pick & Shovel room’s rustic fireplace.
Gemini
Capricorn season invites you to sample a flavor of maturity that feels potent rather than patriarchal. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Laverne Cox sips after-dinner liquor amidst the patchwork collage of the What’s Left room.
Cancer
Capricorn season invites you to structure your flow as you infuse your rich emotional life with a cooler perspective. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Frida Kahlo precisely applies eyeliner in front of the privately shell-like Vous room’s vanity.
Leo
Capricorn season invites you to sweep your regal, pink mane into a delicious updo as you sample the sexiness that comes from a little restraint. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Betsey Johnson relishes the lavish bubblegum and pink rose explosions of The Madonna Suite as she straps herself into a lace corset.
Virgo
Capricorn season invites you to experiment with some risky muscle building as you step into the gifts of badass solitude with both curiosity and self-containment. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Amy Poehler carefully selects the Desert Sands room for its subtly shifting, gold-tinted earth tones, and textured floor, and then dances it out alone and proud.
Libra
Capricorn season invites you to seize control and speak from your fierceness, even when you risk challenging your established image. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Annie Leibovitz shares a lusty glance in the Inn’s lobby and then precedes immediately to the idyllic, lavender romance of the Paris Violets room to consummate the affair.
Scorpio
Capricorn season invites you to harness your penchant for power moves in a publically facing way as you bring hidden impulses to the surface. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Hillary Rodham Clinton goes straight for the black lacquer and red carpet of the Crystal Room and strips down with an Indian clay face mask that brings her back to her essence.
Sagittarius
Capricorn season invites you to corral your ponies as you delight in the process of preparation while awaiting your next adventure. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Nicki Minaj carefully applies a new coat of nail polish, lays out her party outfit, and channels future journeys by mounting the Pony Room’s carousel horse
Capricorn
Capricorn season invites you to settle in and look upon your kingdom from a secure position of creative competence. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Dolly Parton slips into satin loungewear and orders decadent room service in the Starlite room’s sophisticated seclusion, and then retires to her private outdoor balcony and surveys her estate.
Aquarius
Capricorn season invites you to land your experimental visions on solid ground as you step out of the space shuttle and into the boardroom. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Amal Clooney celebrates the electricity of her innovations in the lofted, high-flying Sky Room and then steadies herself with an ensuite massage.
Pisces
Capricorn season invites you to experiment with the liberatory elements of limitation as you choose to check in rather than check out from challenge. Boss Lady in the Boudoir: Anais Nin discovers the golden cherubs and fairytale staircase of the Just Heaven room, and takes on the challenge of an early morning wake-up call with bold espresso and an invigoratingly cool shower.
Want more juicy cosmic insights and sensory explorations? Arrange an astrology reading or private event with Mojave Rising here or follow them on Instagram.
Imagine if Mercury retrograde was actually here to help? Here are 5 ways to make Mercury retrograde work for you.
Mercury retrograde gets a lot of bad press. In fact it’s kind of become like the “gluten” of the Cosmic calendar—we’ve been taught we’re all allergic and that the symptoms, as my friend Michael puts it, are basically a total “cluster flux.”
But what if Mercury retrograde was actually here to help?
I mean, how often to do you get things perfect first time around? How many people do you have “unfinished business” with? And how many situations have you pretty much given up on, assuming they’ll never get resolved?
Instead of counting down the days to the messenger planet’s next retro phase in a state of alternating panic and dread—how about you make Mercury retrograde work for you, and use it to shine a light on the areas of my life that are due for a do-over.
Okay, maybe it’s not the best idea to go hunting down the ex who totally sapped you of your self-esteem and left you feeling like an empty shell—some things definitely are best left in the past. The trick is to trust that anything it’s in your best interest to revisit will present itself to you.
As the brilliant Astro Twins always put it; “Think of the prefix “re-” as a guide for a smoother Mercury retrograde: rethink, redecorate, revise, research, reunite…and so on.”
Read on for five ways to take their advice and make Mercury retrograde work for you…
Revise a passion project
Got a blog idea, or half-finished novel sitting in a folder on your overcrowded desktop? Now’s the time to dust that puppy off and make the necessary tweaks to fine-tune your vision. Just hold off on launching your project until the retro phase has passed.
Revisit a favorite workout
If you’re stuck in a workout rut (THIS spin class because it’s convenient, that particular run on autopilot) and feeling unmotivated as a result, cast your mind back to the last time you felt really inspired by your exercise regime. Revisiting a favorite instructor or YouTube workout could re-inspire you to get your sweat on.
Reconnect with the people you love
Life gets busy, and it’s oh-so-easy for weeks (hell, months) to go by without so much as a text exchange with the people you actually hold most dear. Take the Mercury retro phase as your cue to write those email and make those calls. Your heart will be so happy you made the effort.
Realize you can’t just erase your past
That niggling health issue you kinda just put a “band-aid” on hoping it would clear up by itself? That friendship you let fall by the wayside rather than have the “honest talk” you need to clear the air? The emotional trauma you stuffed in the closet, but that’s haunting your dreams at night? Now is the time to do the deeper work to address these once and for all, and emerge from the Mercury retro phase feeling lighter and god-to-go.
Revamp your actual closet
No shopping (and especially not online, as Mercury retro will probably mean techno fails and “RE”funds), but rather a re-evaluation of the contents of your closet. Use this post on the art of the psychic closet clear out for some tips, and once you’ve got rid of what’s not working you’ll be able to see what’s missing and THEN hit the stores to re-stock.
So there you have it—five ways to make Mercury retrograde work for you, and come out the other side a shinier, happier person to boot!
Was this article useful? Moon Club is a new monthly mentoring program from The Numinous and Alexandra Roxo that combines astrology with real time coaching on love, sex, work, wellness, and spiritual activism. Read more and sign-up here.
A symbolic reading for the week ahead, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology…
Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
Peering through a crystal magnifying glass. Analyze your relationship to money, self-worth and security. This analysis will take you down a conceptual path that will lead you to the true nature of reality. The crystal magnifying glass symbolizes that you are determined to make some progress and be organized about your approach. You’ve got to know that you are worthy. You’ve got to really see your true worth. This idea, in it’s essence, will solve all of your problems. It will give you basic security. Is worth something that you think you have to prove to yourself? If it is, how will you do that? How do you measure your worth? Or maybe you have determined that you are worthy just as you are. If so, congratulations. That is the road to peace and abundance. Just keep reminding yourself of it. Keep peering through the magnifying glass at your true, inherent worth. It is there in it’s infinite perfection.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
Petting a horse’s face. You are ready to leap forward and take on the world. Notice that it is important to nurture yourself in the process. You must be gentle with yourself. You must shine love on yourself. Love yourself the most. This combination of ambition and gentleness will prove to be unstoppable. Regarding which area of your life do you need to speak to yourself more kindly? Where are you being hard on yourself? It’s a mistake to believe that you need to be hard on yourself in order to be successful. At the end of the week, it may be time to shake up some old feelings around family or home. Core beliefs are ready to shift. You’ll feel supported enough to make foundational changes.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
Jumping and playing in a pile of leaves. There is a sense of exhilaration in this moment. And there is also a sense of going over the edge. Is that idea scary? Or is it freeing? What happens if you jump in the pile of leaves and then disappear down the hidden rabbit hole into Wonderland? Who is in control then? In this moment, you have so much power in your creativity and in your ability to connect with your emotions and intuition. The only thing that could possibly get in your way is your ego. You might have to let everything go so that you can grow. Your horoscope this week suggests that you should follow your pure joy. Don’t try to control where it takes you.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces :: Pisces Rising
Homemade lasagne. Receiving nourishment from the ultimate comfort food. Your astrological focus this week is on social progress. Such a simple symbol (comfort food) for such a heavy theme (the future of human evolution.) What can it mean? It means that change starts with you. Your well-being. Your healing. Your internal stability. Really dig into this idea. You are linked into a web of people, and your vibration affects and is affected by everyone else’s. It’s up to you to learn how to hold the higher vibration of compassion so that you are part of the solution and not the problem. This requires a high level of awareness that can only come from true self-care. Meditation is your action step to get there.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aries :: Aries Rising
Pounding clay into shapes. Molding. Forming. Building. What does it mean to “author your life?” You are the authority. You are the sculptor. There may be extra pressure right now to be successful or ambitious in your career. It could be that things start to come together and it’s easier to see what you have accomplished in your work.This is an optimal time to focus on what you are building. Keep pounding away at the clay. Make sure you are planning and designing as well. Your work should be in complete alignment with who you are. If that idea is overwhelming or seems impossible, it’s time to go back to that statement about being the “author of your life.” Think about your stories for why you can’t have alignment. Challenge them. Make sure that you are building something that matches your vision.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus :: Taurus Rising
An elephant lifting it’s trunk. The elephant is one of the best protectors of the spirit animal realm. When she comes into the picture, she’s probably there because she’s got your back. And then, there’s some jubilance in her gesture when she lifts her trunk. Feel supported and jubilant. With this powerhouse at your back, how far can you go? It’s time to expand and reach for a better philosophy. You are ready to install a new operating system. You are doing so because this ain’t no time to be stagnant. Here’s the summary: Know that you are supported. Get excited. Actively seek out higher wisdom that will support further growth.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini :: Gemini Rising
Hugging a skunk. This is your time to get close to what frightens you. And then move past it. You may be so used to your limitations that they provide false comfort. No more. You are ready to burn them all up. How? Start turning over the stones in your psyche to see what lies underneath. Whenever you get triggered or feel yourself compulsively reaching for something, bravely ask yourself what lies underneath that habitual reaction. Make space for the emotions that reveal themselves, even if they don’t feel fun. It’s time to hold the unseemly, messy emotions close to your heart and get very friendly with them. It’s time to make your way through the stages of grief until you arrive at acceptance.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer :: Cancer Rising
Many flowers opening at once. You are opening your abilities to love and create harmony. How does it feel to open? Is it a little bit vulnerable? Don’t be afraid of being vulnerable. The more vulnerable you are, the better your conversations will be. You’ve got nothing to lose. The old ways of self-protection won’t work anymore. You can’t stay tightly bound up in a flower bud. Your season has come. It’s time to connect. It’s time to open up to healthy relationships. You can be vulnerable and still be shielded from harm. The key is to know your boundaries. And to be able to honestly communicate them. In summary: now is the time to know yourself and open up to communication even when it’s hard.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Leo :: Leo Rising
In prayer at the top of the mountain. There is a sense here that you must get it right. Exactitude is your focus. Your astrology shows that you want to fine-tune your daily habits and become a productivity guru. This may be so, but your symbol suggests that you are seeking spiritual expansion as well. So maybe the way around is through. Use the present moment (the now) to bring you closer to spiritual truth by focusing on your breathing and your inner being. Make meditation and yoga your best friends. Mindfulness practices will allow you the focus that you seek.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo :: Virgo Rising
The penguin tends the egg. An embryo of creative potential needs careful tending. Your mission is to share your creative light. Even if it’s hard. Even if it’s messy. The penguin spirit animal reminds you that you are adaptive and that there is underlying order in chaos. Be creative. Find an outlet. You’ve got some part of your psyche that you are ready to share. Maybe it’s time for a little recognition too. Create a little chaos in your life by thrusting yourself out into the spotlight. It’s time to shine.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Libra :: Libra Rising
Going around the loop-de-loop in a roller coaster. You are ready for an upheaval. Move fast and turn yourself upside down. But. And. You’ve got to be supported while you do this. It’s no good to throw yourself into a spin if your wheels aren’t fastened tightly to the tracks. Or if your engine isn’t primed to keep you moving at the minimum speed necessary for centrifugal force to kick in. So you need support. Aka emotional security. And you need more speed. And you need to shake things up. Well, go on out there and get those needs met. Sometimes, we have to begin by simply asking for help. Get creative. There is always another solution. An innovation as darling as a roller coaster. It’s time for change.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
Walking down a slope into an underground chamber, while carrying a torch. As usual, you are going deep. The chamber you are entering is the chamber of the mind. How are your beliefs fueling your emotions and actions? It’s time for the connections to become clear. More awareness. More consciousness. In the symbol, you are carrying a torch. This means that a thought pattern is primed to become illuminated. Get ready because illumination isn’t always easy. Remember that old adage, ignorance is bliss? Well, illumination might be hard for a moment, but in the long run it’s way better than ignorance. Unconsciousness is a disaster. You are ready to get self-actualized, and the process of paying attention to your thought patterns will help.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Brand new sweats, getting sober curious in London, walking the human tightrope, and saying “goodbye 2016″…
:: MONDAY ::
Got interviewed by badass yogi Guru Jagat for her RaMa Radio show “Reality Riffing,” which was really kinda cool because usually I’m the one interviewing people! And luckily the moon was in Gemini and I was feeling extra chatty. We got through a bunch of stuff about spiritual activism, walking the wellness talk, and how “being in a human body feels like walking a tightrope right now” (her metaphor, but who isn’t feeling this one??). But guess what? Maybe the tightrope is the only way across the abyss. In which case, let’s keep calm, clear, centered, and never quit cheering each other on. You can listen to the full interview here.
:: TUESDAY ::
First virtual Full Moon ritual for our Moon Club members, and we had people attend from Belfast in Ireland, Toronto, London, Mexico, and all over the United States. YES, this community is global! Since this week’s Gemini Full Moon was the last full moon of 2016, it has felt like a good week to take stock of a year that has brought so many harsh lessons, so much anguish (the tightrope, remember?), and, as a result, such tremendous opportunity for growth. What have you been through this year, and who have you become? This was the theme of Alexandra Roxo’s moving guided meditation, in which we journeyed to meet the different “selves” of 2016, and ask for their lessons, and their blessings. Intrigued? New members can access a recording of the session via the private Moon Club Facebook group any time you sign up.
:: WEDNESDAY ::
Finalizing details for Club SÖDA NYC, the new name for my “sober curious” Club Soda events—which I am bringing to London on January 11 due to popular demand! And speaking of previous selves…when I left my home town five years ago for a new life in NYC, I was a full-on party girl, using alcohol and other drugs as a way to bridge the fulfillment gap (the abyss…?) that has since been bridged by creating The Numinous, and all the offshoot projects of this platform. London is also the kind of town where saying you don’t drink is often met with eye rolls and extreme pressure to “just have one,” followed by intense gossiping about how you must be a) in AA, or b) pregnant.
So to say I’m apprehensive about how my new attitude to booze will go down, is kind of an understatement. But it seems that even in the UK, the conversation is changing. Ever since I announced the launch of Club Soda on this side of the pond, I have received messages from Brits asking me to bring the events to the UK—”because we really need something like this.” Not to mention loads of newly sober (and sober curious) friends offering to help me stage a London event. Which means…it’s happening! Read more and get your ticket here.
:: THURSDAY ::
New sweatshirts, new sweatshirts! A couple of months back, Urban Yogis co-founder Eddie Stern approached me with the idea of creating a limited edition print of his Broome St. Temple tees (worn by people like, oh, Russell Brand and MADONNA). The Temple was Eddie’s iconic ashtanga studio in Soho, which he vacated earlier this year to set up the equally beautiful Brooklyn Yoga Club—the tees a riff on the logo for punk band The Ramones. Our version? Went went kinda glam with gold foil! As with our Chakra and Vinyasa shirts, a percentage of proceeds will go to the Urban Yogis, to help fund the amazing work they do bringing peace to marginalized communities in the city. You can check them out and shop the collection here.
:: FRIDAY ::
And speaking of Madonna, if you didn’t already then please, please watch her acceptance speech for the Billboard Woman of The Year award she collected this week. So many truths, such powerful vulnerability, and what a fearless statement about the need for true sisterhood. But above all a reminder, fitting in the final days of 2016, that: “in life there is no real safety, except self-belief.” The tightrope is real. You’d better believe.
The BE Hive is a unique space for spiritual exploration in the heart of Hollywood. Alexandra Roxo talks plant meds and conscious entrepreneurship with founder Tamara Edwards…
Part of mine and Ruby’s mission with Moon Club is to meet people who are killing it at business but with a foot on the ground and an eye on the cosmos. People whose work is also of service to humanity. Which led me to Tamara Edwards, founder of The BE Hive in LA, a new space that combines wellness and workshops with co-working space and even accommodation. I love it so much, I now work out of there twice a week!
I decided to ask Tamara about the why and the how behind the project, because I know first hand that creating a business from the ground up is so so much work! As such, us spiritual entrepreneurs absolutely have to stick together, share, and inspire each other, as we create a new paradigm around money, community, and work.
ALEXANDRA ROXO: What’s your background and what led you to this work?
TAMARA EDWARDS: I grew up in a meditating household. My dad is an M.D and a practicing Ayurvedic physician and learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1970’s, which allowed me to witness first-hand the transformational power of meditation from a very young age.
Over three years ago, my own practice led to me I founding The BE Society, a nomadic meditation group that gathers in myriad locations globally. And in 2016 I opened The BE Hive, an Urban Sanctuary in Hollywood, where groups and individuals can meditate, stay, and engage in other consciousness related activities and services. Now, alongside my career as a film producer, I travel internationally sharing meditation with private individuals, companies and even film crews.
AR: Oh dang. No wonder I like you. We both work in film and are conscious businesses owners. Amazing! So, how did the idea for the BE Hive come about?
TE: The idea came during a stay in a beautiful empty NY Soho loft. This particular space inspired the vision, but the concept was a natural evolution of The BE Society. The BE Hive is our sanctuary, a sustainable, eco-friendly sacred hub for practitioners to facilitate deep healing and share ancient knowledge and tools for expanding consciousness in a fresh way. There’s also a focus on plant medicine.
AR: What makes it different than other spots in LA?
TE: Blending hospitality, community and plant medicine healing has not been done like this before. Our current physical space is also the oldest building in Hollywood. We have 15 + rooms to play with. We are the only space in LA that provides accommodation with a strong intention for expanding consciousness, building community, creating deep connection, facilitating healing, and providing transformational tools.
AR: Why the plant medicine focus, and how does this fit with your other offerings?
TE: BE Hive is about expanding consciousness using all tools available—including yoga, meditation, tea, sound, food, science, design, space, movement and plants. I personally study plant medicine, and profound studies have been done over centuries on the power of plant teachers like Ayahuasca as facilitators in healing humans and creating harmony on this planet. Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda are also ancient and powerful technologies for enlightenment. I see all of these modalities as the master teachers. We are simply here to hold sustainable space for the knowledge to be shared and to blend them into a digestible format for the communities that gather here.
AR: Why is this kind of programming so important in these times?
TE: I believe this kind of healing is what our global family needs and is craving in order to deepen our connection to our souls and our planet. We curate specifically to address these needs. Each workshop leader is brought in intentionally because we have researched and experienced their work and feel guided to share their teachings. Each of these people are providing ancient concepts around nature, culture and gathering, in a fresh, accessible way. We are all about big visions that serve the planet!
AR: What’s in store for The BE Hive in 2017?
TE: We are taking everything to the next level. Expect solar powered energy, urban bee hives, rain barrels, a vertical garden, custom plant products, an amazing array of wellness services facilitated by the best practitioners around, and a new membership program.
AR: How can we go from learning about different spiritual practices to making real changes in the world?
TE: This requires PRACTICE! It’s such a blessing to receive teachings, insights, guidance, and epiphanies. However these things have no merit unless they are paired with intentional action. I ask myself daily—am I talking the talk, or am I walking the talk? How am I or am I not in integrity in this moment? Am I here now or am I here now-ish? 😉 As Gandhi said, the best thing we can do to see the change we wish to see in the world is to BE the change we wish to see in the world. Practice mastery of the self, and the action needed will come effortlessly.
AR: Do you have advice for female entrepreneurs? How did you get your start?
TE: My main advice to anybody is to meditate. Why? Meditation connects us to our soul, which enables us to access our intuition. Our intuition is our most advanced technology. It is our internal GPS system. It helps us to discover our purpose and to trust in ourselves. Being an entrepreneur is all about taking risks, following your gut, and taking leaps into the unknown. We have to learn how to trust ourselves and to continue trailblazing forward. Doubt is our roadblock.
QUICK FIRE Qs
What’s your sign? Capricorn in Western Astrology, Sagittarius in Vedic
Your mantra? I must do what I am afraid to do
Your fave food in LA? Paleo Bread with sprouted almond butter from Erewhon!
Your fave LA retreat or getaway? Sleeping in my friend’s Lotus Belle in Topanga
On December 25th 2016 Kitchari Kitchen sponsored by The BE Hive, Groundworks, & Sweat Theory will be feeding the homeless Christmas morning food and chai from 10am—12pm. Volunteers and donated gifts are welcome. Do discover more about upcoming workshops at The BE Hive visit Thebehive.us
The Gemini Full Moon brings an opportunity to upgrade your belief system to mirror your truths, says Sandra Sitron…PLUS in-depth Full Moon study questions for each sign.
Gemini Full Moon :: Tuesday December 13 2016 :: 7:06pm ET :: 22 degrees Gemini
Tend to your words. Make them your garden. Your words will nourish you and help you connect to your truth. If you don’t fail them, they won’t fail you. They will be the sacred fertilizer of your wisest moves.
The Gemini Full Moon will raise questions of integrity. Who do you say that you are? How do you use your words? Do you speak carefully, judiciously selecting which thoughts you will bring to life with language? Or are you unfiltered? This Moon will help us orient ourselves to the truth within, and give a microphone to the voice of wisdom. Because of the nature of any Full Moon, this time can also show us how our use of words can go disastrously wrong.
So mean what you say, and say what you mean.
Have you ever had a conversation take you down a wrong track, so that you end up saying things that left you worse off than if you had never said anything? These moments create opportunities to notice patterns. Pay close attention to you emotions as you speak or write. See how your words can change how you feel? Notice the patterns in your own thinking or patterns that come up in conversations.
Gemini rules thinking and communicating on an elementary school level. Gemini gave us our first friends and our first sentences. It rules primary connections, mental and social. And the stuff you learn when you’re a kid gets so ingrained. If your mom said “I’m sorry” instead of “Excuse me” when navigating through a crowded grocery store, you’ll probably speak that way too. The language we learn as children literally forms how our brain works. It’s foundational.
Sagittarius, where the sun sits opposite this Gemini Full Moon, illuminating its lessons, rules thinking and communicating on an elevated level. You’ve made it to college. Words become philosophical and wisdom-seeking. Sag is your study abroad trip to see how other cultures think.
With the Gemini Full Moon opposite the Sun in Sagittarius, we are being called to monitor the basic thinking behind our emotions (Moon), and step it up a notch so that we can live more fully in our essence (Sun). We are being called to think, speak, and live in the full integrity of who we are. We are getting a chance to re-write old thought patterns and operate from a philosophical foundation instead of a habitual one.
***
The Moon And It’s Message
Tying the boat up to the dock.
Bring your ship ashore. Find solace in what you know to be true. Your spirit. Your heart. Your essence. The waves keep coming, but they are part of the sea, they are part of life. You are ready for more structure. More of an understanding of who you are. It is time to plan a new trip. You can come back to the map and delineate a new destination. Let the light of understanding flood your mind so that the waves of the emotional sea feel like an adventure rather than an obstacle.
Moon Opposite Saturn
Wood stacked in preparation of a fire.
It’s time to build a structure. Structure must begin with a solid foundation. If you want to build a good fire, you always have to stack the wood in the right way. If you don’t, the fire won’t catch. Push yourself closer to a plan. It will help with your thinking and your progress.
Moon Trine Jupiter
Unwrapping the gifts.
Support beams down from on high. This is the stamp of approval. Trust that your intuition will lead you in the direction of expansion. All you’ve got to do is trust, and the assistance will flow in. The gifts are already there.
***
Go deeper with your Gemini Full Moon self-inquiry, with these study questions by sign. For a more accurate reading, see where 22 degrees Gemini falls in your chart and also read for that house.
Aries :: 3rd house
In what area of my life would a dose of curiosity and lightness be helpful? Do I feel safe to be filled with wonder in my career? In my relationships? Why or why not?
Taurus :: 2nd house
Finish the sentence “Money is…” fifteen times. Write it down in list form.
Money is _______________
Money is _______________
Money is _______________ (etc.)
Notice what different words and ideas come to mind when you contemplate what money means to you.
Gemini :: 1st house
What beliefs need to be released for me to re-gain the confidence to express myself with joy and conviction? How is this manifesting in my self-talk?
Cancer :: 12th house
Write a letter addressed to your Higher Self. Write down your questions about your life. Using your non-dominant hand write the answers.
Leo :: 11th house
How can I make more space for my hopes, dreams and aspirations? What is my brightest future vision for the collective? How can I spread this idea?
Virgo :: 10th house
What conversations need to be had to make adjustments in my career? How could I be thinking differently about my career?
Libra :: 9th house
What new philosophical or spiritual horizon am I feeling called to explore? Is change hard or easy for me? What has been my past experience of big change?
Scorpio :: 8th house
What am I ready to move on from in my life? What kind of journalling ritual would support that “letting-go” process?
Sagittarius :: 7th house
What relationship in my life feels a little “sticky.” What past experience does this feeling remind me of? What conversation needs to be had?
Capricorn :: 6th house
Wh are two simple adjustments I can make in my daily schedule or workflow that will create more efficiency in my life? How can I hold myself accountable for sticking to this?
Aquarius :: 5th house
What are easy ways that I can add more creativity and self-expression to my life? Why is self-expression important to me?
Pisces :: 4th house
What are my true feelings about: work, money, relationships, sexuality, health and spirituality? In which areas am I inspired and empowered to shift my feelings?
A symbolic reading for the week ahead, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology…
Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
Popcorn popping. Your relationship zone is popping. Things are coming up. Maybe an important relationship is gelling and flowing. Or maybe the opposite is happening and you are getting triggered. Maybe a little bit of both. If there is no relationship stuff happening in your external world, study your internal world. Notice what thoughts are coming up about what a primary relationship is or isn’t. The emotional (aka reactive) Moon is lit up like a beacon in your relationship sector. This means that you’re watching emotions come up around how it feels to share, commune, give, receive, and face-off with a primary partner (significant other, potential significant other, business partner, best friend.)Appreciate the moments that trigger you. Getting triggered is an invitation to work with an old pattern. Wade through the high emotions and just sit with them. Question them. Take responsibility for them. Decipher the pattern that they represent. Take deep breaths and be present. Then talk it out with “I” statements. This Full Moon invites lots of talking. It wants you to flood your thinking with new ideas and create new patterns of communication. Stay light and versatile in your thoughts about relationships. Allow for new connections that help you break free of an out-dated pattern.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
A fox moving steadily through the forest. You are building upon what you have started. It’s time to make your life, your projects, your work, your body better, stronger, faster, smarter. The adjustments that you are making now are integral and cautious. They aren’t sudden or disconnected. Fine-tune. What are the things that you can do that are no-brainers? What are the easy ways to make your life run more smoothly? Deep down, you know what these things are. Implement the ones that you’ve been putting off. The changes you’re making now may be micro-adjustments. They’re designed to keep you balanced. For example, you could add in an additional 10 minutes of meditation, or create parameters for how long you’re on Facebook. Whatever the changes are, it’s likely that you’ve known deep in your heart that you need to make them. Take some time to listen to the subtle language of your body. Receive inner guidance that will help you make practical adjustments to your daily existence.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
The periscope of a submarine. It’s time to break the surface. Extend your reach and shine your light. The periscope reaching up, up, up symbolizes perspective, elevation, joy and fun. It’s about getting a break from a life lived under pressure. This is your time to expand your creativity. What does it mean for you to light up? Whatever it is, do it. Express your heart through voice, movement, craft, paint, words, nurturance, cooking, an instrument, a DIY project— anything creative. Maybe you’ve been in a period of reserving your energy, that’s been fine, but it’s shifting now. Now you need to be able to restore and then expand. Receive and then give. The contractions and expansions you’re experiencing now are like breathing. In and out. Make sure you’re participating in both giving and receiving. Do all of this with a full and joyous heart. Be very generous with your spirit. You’ll be rewarded with positive attention.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces :: Pisces Rising
The fog lifts. Get cozy. Rest at home. As you rest and restore, You may find that you see something in a new way. New clarity arises. New information comes together. The fog lifts. It’s time to move from foggy denial to love and acceptance. You are a lover and you have to love. And loving means being present. Being in your body. Don’t mess around with half-truths or buried feelings. Participate fully. The key to doing all of this right now lies in emotional security. You have to know that you are sheltered and protected. That you are safe enough to feel your feelings. Put extra attention toward your metaphorical and actual home-zone. Cleaning up stacks of papers and dusty corners will help you feel clear. Cleaning emotional house will help you get clear too. These are inward processes. That’s why carving out some time for yourself will help you achieve clarity.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aries :: Aries Rising
Arms outstretched. It’s time to make connections. Embrace your community, your friends, your tribe. Go after new ideas. It might be time to take a class. Engage. You are ready to participate in your world. Doing so will help you feel inspired. Or even fired up. Be done with the same old routine. You should be invigorating your mind. Shock yourself out of an old paradigm. This time for you is about opening your heart and your mind. It’s something you need to actually do. You can’t just assume that it will happen on it’s own. Keep pushing yourself to engage, arms outstretched. Throw yourself into new situations, with new groups of people. Remember that you don’t always have to be the expert, you can let yourself “enjoy the beginner’s mind.” Allow the energy to come from curiosity and wonder. Tap into these. Make them your resources.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus :: Taurus Rising
Lifting onto tiptoes. You are trying to find new ways to excel. New ways to lift off. Study your foundation. Is it solid? Is it rocky or lined with cracks? The quality of your base will help you understand how high you can go right now. Think of your foundation as being the same as your self worth. If you want to reach great heights you have to have a steady sense of self worth. This week’s energy is helping you find security within yourself. What’s blocking you from believing in yourself 100%? It’s time to pinpoint this and let it go. You’ve got too much good work to do.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini :: Gemini Rising
A drumroll. The drumroll is building anticipation. Are you ready to step out into the spotlight? What will be the big reveal? Most certainly you’ll be defining a part of your personality. Allowing a part of yourself to flourish. You’ve got to come out on stage larger than life. You’ve got to let yourself be seen and heard and understood. The important thing for you right now is to be confident. Don’t flicker or waver, just be you. You’ll have to have strong boundaries to be able to assert yourself in the way that you are being called to right now. Whenever possible, choose action over contemplation this week. Think of yourself as the contemporary poster child for “Just do it.”
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer :: Cancer Rising
A sheepskin rug. There is some weariness in constantly maintaining a physical body. Which is why at this moment your focus is on the inner worlds—the emotional, spiritual, psychic realms. Shake of the drudgeries of the outer world and go inward. Curl up in a dream chamber filled with sheepskin rugs, incense and candles, then flow through the veil. What does this actually mean? It means that you need to carve out some mental or physical space that is devoted to your spiritual life. Build an alter, start a meditation practice. Go in. You need a break, and you need some inner wisdom. All the wisdom of the Universe is inside you. You just need to set up an environment that’s conducive for accessing it.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Leo :: Leo Rising
Jumping up and kicking your heels together. You could have a lot of information coming at you this week. A lot of dots will need to be connected. This symbol, representing exhilaration, reminds you to have a blast while being a boss. Your work needs to be hinged on joy. You’ll be bringing people and ideas together. You’ll be planning your future and honing your approach. Don’t let this process be separate from love, grace and faith. Let it be light and fun. The tendency is to get bogged down in the ideas or philosophies of whatever you are trying to do . Remember the symbol of jumping in the air and clicking your heels together, so that throughout the week, you can keep coming back to a sense of exhilaration. Regardless of the administrative or logistical tasks you are facing, you will be able to maintain your direction and your lightness.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo :: Virgo Rising
Changing the thermostat. You are turning up the heat. It’s happening in your career. It’s time to make some adjustments.You are being granted a moment of expansion in your career. Are you ready to heat up your work-zone? Basically, you are being called upon to make adjustments in your work that will help you take it to the next level. You have to take action here, by placing attention on what needs to change. Don’t underestimate the help that a solid home foundation can offer you in this process. Your comfort and safety in your personal life is what will allow you to shake up your public sphere. Make space for yourself so that you can make the changes you need to make. No rushing or extra pressure. Spaciousness and calculated adjustments are what will allow you to soar.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Libra :: Libra Rising
On an airplane with a guidebook and breath-mints. New horizons. You are getting ready to broaden your mind. Allow it to be gentle. Help yourself grow and expand in an integrated way. Bring your guidebook. Stay clean and minty fresh. Travel in style to the outer realms of your experience. Think of this expansion as “coming into your own.” You are ready, finally, to break free of old, out-dated patterns and upgrade your philosophy. Maybe you’ve gotten used to change being kind of hard. It doesn’t have to be that way! This change is meant to feel supported. So slide into it. As you allow yourself to grow mentally, physically and spiritually, simultaneously recognize that you’re already an authority. You are prepared. Now all you have to do is take the journey.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
A handmade quilt. This quilt represents being comfortable enough with yourself to let go of the past. You are cleansing. Clearing. Getting rid of the old. And moving on to the new. It’s time for you to bow down. Surrender. Get on your knees and cry into the soil. As each tear falls, shovel fresh soil over it to consecrate it. You are clearing out your psyche of any outdated emotions, beliefs and contracts. Give them all to the Earth to be transmuted into a different kind of energy. This is a keen moment for you to practice a letting-go ritual. You could try writing down what you are ready to let go of and conscientiously burn the paper. Or let a stick or a stone symbolize a feeling you are ready to let go of and then throw it into a river. A ritual is a symbol, and symbols are the language of the subconscious. Use your powerful subconscious mind to help you create change in your life.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
The numerology of 12/12 is a portal to cultivate awareness of how we show up in relationships, says Felicia Bender…Artwork: Giulia Bersani
In Numerology, when we experience repeating number patterns it brings meaning and influence. It sets up a certain “vibe” or portal of energy from which to operate on a more evolved and optimal level.
The date 12/12 is no exception.
This combination is an intriguing mix because the energy of the 1 is focused on you—your independence and individuality. While the energy of the 2 brings in the need and desire for partnership, connection, and unity.
The numerology of 12/12 offers the energy to contemplate and make solid changes with how you show up for your relationships. And even if you’re resistant to making changes in this area, this number combination will force your hand. Often a transformation will be driven by forces you consider outside of your immediate control.
The numerology of 12/12 also offers a new start in some sort of relationship—or relationships—in your life. Business, intimate, family, or friends. 12/12 is bringing a frequency of change that focuses on relationships.
The number 1 is all about understanding your sense of yourself as an independent entity and the number 2 focuses on your relationship both with yourself and with others—so the numerology of 12/12 also has walks the path between yin and yang, masculine and feminine. And the harmonizing of the two within yourself and within your world.
So while this day offers a portal of energy encouraging dynamic transformation within one or more of your key relationships, it also reminds us to define healthy boundaries while also asking for and accepting the loving support of others. It’s a delicate balance to be sure, and yet a vital and expansive opportunity for us if we’re open to starting something new and different in the relationship realm.
:: 3 Ways to Optimize the Vibe of 12/12 ::
Get Real. As Dr. Phil might say: “And how’s that workin’ for ya’?” Ask yourself this question about your key relationships and lay yourself bare in your openness to the answer.
Take Action. The number 1 is not about contemplation, it thrives with action. Don’t think about it for too long. Forgo analysis paralysis and do what needs to be done.
Expose Your Heart. The number 2 is all about love, diplomacy, and emotional acuity. The danger is in folding yourself into others’ expectations and losing yourself in the process. So do evaluate your next move with love and compassion. Both toward yourself and toward others.
Trade the crystal ball for trust in your own voice, says intuitive tarot maven Liz Worth, and let your instincts create the future…
“What I thought tarot would be like: I can see the past, present, and future so clearly! What it’s actually like: Damn, I just got called the f*** out by a deck of cards”- Recent Tarot Meme
In my 20s, I decided to get serious about tarot and, like many people, I assumed that it either required, or would provide, “psychic” abilities. I had high expectations of feeling fireworks and becoming a divine, open channel who could see and sense things before they happened.
What I didn’t realize was that by listening to myself, I was already doing the work, and it was The High Priestess herself who “called me out” during a reading. She encouraged me to look inward and not outward, and to trust in the gold-mining process for what I call “intuitive hits.”
Intuition is our instinct, the seat of our emotions, and what exists beyond our rational minds. This instinctive realm is completely unique to each of us and moves in accordance to our own specific, natural law. Intuitive hits come in all shapes and sizes; they may take the form of ideas, images, words, phrases, or simply strong gut reactions that cannot be ignored.
If you’re ready to have a conversation with your highest self—that divine connection to your soul’s path, purpose, and power—then intuitive tarot is a great place to start. Here are five ways you can begin to let tarot speak to you and, most importantly, through you.
***
1. You Don’t Have to Grasp For Your Intuition
Myth: You need to have “psychic” abilities—such as visions or premonitions—to use tarot.
Intuitive Hit: Keep a journal as you practice, and meditate on the following questions: What word or idea jumped out at me when I turned the card over? How is this card making me feel—tense, angry, hopeful, excited? What images or symbols in this card reflect how I’m feeling right now, or what I’m experiencing?
The answers to these questions are part of the card’s message!
Meditate On: The High Priestess, who can guide you back to your deepest inner knowledge.
2. First Thought, Best Thought
Myth: You have to memorize all 78 tarot cards.
Intuitive Hit: Worrying about getting it wrong is a sure-fire way to block your intuition. Next time you pull a card, write down the first thing that comes to mind, and let that thought act as your prompt for the rest of the reading.
Meditate on: The Hermit, who can help you learn from the times you doubted your intuition.
3. Re-create and Rebel
Myth: The meaning of each card should be strictly and statically interpreted.
Intuitive Hit: Let your life experiences, your upbringing, your ancestry, and your stories enrich the messages that your tarot deck holds. Journaling about your own associations and personal vocabulary when using the cards will help you begin to craft your own style of reading. Tarot is meant to evolve, just like us.
Meditate On: The Ace of Wands, who can keep you courageous, confidant, and creative as you start out on your tarot journey.
4. Decide What Tarot Means For You
Myth: Tarot has only one purpose.
Intuitive Hit: Whether you want to utilize tarot for personal empowerment, predictive purposes, to enhance creativity, or for something else entirely, remember that you call the shots. Get clear about what tarot means for you, and how you want to work with the cards. Write your own manifesto, mantra, or intention to remind you of your goals at this point on your tarot journey.
Meditate On: The Empress, who confidently creates her own reality.
5. Intuition Might Take Its Time
Myth: If the answers you’re seeking from the cards aren’t clear right away, you should probably give up.
Intuitive Hit: Patience and practice are often overlooked parts of the tarot reading process. Intuitive hits don’t always appear immediately. Sometimes, a card’s message might not make sense for hours, days, or even weeks later. Next time you’re stumped by a card, step away from it. Go for a walk, watch for omens, or ask a fellow tarot enthusiast for a second opinion.
Meditate on: The Page of Pentacles, who knows that patience is integral to growth.
**If you want to take your intuitive tarot journey even further, enter to WIN one of five signed copies of Liz’s new publication, Going Beyond the Little White Book: A Contemporary Guide to Tarot. To win, follow @The_Numinous and simply tag your next Instagram post #Numitarot—winners will be notified by direct Instagram message shortly after December 16 2016.
Liz Worth is a Toronto-based tarot reader, astrologer, author, and creative coach who helps seekers, artists, and entrepreneurs get behind the veil so they can get going.
The waxing Pisces quarter moon is asking us to stay true to our most ideal future vision, says Jennifer Racioppi. Artwork: Bethany Harper-Walsh
Pisces Quarter Moon :: December 7th 2016 :: 4:02 am ET
We set our intentions with the New Moon, bright eyed and excited for a fresh new beginning. Yet, like clockwork, one week after the new moon we experience the waxing quarter moon—creating a square (90 degree angle) between the Sun, which represents our identity, and the moon, our subconscious and emotional desire.
This monthly occurrence signals the need for an adjustment. In astrology, a square is like a stepping stone, providing us the opportunity to overcome an obstacle on our path to manifestation.
So what does this Pisces Quarter Moon mean for us?
***
:: THE SUN ::
The Sun is currently in hopeful, expansive, and indulgent Sagittarius, on his way to meet up with serious Saturn—while the moon is traveling through the spiritual and emotional sign of Pisces.
Sagittarius represents limitless expansion. Yet just three degrees from Saturn, the planet of discipline, also in Sagttarius, we can expect a sobering vibe, asking us to stay diligent with our bottom-line focus. Saturn wants us to decipher and consolidate our Sagittarian vision, and making an exact conjunction with the Sun on December 10th, Saturn’s influence feels heightened right now.
:: THE MOON ::
Yet, the moon in Pisces is seeking spiritual expansion, perhaps even an escape. Any time the moon is in Pisces, we may feel the urge to retreat into movies, music, literature, even a joint and a glass of wine. But this is a time to confront the desire to abandon your truth. Instead of escaping, allow your spiritual practice elevate you.
:: THE SQUARE ::
The Sun in brazen Sag square the sensitive Pisces quarter moon creates a steamy combo (we are talking about fire and water after all!). Sagittarius, an outspoken sign, and Pisces, a sign that can sometime struggle to find its words, can work together to create a mood of expansion with undertones of spiritual freedom. Instead of escaping, let’s put our attention on spiritual expansion as a way of elevating our life goals.
:: THE MESSAGE ::
As the moon waxes (grows), so does our focus on what we desire. So stay true to you. Manage your need for safety and security without abandoning yourself or your ideals! The Square between the Sun and the Pisces quarter moon asks us to look at our vision for our future, and then assess the work we must do to accomplish this. To be bold, be brazen, and be spiritually aware.
Here’s to your manifestation!
For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with from Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com
We are so psyched to have Thinx Founder Miki Agrawal for our first Moon Club live Q&A! Here she shares her post-election thoughts for how to change hearts and minds…
So he won.
As we pick up the pieces in the coming months, either we can continue to create a greater divide and point fingers at the racists, bigots, misogynists, homophobes, and the women who all voted for him (because let’s be honest, I can go on for days about that too), or we can finally start to ask ourselves why is half our country so upset?
This is not about Trump or Hillary, this is about the people who voted.
Maybe we do live in a comfortable bubble and can’t imagine why anyone would vote for a narcissus like Trump. But maybe there are reasons that are simply so far removed from our minds that it’s not even on our radar…Might we be missing something?
I will of course never tolerate racism, bigotry, sexism etc. But we have to look closer at what’s going on—and, more importantly what we can do to bridge the divide.
The day after the election, we held an all-hands team meeting at THINX HQ and we discussed what we can each do as individuals and as a company and we came up with the following:
1. We will not unfriend those that voted for Trump on Facebook but rather choose to have open discourse with them (without the bitch face)(i.e. with true open mindedness)
2. We will go to the red states and host THINX pop-ups there and get to know the people that we may not encounter often and talk taboos. Maybe we can open up their hearts and minds in those convos.
3. We will genuinely listen. Even when it’s infuriating and confusing. I am going to open up my ears and heart to my dad who voted for Trump. We haven’t spoken in a while because of it and I plan to build a bridge over Thanksgiving to really try and understand his side.
At THINX, we are faced with changing hearts and minds every day, talking about the oldest taboo in the world—our period—and sharing a new “period underwear” concept that might be hard to grasp at first (because it’s totally different to what people have known for so long). But we change hearts and minds through education, inspiration and inclusion, and by facing and answering tough questions earnestly asked (yes they really work and yes you feel dry and no they don’t smell and yes, periods are cool because it creates human life and no you shouldn’t be ashamed to discuss it etc).
By just speaking to those who already “get” the blessings of periods (and period underwear), it defeats the whole purpose. We want to change the hearts and minds of those who may NOT get it.
I am not trying to compare periods to what’s going on in our country, but there is an inextricable link to the shame and frustration that we feel all around.
The only way we can create true unity is if we ALL get off our high horses (me included!) and humble ourselves on both sides and listen to each other. And let’s not wait for them to do it first. It always starts with us. Yes we have a right to be angry and scared (I am too, and even more so after seeing who’s on his short list for cabinet members etc), but the best thing we can do is build more good businesses and programs that improve the world, educate people by doing it in a caring, non-condescending way, and participate in the discourse around us positively.
We have a choice. As corny as it sounds, I know deep in my bones that we all want to choose love. It always trumps hate in the end.
In blood we trust.
Discover more about Moon Club, a new monthly mentorship program for spiritual activists, at Moonclub.co. Co-founders Ruby Warrington and Alexandra Roxo will be hosting a LIVE Q&A with Miki Agrawal for Moon Club members on December 9 2016.
A symbolic weekly horoscope for your sign, direct from the third eye of Sandra Sitron—a.k.a. Strong Eye Astrology…
Sagittarius :: Sagittarius Rising
Pine cone. These last two years have been a time of massive growth. That growth continues. But you’ve been working at it long enough now that you have borne some fruit. A seed pod that is ready to be planted and fertilized. How will you tend to this seed, moving forward? Will you be focused enough to care for your vision until it reaches the height of a great tree? You are a natural adaptor. It is in your nature to shift to the next point of progression, and then the next, and then the next. But right now, it is becoming apparent that you need to stay dedicated to one seed, one project. You must be determined.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Capricorn :: Capricorn Rising
The point where the sky meets the sea. The horizon line is both blurred and defined. Can you be defined and blurry at the same time? Can you allow yourself to know and not know? What do you feel you have to be certain about right now? What happens when you let it go? Let yourself be soft and vulnerable. You can try to build yourself up to being a good worker, a good member of society, a success. You may want to get your personality all boxed in and defined. But the truth is that you just don’t know yet. You are still a distance from the point of resolution. The horizon line is a vision, not a destination. It is always receding in the distance. Your true work right is not in defining yourself and your world, but in giving yourself space to feel. Let yourself be blurry and undefined as you work through old emotions and stories that are stored in your subconscious mind. Give yourself space to feel.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aquarius :: Aquarius Rising
Veins in a leaf. The veins of the leaf carry water and minerals to all of the cells of the leaf, and they bring sucrose through the leaf and out to the rest of the plant. The veins are connective channels. You are strengthening yourself as a connective channel. Connecting yourself with society. Connecting yourself with your vision. Connecting social groups with causes. You are the conduit that brings together people and ideas.You need to strengthen how you do this. How can you connect socially and conceptually in a way that feels supportive instead of draining? It may be useful to consider monitoring how you interact with social media or news. You may feel a need to strengthen your community. This is a time for you to work on your long lasting friendships. Lean on your community for a sense of stability. Understand how all is interconnected.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Pisces :: Pisces Rising
A dusty trail leading up. Climbing, climbing. Don’t be worried about the dust and the stones on your path. Some dirt under your fingernails now is a sign of hard work and persistence. Breathe deep within yourself and feel how strong you are. How you are able to just keep driving forward. This is your time to find stability in your career. Now you can feel truly supported by the hard work that you have been doing. It pays off. Know that where you apply effort, it will be rewarded. It may not happen exactly on your timeframe, but it will happen. Think of being truly devoted in your career. You may be a temporary workaholic right now. The key words for you now are effort and discipline. Lean into these qualities as you make your way up the trail.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Aries :: Aries Rising
Bundles of red flowers. Luscious, lively, red flowers. Red— the color of passion and energy. This is your time to harness your passion. Step into leadership. You want to share your spirit with the world. Let your creative expression light a fire. You are seeking a higher philosophy. You are on a project to educate yourself about either a philosophical or spiritual subject. Make lots of room for perspective and compassion. The red flowers symbolize that you may be excited about the idea of bad things happening to bad people. Turn your mind toward compassion instead. More anger will just keep the wheel of destruction turning. Find a higher perspective that is sturdy enough to sustain you for a long time.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Taurus :: Taurus Rising
An enamel teapot whistling shrilly on the stove. The long wait is over. The water has boiled. What have you been waiting for? Has a cycle come to a new stage of completion? Think about how you move through changes. It is necessary to let the old things fall away. The trees do it when they lose their leaves. The insects do it when they move through their stages of development. Look to nature for inspiration. Each season completely accepts itself. Summer doesn’t argue that it should be winter. Your fear may mark a place where you are resisting letting go. Your anger, another form of fear, may mark that place as well. Let your feelings inform you of what it’s time to let go of. It’s time to move bravely to the next stage. You can’t control how it goes.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Gemini :: Gemini Rising
Turning over cards. Show your hand. You can’t hide anymore. Everything is out in the open. Can you be perfectly vulnerable with another person? Acknowledge that your past experience has taught you some things about love and relationships. Some of these things need to be unlearned, and some of them are really working for you. Use your clever mind to figure out which are which and then sit still with the knowledge that you have acquired. Build new behavior out of it. This has been a changeable time for you in relationship. A relationship that is solid and is based on truth will stand the test of time. (And right now, time is testing!) A relationship that is not in alignment will be scraped away like sand on the banks of the river. Moving back into the flow, almost as if it was never there. Whether you are in a relationship or not, this is a time of solid learning and growth around your relationship behaviors. Apply yourself to the task of learning.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Cancer :: Cancer Rising
Tree roots. Root yourself down like a tree. Envision yourself a seedling that needs to be tended. Wrap arms around yourself. Feel your roots growing deep into soil. Tend to the basics—for the tree that means water, sunlight, healthy soil. Take this idea and transfer it to yourself—water, rest, nutrition, movement, love, friendship. Right now, make moves to support yourself on small practical levels. Drink your green smoothie in the morning, meditate, get enough sleep. This is your work. Do this work well and it will support you to reach great heights of love. That love will provide you with meaning. Use this time to learn how to live your life in a way of wellness and meaning.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Leo :: Leo Rising
Fireworks. You are a rocket of energy. Like a firework blasting into the sky and exploding into millions of colors. Flames exploding and then disappearing. Burning out exactly the way they were designed to. How can you structure your creativity to be like fireworks? How can you structure your creativity to explode and then reinvent itself, rekindle the flame and explode again? It may sometimes feel like so much effort, so much work to share your light. It may feel like work to get yourself into a creative state of mind, but once there, that momentum can carry you forward. Focus on getting the structure in place that helps you share your light. Creativity needs structure and right now you are in a position to create that. Share your light. Don’t hold back Don’t allow laziness or lack of focus to get in your way. Structure is what you need for the purest expression of creativity.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Virgo :: Virgo Rising
Curled up in the fetal position. There are two parts to your message: the first is let go of your concern for all of the day-to-day worries. Let go of trying to make yourself perfect. The second part is to create as much support around you as you can so that you feel very loved. So that you feel very safe. Let yourself rest in a nest of love. Of nurturance. How can you ease your mind into this space of safety? Can you nudge yourself into a cocoon? Into a hug? Can you let yourself sink into it so that you feel completely supported, loved and held? Let go of the everyday inconveniences, worries and goals. And sink into the supportive nest that reminds you that you are loved and that love is all around you. Do what you need to do to allow your mind to receive this state of being.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Libra :: Libra Rising
Pencilling in the answers on a quiz. This pop quiz in school is helping you learn the basics. You need to go back over the basics. Study up. So that you can communicate to your highest level and connect with your community at your highest level. You need to structure your mind now. Get serious about how you learn and how you deliver your message. There is no longer any possibility of cutting corners in this department. You need to show up in your classroom, at your job, or at your desk with all of your faculties polished and ready to go. You can’t hold back your message any longer. You need to let it find a way through. You need to deliver. It’s time to become serious about what your mind has to offer.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
Scorpio :: Scorpio Rising
A spider web glistening with dew. The spider web suggests that you are starting to feel creative, but there could also be a sense of danger. To be creative, one must have one’s need for security met. It is so important it is to feel safe. It’s so important to feel like you are allowed to be here. Strengthen the belief within you that you deserve to be alive. Know that all of life is valuable and that you are worthy. Denying yourself your own worthiness is the same as suffocation. Sit on the ground and let yourself sink into the earth. Know that you are of the earth and that you are supported by the earth. And that you deserve to be here. Everything about you is valuable. Your feelings are valid. Feel your feelings one by one. Let them flow through you. Let them bring you to a point of catharsis so that you are healed, stable and ready to serve. You are a great listener and a great source of security to those around you. But none of these gifts are able to shine if you don’t give them to yourself first. Settle into yourself and know that you are worthy.
Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here or follow her on Instagram.
