Celebrating Love, Beauty, Art, and WOMEN!

Today, Venus, the planet of love, femininity, beauty, art, abundance, and peace is conjunct the sign of Capricorn, which is the Earthly, grounded ram who achieves success through hard work, persistence, and ambition.

It is my mission, to birth a well world. And it starts with women. When women are well, all are well. Women are the biological human life givers and the ones who anatomically give birth. When we have a society that has reverence for women, we have a well world. This is a reflection of our planet, also known as “Mother Earth.” How we treat and celebrate the Earth is a mirror of how we care for women on this planet. Feminine energy also exists in all humans and so it is important to note that this is also to be honored, no matter what someone’s anatomical sex is.

The feminine thrives when she can receive - when she knows she is being provided for. Feminine energy is delicious - it’s intuitive, compassionate, supple, nurturing, soft, creative, empathetic, vulnerable, and flowing. This is the natural state and what wants to happen for the feminine. However, when there is a breakdown in the masculine, which I see happening collectively and systemically, the feminine cannot feel safe and will shut down. The water that was running from the well of the well woman stops pouring and thus, will dry. This is an energetic and also, biological and psychological. For our world and all within that to be well, it is imperative that we invest in women and the feminine that exists in all of us.

So, on this particularly auspicious astrological day, where Venus in all her glory wants to be seen in her juicy aliveness, Capricorn tells us that it’s about the small steps we take that matter. May we all plant a seed and take a moment to celebrate something beautiful, peaceful, artistic about the Earth, woman, or feminine within.

A Call for Softening the Cynicism

Over the last few weeks, I have noticed many snide and sarcastic remarks come up in conversation and across the internet. I have heard sarcasm labeled as humor. This, to me, is cynicism and exposes a pervasive energy of negativity that is alive right now. It reveals that there is a lack - of trust, sincerity, goodwill, and belief. It tells me that there is damage and repair is needed. My analysis is that many are exhausted, have broken hearts, and are becoming hardened by just trying to survive and be human right now. This can become very dangerous, if not tended to, with loving care. This is especially true, as the year comes to a close and we find ourselves hunkering down into Winter. So, if you’ve found yourself slipping into cynicism, my suggestion is to come into softness. This can look like savoring the sun’s warmth kissing your cheeks, being wrapped up in a cozy blanket, feeling the heat of a mug on your hands, smelling the scent of a freshly lit candle, seeing the reflection of light hitting a crystal and the rainbows it makes on the walls, meeting a new neighbor on a walk, collecting pine needles to craft a wreath, adoring a fancy, tiny milk container while you’re out having brunch, remarking on the cuteness of a sprinkle in the shape of snowflake that can be used to decorate a gingerbread house, sending a thank you note to a family member who’s helped you, tasting the luxurious richness in a bite of chocolate, receiving a text from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while, sleeping in on a weekend, giving a shoutout to someone who’s created and hung up art for the neighborhood, hearing a family member be complimented on her clothing, relishing in the arms of someone who loves you, and embracing yourself by breathing slowly and deeply into your belly.

The reality is that no matter how grim, bleak, and harsh things may seem, we can always choose to stay soft. It is a practice and it a sign of STRENGTH to do so. Staying connected to the whimsical and innocent nature of a child (and, our child within) is how we can move out of cynicism and into softness.

Desecration of The Feminine: The Horrors of the Whore

Astrologically, the sun is currently in the sign of Scorpio and thus, ‘tis the season for shadowork! Scorpio is all about the underworld and the journey of death and rebirth, along with seeing the shadows along the way.

As such, I woke up this morning with an immense download - reflecting on the ways that the feminine has been extracted and exploited. This is both the female body, mind, and spirit within all of us humans, as well as the ecological and environmental space we are currently occupying.

The word, “whore” came to mind and when we as individuals and a collective are not living in reverence with the sacred, it becomes a horror. When we take, manipulate, and control without being in reciprocity or appreciation, a breakdown starts to happen. The word, “whore,” specifically, has the etymology of “wh” which is also the start of words like “who, what, where, when, why, and whole.” These words, to me, give the information of what makes up our unique human selves. I find it interesting that “horror, how, honor, honest, holistic, and holy” all start with “ho” and this to me, represents relationship with God. So, when we are not whole or connected to the ingredients that make up our worthiness as a person, we may find ourselves in a shadowy place, not connected to God or the divine feminine, and thus, whoring it up.

It makes sense - our current climate does not teach us this. We do not have leaders who are showing us the way. So, I ask that if you’re relating to this, you can access forgiveness and self-compassion. I know I’ve needed to receive that in myself, so if you’re struggling with facing your shadows, know that you’ve come to a place that is extending that out to you, too. You have permission to look at your shadows and receive grace while you sort through your steps towards moving with greater integrity.

In sacred feminine psycho-spiritual literature, there are 7 main archetypes. They are The Maiden, The Mother, The Queen, The Huntress, The Mystic, The Sage, and The Lover. I believe that the shadow we’re discussing, mainly comes from an imbalance of The Lover. In healthy relationship with the sacred feminine, The Lover embodies sensuality, creativity, pleasure, and passion. When not in wellness, the shadow of The Lover can struggle with addiction, unworthiness, and fear of rejection. These shadows ultimately point to a scarcity or lack belief, of trust and safety within self and God. The power of the feminine is that she is unconditionally loving and so, even in the shadows, there is love and possibility for transmutation. We can come back into wholeness and recalibrate our human so that there is a realignment with our divinity, too.

My prayer is that whatever shadows we may be navigating, that there is as much integrity, healing, grace, and redemption in the path forward.

Cyclical Living

For years, I have been attempting to live according to my menstrual cycle. I read a book called, In The Flo by Alisa Vitti, which changed my entire outlook on my period. After a decade of being on birth control with virtually no period or education about my menstrual cycle, I was completely clueless and disconnected from my body. The book helped me understand that the female body is so intelligent and when women operate according to the 4 phases of the cycle, we are in greater synchronization with our mind, body, and spirit. Getting in flow with our inner nature is then what helps to align with the outer movement of life. This then ripples out and thus, inspires others and creates change - for all of humanity. It also creates harmony, resonance, and reverence with the physical environment we are all inhabiting as this planet, Mother Earth herself, is by nature, a feminine body and cyclical being who is continuously holding us all. 

Unfortunately, our current society does not operate on or honor the feminine rhythm. Our civilization functions on a masculine, linear trajectory. For thousands of years now, we have been on a 24-hour clock, not a 28-32 day cycle. As a result, many women have suffered developing psychological, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual issues. While this affects women directly, it also impacts men greatly. When women are not well, the rest of the world cannot be well as women are, biologically and anatomically, life givers. When they are shut down and their blood is not flowing as it’s meant to, there is a problem. It is vital, to our species, that women can live in rhythm with their cycle so that we can continue to not only maintain life, but optimize it as well. 

It is my mission to birth a well world and I am aware that it starts with me. I must be the change I want to see. So, slowly and surely, I am doing so. It is an immense undertaking as I am the one to architect exactly what it looks like in a culture that does not promote and even, rejects this. As I mentioned, I have been attempting to do this for years. It has not been easy and it takes a conscious, outer environment to receive and honor this way of being. And yet, on the mark of this month’s bleed, I claim that this is the true start of my cyclical living. 

Practically, I’ve designed a work schedule that creates spaciousness so that I can honor my natural rhythm, eat nutritious foods and drinks, and exercise and socialize according to the phases of my cycle. Energetically, it means that I uphold devotion to this sacred way of being. 

I am doing this for myself, the women alongside of me now, and for all women coming after me, so that they have it easier. When women are well, all are well.