Notice the texture of your thoughts
This week, it becomes increasingly important to ask yourself: what is true for you? Get curious. We are receiving a lot of information right now, and a lot of it is less-than-pleasant. What are you paying attention to, and how does it make you feel? If we take a closer look, we’ll often find that fear and anxiety have a different texture from reality. They live in the mind and feel more erratic than what is happening in our present moment – this doesn’t make them seem any less real, but it can make them less true than what is actually happening.
A lot of what we worry about never comes to pass. It can be easy for us to project multiple worst-case scenarios, for our mind to focus on all the things that seem to be going wrong at any given time. When this happens and you feel your mind racing at that high-pitched frequency, stop whatever it is you are doing and take a deep breath. Pause. Move your arms, bounce up and down a few times, get reacquainted with the body. Look around at your current surroundings. Is there anything putting you in immediate danger? If the answer is yes, of course it is wise to begin to figure out how to get out of there but if the answer is no, try to recentre yourself by seeing what is actually happening.
A simple exercise to bring yourself back to the present moment is found in psychology, and it’s known as grounding: name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This helps you to become more aware of your surroundings and see where you are, as opposed to getting caught up in what your mind may be telling you is true.
This time is asking us to become more resourceful and reliant on ourselves in some ways, just as we are being asked to learn to collaborate more with others as well. Instead of always looking to something or someone outside of ourselves to tell us what is right or wrong, try looking inside – we can co-exist with many “truths” and everyone has their own perspective, so it’s important to get clear on where you stand.
Learning to be leaders of the self
As we move into the Age of Aquarius at the end of this year, our individuality within the collective will become stronger + stronger. This is no longer a time to follow, but to ask how we can bring our unique gifts to the table and find harmony within the group by celebrating our differences as gifts that complement each other, as opposed to differences that separate and divide.
I’ve always wondered what the world would look like if everyone were to do work that was aligned with their strengths + interests – I believe it would be a more fulfilling way to go through life, and everything would be taken care of. When we work together to accomplish a goal, we honour our differences as assets, puzzle pieces that fill in the gaps where we’re missing things. It brings more unity and friendship to the collective, allowing us to see those around us with more awe and appreciation. We’re not meant to be all things to all people and that’s okay. Likewise, we all have strengths that we take for granted. Here is some permission to give yourself the space to shine in your own way, in your own time. You are needed.
Mars in retrograde through Aries activates our passion + courage this week in particular on Tuesday, as Mars will be at its point closest to the earth in for the next fifteen years. It invites us to step up and be leaders of ourselves in this time of chaos and confusion, taking responsibility for our actions and rising to meet the challenges of 2020.
If you see global issues in the world and they ignite an anger or sadness within you, ask how you can use that emotion as motivation to do something. Whatever your cause – climate change, voting rights, gender or racial equality – we are in a time where we need all hands on deck. We don’t all need to fight for the same causes, but once again, if we each pick something to stand up for, change will begin to occur. Remember that our internal work is just as important as our external actions, and every action we take ripples out to affect humanity as a whole.
You are much more powerful than you think.
Simply going through your day being conscious of your actions, choosing to sit with your emotions or offering one act of kindness to a stranger begins to change things for the better.
Lean into the hard conversations
As we move through Libra season, we may find ourselves embodying several qualities of this more agreeable air sign. On the low road, Libra can be a bit avoidant, wanting for harmony at all costs and trying to please all parties involved. This can make them seem indecisive or spineless, never standing up for anything in particular but floating between all sides.
The truth is that true peace comes not when everyone agrees on everything, but when multiple perspectives are allowed to co-exist. On the high road, Libra is able to take a step back into the masculine observer, holding space for all points of view with objectivity. We can agree to disagree and still love someone, even if we don’t see things as they do. It’s a choice, one we are always empowered to make regardless of how the other person reacts.
With Mercury in Scorpio, we may be seeing more things surface from the depths of our mind than we are used to. Don’t avoid them. Instead, make a conscious effort to bring them into the light by speaking them out loud. Engage in compassionate conversation with the people in your life, learning to be honest even when you don’t have all the answers.
It’s okay to say, ‘I’m sorry, I messed up, I was wrong, I need help, I don’t know.’ It’s okay to make mistakes or slip up sometimes – if you’ve hurt someone or said something you didn’t mean, how quickly can you apologize and be sincere about it? What will you do different next time?
Mercury also goes retrograde next week on October 13, so we can be proactive by beginning to have these conversations now. Communication may be challenged in the coming weeks; don’t let Libra’s superficial side keep you from speaking what’s on your mind.
Tensions rise towards the end of the week
Secrets may surface as Pluto comes out of its long, sleepy retrograde, particularly on Friday when Mars in revolutionary Aries squares the slow-moving planets, Pluto + Jupiter in traditional Capricorn. Jupiter standing next to Pluto amplifies this energy of the shadow being brought into light, as well as our ability to choose to transform throughout the process.
Wait a day before taking action on anything you hear and see how you can step back into the observer to detach from your emotions and see the situation more objectively. This applies to anything collective (e.g. politics) just as much as it does within our personal lives. Do not be surprised if power struggles come to the surface as well – remember your inner power always lies within the ability we have to choose how we respond to every situation we encounter.
As the sun in Libra adds to the tension by trying to keep the peace, the moon will slide into maternal Cancer towards the end of the week, on Thursday through to Saturday night. All four cardinal signs will be in the skies, bringing a lot of strong, fire-starter energy to the party. The question is, how we will use it?
The best use of this time is to slow down – focus on things close to the self + the home, particularly if you’re feeling more sensitive. You may direct that energy into something creative, like cooking or painting, or you may ask yourself what you can do to nurture your inner child. This third quarter moon invites us to look at the places we need to let go: of the past, of people we once loved, of the spaces where we feel regret. Water teaches us how to flow, how to be the healer and forgive so that we may more forwards with love. This is the true nature of the sweet water sign, Cancer.
If you need more tangible reminder of what it means to let go, take a long shower or go sit beside a river. Ask the water to wash away all energy and emotion that is not yours to carry. Allow yourself to receive all the support you need.
You are worth it.
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