A Year of Healing Stories: Celebrating the Zodiac Seasons

In 2022 I spent a year writing about the seasons of the zodiac, complete with rituals, recipes, and tarot spreads for each of the twelve signs. Working through the celestial seasons of the year and trying to codify practice and folklore into a useful format for readers like you, lead me to reflect on and nurture my own seasonal practice. Throughout the year I found myself trying out new and reconfigured rituals, ways of connecting with my tarot work, and letting myself experiment with my practice in all sorts of ways.

So I'd thought I'd share with you some of the ways that I observe the seasons of the zodiac as well as why this way of working with time and space can be useful in our healing work.

If you've been wanting to incorporate astrological knowledge into your healing and tarot practice but feel overwhelmed by the idea (Why does this feel like spiritual math and the answer is always look within, but not there within and only when Uranus is not quincunx to Saturn?! What the heck is a decan and am I supposed to be walking with it?), starting with a the seasons of the zodiac may be a gentle but informative path to pursue.

image via @dariobroe

A Year Full of Stories

How we observe and engage with time says a lot about our healing work. Time is not only defined by cultural differences (i.e. observing a solar or a lunar calendar to mark the turning of the year) but also by social norms (i.e. the nine to five workday or whether or not there is a socially acceptable period of rest in the middle of the day). There is so much religious thought and custom dedicated to defining not only the length of time for different matters (i.e. the world was literally created in seven days versus seven days being a metaphor) but how we should spend our time (i.e. we have one life to live and it should be focused on the eternity of the afterlife versus this is one of many lives and we'll be back again). Every season can bring different expectations of what we should be doing with “our” time, that it can sometimes feel challenging to know how it is we want to be at any given moment of the day or night, much less the year.

So what are astrological seasons (aka seasons of the zodiac or zodiac seasons) and how do they fit in with healing work and learning to connect with time in a different way? In short, the astrological seasons are when a planet transits from one sign of the zodiac into another. The length of time that a planet is within that sign is a "season." The astrological seasons that are often referenced on social media and in popular books on astrology are usually solar seasons or seasons of the Sun. The Sun changes signs or seasons every calendar month and since the Sun is one of the most influential energies in the birth chart, it's one that we tend to pay attention to, but every planet has seasons for different lengths of time. The start and end of the solar seasons change by a few days each year, but they all start and end roughly around the 19th to 23rd days of the month. The Sun starts its annual journey through the twelve signs of the zodiac when it enters the sign of Aries around the 19th to 23rd of March.

For me, astrological seasons are a relatively neutral way to think about and define my experience of time. They help us to understand that there is time and space for all aspects of our lives to be experienced, taking out the idea of “using time wisely” within the narrow confines of productivity, success, and growth defined by institutional and cultural systems imposed upon us. I also enjoy the playful aspects of seeing time through the lens of myth and metaphor, instead of time being viewed as a transactional experience to be spent, saved, and used “wisely.”

When sitting in a consultation, I try to pay attention to how my client is speaking about time and space. Do they feel like they don't have enough time and space? Have they been sick forever and don't remember when they felt not sick? Do they feel like they're wasting time or are they overwhelmed by the increasingly large number of their age? Are they worried they are not using their time wisely or feel like they are losing time to activities such as social media or a job they don't like? There is so much interesting information to be heard in the stories people are telling themselves and others about time.

tarot deck shown is The Herbcrafter’s Tarot

As a witch and Pagan herbalist, part of my calling is not only helping to facilitate connections between plants and their people, but to help folks re-connect with the land and themselves as land. I do this in a number of ways including using seasonal remedies and including seasonal activities and observations as part of my wellness recommendations. While I talk of the wheel of the year and other tradition specific holy days with my Pagan clients, many of my clients come from varied social, religious, and cultural backgrounds, so I try and have a variety of myths and stories that I can use to help get them excited and interesting in how they engage with time. Here is where the seasons of the zodiac can really shine as a storytelling tool.

The language of astrology and specifically astrological seasons (i.e. Aries Season, Scorpio Season, Pisces Season, etc.) are one of those forms of storytelling that I draw upon. I find it useful to engage with the year as a series of stories, tied to the land, the planets, and the stars, as a way to find my unique rhythm and pace. These myths help me to release other people's notions of what I should or should not be doing with my time that doesn't work for me and my family. It's also another way to reshape difficult parts of the year as something you're part of and less of something that is happening to you. In the northern hemisphere, for example, Capricorn marks a time of deep winter and for some folks struggling with sadness during these darker and colder parts of the year, it can be interesting to work with the story of Capricorn. Capricorn is a sign that enjoys a certain level of stillness and structure, but it's not only in a linear productive sense (which can be over-focused on as desirable qualities under capitalism). Sometimes the myth of the goatfish is the creature that sits at your window on a still winter's night, saying, "In the quiet and the dark, we can build what we've been dreaming of before anyone can catch us."

For other folks, the myth of Capricorn they might be learning to connect with is learning about the power of slowing down and exploring deep - a muscle that not everyone is encouraged or granted the safety to explore in their younger years. For those familiar or interested in astrology, I like to point to the place where a season lands in their birth chart. "Look here!" I might say, "Capricorn is bringing energy to your Fourth House of home, which is not only the place that you live, but your experience of your body as home. Does that area of your life feel particularly tender or challenging during the winter months?" So many conversations and explorations can be started by looking at our own personal constellations of stars and planets. If a story like Capricorn feels useful to a client, I might draw on appropriate Capricorn herbs and remediation techniques to help support them further. Through our exchange of stories, I can also recommend further resources and healing modalities for clients to look into, such as somatic therapy and bodywork to help with the stagnant energy they might be struggling with in winter. 

Personally, when I began to be more mindful of the astrological seasons I found a lot of relief in being able to name, in ways that felt empowering to me, what it was about certain points of the year that felt challenging. It's the difference in being able to live my myth instead of trying to fit in with a story that has been told to me. 

If you're interested in exploring a seasons of the zodiac approach to the year, I suggest starting by making note of one or two months of the year that you find to be most comforting and enjoyable versus one or two months that you find to be the most challenging. Then, compare those months with the astrological seasons I've listed below and read more about the one or two signs and how their stories may help you understand your own.

Solar Seasons of the Year

Aries: End of March (Equinox) to end of April
Taurus: End of April to end of May
Gemini: End of May to end of June
Cancer: End of June (Solstice) to end of July
Leo: End of July to end of August
Virgo: End of August to end of September
Libra: End of September (Equinox) to end of October
Scorpio: End of October to end of November
Sagittarius: End of November to end of December
Capricorn: End of December (Solstice) to end of January
Aquarius: End of January to end of February
Pisces: End of February to end of March

Seasonal Rituals & Practices

Seeking Elemental Balance & Meeting Our Star Bodies

Each sign of the zodiac has a corresponding element of Earth, Air, Fire, or Water. Aries is a Fire sign and brings fiery energy into the season and whatever area of our life it is illuminating into your birth chart. If you're trying to bring more fiery energy into your life, for example, you might try engaging in fiery and energizing activities during Aries season such as energetic movement to fire magick as well as engaging in activities that feel exciting and adventurous. You might incorporate appropriate-for-you fiery herbs into your routine from spices and more stimulating herbs to digestive tonics. If you struggle with too much fiery energy and find Aries season to be overstimulating, you might try cooling and tempering activities such as gentle movement, forest bathing, activities that feel emotionally regulating, as well as relaxing herbs and liver tonics. 

Signs & Their Elements

Fire Signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth Signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Air Signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

A simple way to start with elemental work is to ask yourself the following series of questions, and not only think about the answer, but try to feel your answer, too.

• Do I feel like I have enough {element} in my life?

• If not, what can I do that is {fiery, watery, earthy, airy}?

• If I feel like I have too much of {element} how can I balance it with {opposite element}?

Every sign of the zodiac is associated with parts of the body and it can be an interesting somatic experience to explore the corresponding parts of your body for each season of the zodiac. You can learn more about the signs of the zodiac and our bodies over here.

Seasonal Tarot Readings

I enjoy beginning a new zodiac season with the corresponding tarot spread (you can find links to all of my astrological season tarot spreads in the Solar Seasons of the Year list above). For me, these readings aren't about predictions or trying to peer too far and back in time, but about reading the energy of the next cycle of the zodiac. It is also about connecting with the energy of the season on a personal and energetic level. The reading is contemplative and somatic: I write about my reading and I also feel it out without trying to put it into words.

Side Note: if you've been in a bit of a tarot funk, I recommend these (or similar) seasonal tarot spreads to help you move energy and inspire your intuition in a relatively low stakes sort of way.

These seasonal readings can also be using the same spread each month (i.e. the Celtic Cross for Aries season, Taurus season, Gemini season, and so on). If you're trying to work with solar energy in your life, doing a regular reading when the Sun changes signs can be a rewarding practice.

Alternatively, I've really enjoyed doing a zodiac season reading at the end of the season (i.e. when Aries season is coming to an end and Taurus season is about to begin). This is a spread to help you reflect on the energies of the past month as they manifested in your life and can sometimes be a more useful approach if you're new to the idea of zodiac seasons. 

Alternatively alternatively, you can do a reading at the beginning and end of the zodiac season. I would do this when a month has been particularly intense or if I'm trying to better understand a particular sign of the zodiac better (i.e. what the heck is a Taurus and why is it in my ninth house?).

book shown is the stargazing notebook by the unemployed philosopher’s guild

Birth Chart Meditation

After I've done my reading, I'll pull out my birth chart and look at what is happening in the area of my chart that the current zodiac season is illuminating. Aries in the Third House, for example, might mean taking note of what is happening in your life in regards to your curiosity, your ability to communicate ideas and concepts about yourselves and your world, as well as paths of learning that we may be on or want to be on, and relationships with siblings (including chosen family siblings). If you have planets in this area of your chart you might explore what they signify when they're in the sign of Aries. Finally, consider how the energy of Aries has informed your understanding and experience of Third House issues (i.e. you might learn best in an active environment or are someone who needs to move in order to think). If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you can download my free guide to The Moon in the Houses in the subscriber’s only resource page, which can be used more broadly for understanding the general emotional energy of each House.

Again, I'm not trying to practice any sort of predictive astrology, but to familiarize myself with what energy might be stirred up, what concepts might be illuminated, and what shadows revealed while the Sun traverses this part of my birth chart and life. If you're just starting to learn about your birth chart, a practice of seasonal observation like this can be a great way of exploring the energies of the stars and planets at the time of your birth. 

Plant Allies

I try to work with the seasons in my herbal practice as much as possible, working with plants as they spring up on the Land around me. So it's easy to work with Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) to temper the energy of Aries during Aries season (which arrives in late March in the northern hemisphere) as Lemon Balm is one of the first plants to return after winter.

When working with plant allies for the zodiac season, especially if you're new to the practice, I would start with the herbs you already work with and learn about their astrological correspondences. It can be a fascinating practice to notice the type of astrological energies you're inherently drawn to in your choice of plants to work with each season. See the "Additional Practices" section below for some more ideas for working with plants.

Tarot deck shown is Thea’s Tarot by Ruth West

Additional Practices

Depending on the season, the time and energy I have, and honoring the human urge to arrange things in such a way that feels pleasing and spiritually harmonious, I might build an altar for each season. An astrological tarot altar might include traditional and personal images of the current Sun sign, symbolic connections to your birth chart, and anything else to represent the ways that you're working with the energy of the season, including symbols for what you're trying to call in or release from your life. An altar to help you connect with the energies of Virgo Season, for example, might include images of healing spaces, bowls of grain, and an item or two representing an area of your life that you’re calling in healing energy.

I love altar building and in addition to being a beautiful thing to do, I think that altars serve as excellent tactile representations of abstract information and can be a great practice for folks who are learning about astrology for the first time or expanding their knowledge into a specific aspect of the art.

You can also wear your altar and incorporate the energy of the season into your clothing and adornments. A specific piece of jewelry might represent the energy of Virgo to you, for example, and you might wear it everyday for the season.

I've also enjoyed making herb bundles and/or flower and gem essence blends based on my zodiac season tarot reading and my own emotional needs for working with specific energies of the zodiac. Solar seasons of the zodiac are roughly 30 days which is generally considered a good length of time to work with a flower essence. You can even choose to work with Bach's recommended essences for each sign (i.e. The Twelve Healers, Bach’s original guide to his essences and the zodiac is available for free via the Bach Centre), but I encourage you to work with what you already have as this can prove useful energetic insights with essences you're already in relationship with.

᠅

What would your year feel like if time were a river of starry-hearted stories?

I hope that this post has brought some inspiration to your practice. If you want to explore more about the individual energies of each sign of the zodiac, come this way. You can also check out my entire seasons of the zodiac series.

If you’re looking for inspiration for a lunar practice, I’ve written about that, too.

May your year be a story ever-unfolding, helping you connect with the land and your community, as you find your way through your myths.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎

Gathering Together: Tarot and Tea for Pisces Season

Welcome to Pisces Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more the seasons of the zodiac over here).

The season of Aquarius with its intense idiosyncratic energy and emphasis on intellect and innovation has moved on like a sudden storm leading us to Pisces season. Within the dreamy waters of Pisces season we take a break from the (over)emphasized energy of the individual and back into the flow of the collective. "What an interesting idea!" Pisces says to Aquarius. "But how do you feel about it?" Arriving at Pisces season is a culmination of our journey through all eleven previous signs of the zodiac, symbolizing lifetimes of wisdom gained through experience. Here at the end of the zodiac, where we are furthest from earth and closest to the stars, where the emphasis is not on the intellect or physical form, but on the feeling body and consciousness itself. And yet, Pisces is also the beginning of the zodiac, representing the ocean depths, and acting as the energy which resides deepest within earth. Pisces reminds us that we can't think our way through the mystery, it's gotta be felt.

Pisces is a mutable water sign meaning that it embodies the energy of connecting, dissolving boundaries, and deep empathy (Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius are also mutable signs). Mutable signs arrive at the end of a terrestrial season helping us to prepare for the changes of the next season. Pisces helps to draw the energy of Aquarius season down from the head and its focus on the next best thing, back into the heart and the beauty of the now. For in the world of Pisces, the now is infinite, boundaries are meant to be dissolved, and all can find connection to all. In many ways, Pisces season brings us the most radical and most comfortable energy - radical in that the deeply empathic fish has never met a boundary that couldn't be moved and comfortable because the whole point of moving it is for us to find our ways back home to where we feel most held and whole. 

Pisces season helps us to find our sense of connection with the world, often through the tool of empathy, but it comes in all sorts of unexpected and magickal ways. The energy of Pisces helps us to expand even as we're gathering ourselves back together. What we learn through the energy of Pisces is that connection is important and there are plenty of boundaries that need dissolving, but healthy boundaries which protect and strengthen our empathy are needed. Too much Pisces energy can lead to such a strong belief of the self as other that gullibility leads us into dangerous situations or we struggle to hold on to our individuality amid the sea of collective consciousness. With good boundaries and plenty of time to rest, Pisces helps us connect with our intuitive wisdom, our capacity to transcend limitations, and our ability to love deeply.

Gathering Together
Pisces Season Tarot Spread

So much of the energy of Pisces season is about understanding, cultivating, and protecting our empathic selves. We are deeply empathic species often living within cultures (whether broad overcultures or individual family cultures) that reject empathy as weakness. One of the adaptations to surviving in empathy-denying cultures and relationships is to hide away the most precious parts of ourselves. Sometimes those parts of ourselves get lost.

Pisces asks us, "What are you calling back home to yourself?"

As the most effective dissolver of boundaries, Pisces energy can move through all things and spaces, helping us to locate what it is we're searching for. The following spread helps us to name what was lost and guides us to find it again so that we may feel more whole and holy within ourselves and in our relationships.

Card 1. That Which Was Lost

This card helps us understand the part of us that was lost along the way of growing up and growing into ourselves.

Card 2. That Which We Were Hiding From

Sometimes it's helpful to name and know that which we were hiding ourselves away from, to lessen its ability to make us hide further. 

Card 3 & 4. That Which Calls Us Home

These cards help us to reclaim our lost selves through simple practices, shifts in perspectives, affirmations of or own intuition about the matter, or whatever else you need to hear to help you call yourself home.

Card 5. A Message for Pisces Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Pisces season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Pisces season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Feet

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your feet, including physical experiences and energetic ones, what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @majavujic87

A Tea for Pisces Season

How do we nourish the energy of Pisces? Traditionally, Pisces guards the feet, all bodily fluids, and the endocrine system (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Pisces). The sweet boost of empathy that Pisces season can bring can result in a lot of healing and a lot of feelings, so it's important to work with plant allies that support the emotional body. Milky Oat (Avena sativa) is one of my favorite herbs for empaths because it does such a wonderful job nourishing the nervous system and helping us feel our feels without getting (too) overwhelmed. Sage (Salvia officinalis) has an affinity for the fluids of the body, helping to regulate ebb and flow, and guiding our Pisces energy towards the cultivation of wisdom instead of dazed distraction. Finally, Rose (Rosa spp.) honors the complexity of consciousness that Pisces energy has us swimming through, reminding us that life is layered, including the mysterious bits.

• 4 parts Milky Oat (Avena sativa)

• 1 part Sage (Salvia officinalis)

• ½ part Rose (Rosa spp.)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Pisces). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @guillepozzi

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♓️

Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Pisces? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series. If you want to dive deeper into the world of tarot, plant allies, and astrology, come this way.

One of my favorite Pisces herbs is Angelica (Angelica archangelica) because not only does it empower Pisces' inherent psychic gifts, but it helps folks who struggle to connect with their intuition to open up a pathway to do so.

May your Pisces season be dreamy and sweet, calling in visions of peace and the path towards collective liberation.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thanks, friends. ❤

Expanding the Dream: Tarot and Tea for Aquarius Season

Welcome to Aquarius Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more about the whole series over here).

The structures put in place and/or reinforced by the energy of Capricorn season is tested through the innovative drive of Aquarius season. How well can our foundations hold-up in unexpected situations, Aquarius asks us, and if they don't pass the test what should they be replaced with? Aquarian energy is the fuel of transformative movements, social change, and intellectual clarity of complex problems and their solutions. Aquarian energy looks at the work of Capricorn and says, "I like what you've done here. But have you thought about this?" and then launches into an unproven but captivating new theory. The Water Bearer is constantly pouring out new ideas, testing theories, and thinking between the layers of the box.

Aquarius is a fixed air sign meaning that it holds the energy of radical self-expression, creativity, and an intensity of purpose (Taurus, Leo, and Scorpio are also fixed signs as well). The far-visioning energy of Capricorn season passes the baton to Aquarius season where we figure out how we get to the future that Capricorn has laid the foundation for. The gifts of Aquarius season are many, not least of which is the energy of curiosity and enthusiasm that the season can stir up. Aquarius season helps us to connect with our analytical mind, the powers of our collective intellect, and the ability to create connections where they have not been made or seen before. Aquarian energy helps us have the daring to dream bigger than we ever have before.

Here's the secret about Aquarian energy (and often those with a lot of Aquarius energy in their birth chart) - it can become quite inflexible, even conservative, beneath the veneer of innovative radicalism. This can happen if too much Aquarian energy leads to an inability to deviate from the "truth" that they have worked so hard to innovate on and/or discover. In some ways, such inflexibility makes sense within the context of innovating, which can be a process of extreme vulnerability and leaving yourself open to criticism from a majority of folks who at best just don't get what you're doing or at worst find innovation (and therefore, Aquarian energy) dangerous. A necessary emotional detachment occurs, an overdeveloped self-belief settles in, and what was once innovative becomes defensive and unyielding. Here, we are led to the other danger of too much Aquarian energy - it can draw out our feelings of being misunderstood to a point of (self) isolation. As we engage with the energy of the water-bearer it can be all too easy to believe that in our clever innovation we're not just pouring the water, but we are its source. But with a healthy wariness of hubris, Aquarius season can bring the much needed energy shift to make necessary and radical change in our lives and cultures. 

Expanding the Dream
Aquarius Season Tarot Spread

While the energy of Aquarius can sound very exciting (Innovation! Change! New ideas!) actually cultivating Aquarian energy in our lives can feel a bit daunting - especially if you've experienced burnout lately or are in a creative slump. Fortunately, Aquarius energy can help to stir up the initial energy needed for innovative thinking by helping to dispel stagnant energy. The key to understanding Aquarian energy is to think of it like a surge of electricity - we want to put the appropriate wiring in place to help direct it in helpful ways and not burn down the house. When respected and made space for, Aquarian energy can help light off (if briefly and erratically) some of the most inscrutable problems with sparks of inspired solutions.

Aquarius asks us, "What's beyond the edges of your dream?"

One of the gifts of Aquarius is to see our own limitations and then dream beyond them. The following tarot spread helps you to understand yourself as a dreamer better while bringing in the fresh perspective needed to expand upon whatever dream you're dreaming these days. In the spirit of Aquarius, try casting or choosing your cards in a new or different way (i.e. fanning them out and choosing them instead of riffle shuffling or throwing them on the floor and yelling at them until a card or two jumps out) to bring fresh energy into your spread.

Card 1. The Dreamer

This card is about you and who you are as the carrier of your dreams.

Card 2. The Dream

This card helps you to understand the current dream you have better, perhaps seeing it from a new perspective.

Card 3. The Dreamer Awakes

This card helps you understand a way of thinking or being that'll help make your dream more real.

Card 4. That Which is Dreaming You

A bit of an experiment, this card speaks to the energies/ancestors/land spirits/cosmic forces that are dreaming of you and see you as essential to their dream being realized.

Card 5. A Message for Aquarius Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Aquarius season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Aquarius season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Electrical Currents of the Body

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your body's electrical currents, including physical experiences and energetic ones, what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @anniespratt

A Tea for Aquarius Season

How do we nourish the energy of Aquarius? Traditionally, Aquarius guards the lower legs and ankles, the electrical impulses of the body, as well as the circulatory system especially as related to elimination (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Aquarius). Aquarius energy is often stimulating to our intellectual body, stirring up ideas and dreams within us, but as a fixed air sign the energy can be prone to excess tension. So we need herbs to support our brain function while making sure our nervous system doesn't get overworked from all of the stirred up Aquarian energy. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is one of my favorite Aquarian herbs, embodying the amphoteric ways that Aquarian energy moves, relaxing or stimulating us as is needed. Milky Oat (Avena sativa) and Rose (Rosa spp.) nourish the nervous system and reduces stress allowing energy (and ideas) to flow freely while Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) helps keep us connected to the beneficial energy of the collective and the legacy of innovation we can draw upon.

• 4 parts Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

• 4 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 2 parta Milky Oat (Avena sativa)

• 1/4 part Rose (Rosa spp.)

I also recommend adding in a few drops of Vervain (Verbena spp.) Flower Essence to help guard against some of the more challenging aspects of Aquarian energy. 

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Aquarius). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @its_tgain

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♒️

Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Aquarius? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series. If you want to dive deeper into the world of tarot, plant allies, and astrology, come this way.

California Poppy (Eschscholzia california) is another plant ally of Aquarius that I really love, especially when things feel too overstimulating. Elecampane (Inula helenium) is another great Aquarius plant ally and can help us return to our bodies after a time of questioning and seeking.

May your Aquarius season bring you insight, connection, and a sense of wonder about what was, is, and might be.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thanks, friends. ❤

Steadying Our Vision: Tarot and Tea for Capricorn Season

Welcome to Capricorn Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more here).

Sagittarius season may have just ended, mud still on the explorer's boots, and Capricorn is already asking, "Yes, but what did you do out there? What was the point of all your traveling?" While for some these types of questions may destroy the vibe of the adventurer, for Capricorn these types of assessments and reflections lead to the building of legacy and knowledge that can be transmuted into wisdom. If Sagittarius asks, "What is out there?" it's Capricorn asking the all important "What'll we do when we find what's out there? Who might we become?" Capricorn energy is the reason we have dry kindling to start a fire when out camping and that the broken window gets repaired before the cold winds of winter blow in. Marking the Solstice (Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere and the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere), Capricorn helps us to understand where we most often shine our light and how to shine our light with precision.

Capricorn is a cardinal earth sign which means that it embodies the energy of creating the next chapter of a very old book (or a completely revolutionary textbook), a steady eye on the future, and the energy to stick around to see a project through (Aries, Cancer, and Libra are also cardinal signs). Following the breath of the year, as Sagittarius breathes out, so Capricorn breathes in, settling in place and taking note of what needs to be done for the long run. The ability to envision far into the future and experience gratification in the long-run is a gift and lesson of Capricorn. The season of Capricorn helps us to take stock of how far we've come and where we must go next - but before we make any moves, Capricorn energy helps us to plan and prepare.

Many of us are grappling with huge and complex choices that we need to make in order to secure a future on our beloved island planet. Capricorn, in its practicality and straightforwardness, is less susceptible to hype, speculation, and fear (even as it is driven by understanding the realness of crisis), and helps us to simply do what needs doing right now,  wherever we're at. As we learn about ourselves in Capricorn season and in our own birth charts, we learn where it is that we keep our gumption and our fearlessness in scaling mountains and exploring sea depths that the mighty goatfish is well suited for. The struggles of Capricorn are becoming so forward-looking and goal-oriented that the pleasures and experiences of today are missed. The overextension of Capricorn energy in our lives can lead to overwork and defining our worth through our work. Too much dependence on Capricorn energy can measure the worth of everything by its end goal and, in turn, we lose out on the journey. If we learn to guard against these pitfalls and to honor the time that Capricorn energy needs in solitude and focus, we can create structures and foundations that'll guide and support generations (of people, plants, creatures) to come.

Steadying Our Vision
Capricorn Season Tarot Spread

Sitting down to read Capricorn energy is both a serious matter and a laughing matter. While the symbol of the goatfish represents Capricorn's ability to score the heights and depths with their persistence and planning, it's also a reminder that so much is out of our control and that there is a certain amount of strangeness and mystery involved. To do the things which have not been done requires some idiosyncratic approaches - hence the mighty goatfish. Ultimately, Capricorn energy in our lives is helping us to discover what it is that we uniquely require to thrive.

Capricorn asks, "What structure do you need in order to thrive?"

Being able to thrive as individuals means thriving in our communities, so there is already a strain and support (the needs of the goat versus the needs of the fish, for example) that is present when exploring Capricorn energy. Capricorn is (often secretly) a very optimistic sign and type of energy - they believe whatever needs to be done can be done, it just requires commitment to the work. I often think of Capricorn season's correspondence to the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere and the rebirth of the sun during the longest night of the year. While the focus is on the returning spark of light, it is the Capricornian energy of a supportive night that makes such brightness possible. The following spread helps us to shape the night which holds our stars to help us envision a future we want to create.

Card 1. That Which I Hope For

This card helps us connect to the vision of the future we are striving for in our life. It might be a grand vision or a much simpler next step, but this card helps us to name our hope.

Card 2. That Which Surrounds Us

This card helps us better understand our hope in our current environment. This card highlights what is supportive or not supportive to our hope.

Card 3. That Which Needs Structure

This card helps us understand a structural need in our life, whether that is creating more space for self-reflection, implementing a better time management system, or finally using a financial planning system that works for us, this card focuses on the practical needs of our hope.

Card 4. That Which Is Unexpected

This card explores the idiosyncratic energy of the goatfish and your own unique approaches and perspectives that your hope needs in order to create the future you're dreaming of.

Card 5. A Message for Capricorn Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Capricorn season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Capricorn season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Skin & Bones

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your skin, your body's largest organ, and bones, including physical experiences and energetic ones and what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @vjgalaxy

A Tea for Capricorn Season

How do we nourish the energy of Capricorn? Traditionally, Capricorn guards the skin, bones, the regulation of body systems, and the management of energy reserves (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Capricorn). Reading that list you may get the impression that Capricorn energy embodies a sort of tirelessness - and you would be right. There is work to be done and Capricorn energy is what helps us to do it. Many of the herbs traditionally associated with Capricorn are not the most pleasant tasting ("Pleasant tasting is not the point," I can hear some of my Capricornian readers muttering. "The point is for the tea to work."), but there are some familiar green jewels that we can rely upon to support us through Capricorn season. I like using Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) during Capricorn season because not only is it an herb that supports overall vitality but it helps lighten the mood as Capricorn energy can be very serious. Nettles (Urtica dioica) helps to take care of the skin and bones from the inside out and aligns with the practical and forward-looking nature of Capricorn to take your (herbal) vitamins everyday to help out your future self. Finally, a helpful dose of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) not only helps us keep Capricorn energy in perspective (there is a time for everything, including work and play), but it's a robust and restorative herb that supports our health in the long run.

• 4 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Nettles (Urtica dioica)

• ½ part Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Capricorn). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @cedilicious

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♑︎

Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Capricorn? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series.

I've written about a number of Capricorn herbs over the years including Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - both of which are essential in my winter wellness apothecary.

May your Capricorn season be the right mix of mundane and magickal, leading you ever onwards in the journey of understanding what it is that replenishes your hope.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thanks, friends. ❤

Seeking Horizons: Tarot and Tea for Sagittarius Season

Welcome to Sagittarius Season and my latest post on tarot practices and herbal allies for the twelve seasons of the zodiac (you can learn more here).

The season of Sagittarius guides us from the end of one season to the next (from autumn to winter in the northern hemisphere and from spring to summer in the southern hemisphere), moving as a traveler does onto the next adventure. The horizons are calling when Sagittarius season arrives and we learn about our world by journeying to places where disparate energies meet and figuring out who we are by how we meet them. Where Scorpio season can bring the intensity of sticking around to figure something out, Sagittarius brings an equally intense restlessness to explore something elsewhere. 

Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign which means that it carries the energy of adaptability, philosophizing, and curiosity (Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces are all mutable signs as well). Mutable signs like Sagittarius help us to welcome change as a regular and much-needed part of life - and Sagittarius is particularly excited about what adventure awaits with any change expected or not. The deep reflective nature of Scorpio season has given way to the need to move and change environments, views, and perspectives that Sagittarius season brings. The season of Sagittarius helps us to test out the philosophies we explored during Scorpio season and see how they hold up in unfamiliar environments and situations. Sagittarius helps us to learn where our daring lies and the core of who we are when we step out beyond our comfort zone.

With Sagittarius energy we learn about what experiences we are lacking in order to grow. It's not that Sagittarius energy is particularly good at pinpointing specifically what needs to be known in order to develop as a person, but it does carry the energy of the open-hearted explorer who is willing to give many experiences a try in an effort to learn what it is they need. The energy of Sagittarius is of optimism and hope, which is vital to cultivating change in the world and discovering creative solutions for complex needs.  Sometimes too much Sagittarian energy can lead to mistaking excess bravado for expertise leading to an insensitivity towards the needs and experiences of others. Or forgetting that they're not the only traveler on the road and the world is not simply there for them to discover themselves - but to be discovered and known, in turn, within community. Learning how to use the fiery energy of Sagittarius as a guiding lamp helps to control the more rash impulses of Sagittarian energy. For it is through the energy of Sagittarius that we experience wisdom only gained through moving beyond the known into the unknown. 

Seeking Horizons
Sagittarius Season Tarot Spread

The energy of Sagittarius can often feel like you're constantly being pushed towards the next horizon - which can be really exciting or really exhausting or a bit of both depending on what your life is like. New places, perspectives, and peoples are the siren call of Sagittarian energy and Sagittarius helps us to move beyond what we know so that we might know more. To move freely requires us to first understand what freedom means in our lives.

Sagittarius asks us, "What makes you feel free?"

Ultimately, Sagittarius teaches us about liberation - liberation from restrictive beliefs (both our own and those of others placed upon us), liberation from suffering, liberation from our own fears. It's a big task which is why the energy of Sagittarius can feel so restless and constantly in motion. But at the center of all its seeking, Sagittarius keeps an eye on both the horizon and the compass which points the direction home again to where all are free and none suffer. So with those big ideas in mind, the following tarot spread helps us to name the horizon that we're seeking and grow our capacity to experience liberation in our life.

Card 1. That Which I'm Seeking

This card helps us better understand horizons we are currently seeking in our life and what they mean to us.

Card 2. That Which Seeks Me

Just as we seek, so we are sought, and this card highlights the energies that are calling to us that we may or may not be aware of, but which seek to help us in some way on our journey.

Card 3. That Which Blocks My Vision

This card shows us something which blocks our ability to move freely to whatever horizon is calling to us.

Card 4. That Which Protects My Light

This card helps us understand what in our life protects the lamp which guards our inner light, our inner compass. Often this is something which we could affirm more about ourselves and our life and welcome in with greater intentionality.

Card 5. A Message for Sagittarius Season

A general message, signs to pay attention to, and perhaps next steps to take as we move into Sagittarius season. This card can highlight energy which you might bring more into your life during Sagittarius season so that you are better able to connect with the energetic flow of the next month.

Bonus Card: That Which Guards the Hips

If you feel connected with the philosophy of astroherbology you can pull an additional card to help you understand the current energies of your hips, including physical experiences and energetic ones, what tension or wisdom you might be keeping there. I encourage you to take a somatic approach with this card - when you pull it and see the energy, follow the feelings and sensations that it evokes from your body to understand its meaning. 

image via @jackieboylhart

A Tea for Sagittarius Season

How do we nourish the energy of Sagittarius? Traditionally, Sagittarius guards the hips, thighs, sciatic nerve, and autonomic nervous system (click here for a full list of traditional correspondences for Sagittarius). As a season of the body in motion, the mind philosophizing, the spirit traveling, and the emotions seeking, Sagittarius needs a well-rounded, going-to-meet-a-lot-of-needs sort of tea. Fortunately, herbs like Sage (Salvia spp.) act as a panacea, being endlessly useful for any number of ailments, but also just supporting the wisdom-seaking needs of Sagittarius. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) helps to temper the energy of the season while supporting Sagittarius' inherent hopefulness and tending to the nervous system as well. Finally, Calendula (Calendula officinalis), brings in a spark of brightness to the blend, while also contributing much needed anti-inflammatory qualities to take care of the body in motion.

• 4 parts Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

• 1 part Sage (Salvia officinalis)

• ½ part Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

These proportions are only suggested guidelines, so feel free to play around with them to your liking. As you make your tea, slow down, breathe deep, and infuse the blend with your intentions for the season (or whenever you’re drinking this tea to connect with the energy of Sagittarius). If you’re looking for more breathwork practices to help you connect with the energy of the season, come this way.

image via @dmjdenise

Seasonal Reflections

What does the land feel like, look like, smell like this season?

What is coming to the surface from within me?

What is receding within me?

What am I feeling grateful for?

What am I grieving for or feeling challenged by?

What am I feeling inspired and where is it calling me to this season?

What am I calling to me?

What am I called to give?

♐️

Want to learn more about the magick and astroherbalism of Sagittarius? I’ve written a full profile on the sign for you to enjoy. You can also check out the rest of my seasons of astrology series. If you want to dive deeper into the world of tarot, plant allies, and astrology, come this way.

While I didn't mention it in the tea recipe, another herb that I love for Sagittarius season and for Sagittarian energy in general is Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) which has long been associated with traveling as the leaves provide a comforting pad to walk on. The herb is useful for alleviating musculoskeletal pain as well as being a great respiratory tonic (which is needed when exposed to new germs among new places).

May your Sagittarius season find you in the right place at the right time having just the right amount of adventure.

This post was made possible through patron support.
❤ Thanks, friends. ❤