Between Life and Death
A letter to honor Pluto's ingress into Aquarius.
Friends,
As the days tick on, and conversations widen, a burning curiosity takes root: what to do, how to prepare, and where to focus. What’s next? is a question many are wrestling to answer. The question hangs in the air, thick like the atmosphere. Do you feel it, too?
I received a lot of check-in calls and texts last week. I am thankful for the care and love. And, when asked what I think needs to happen, astrology always weaves its way in. It has helped me through the uncertainty and the heartbreak. This crumbling system has been disintegrating since the onset of this empire. In my heart, I know that the time to witness is now.
The Full Moon on November 15 occurred at 24* in the sign of Taurus. The solid Earth sign shares an elemental kinship with the sign of Capricorn, where the planet Pluto has resided since 2008, and will leave on November 19. The moment of this astrology is echoed with Pluto—the wisdom keeper of transformation and rebirth—inching its way into Aquarius, where it will settle for the next 20 years. You may have already heard, but never again in our lifetime will Pluto be in Capricorn. The landscape is shifting into a different sign and element—from cardinal Earth to fixed Air—and new questions are taking shape. How has the Earth changed through the presence of Pluto in Capricorn, and what are the consequences?
Change is not only inevitable, it is interconnected, multifaceted, and dynamic. The living, breaching world reinforces this truth in myriad ways. In Let’s Become Fungal!: Mycelium Teachings and the Arts, author and researcher Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez, positions fungi and mycelium as powerful metaphors for building potential new systems. The essay, “How to Rethink Decay and Decomposition? We Need to Talk about Death,” addresses how the experience of transformation—and the grief that it necessitates—serves as a path to rebirthing what is possible. “Humans have a hard time understanding that death is not necessarily the end.”
There are clear consequences to unchecked growth and expansion. This, a tangible reality of current climate conditions, is a reminder that there is a cost to constant consumption. Acknowledging limitations will become essential as Pluto leaves Capricorn and begins its transit through Aquarius. In the next phase, we bring a deeper understanding of ourselves, and our relationship to structures, power, and control.
…
Before we close, I’d like to share some food for thought:
The other day, my son, Bear, auspiciously said something so profound:
“We live in the earth, it is all around us, but we do not see it.”
I am in awe of the perception of children who possess particular wisdom, a kind that is physically and spiritually plugged into the living, breathing world. In my heart, I know that Bear senses what is on the horizon. The most honest thing I can do as a mother and caretaker is relate what is happening on Earth to the wider cosmos. Not to shy away, but take my child by the hand and show him where the collapse is happening; to stand at the edge of the cracks and witness them together.
I’ve struggled with how to address the current political and climate landscape with my son. During one of our morning conversations over breakfast, we approached the subject. I tried to explain things by rooting into a shared memory: the time he accompanied me to the voting booth during a local election. I tried to explain that, this time around, the vote was for president. And, I attempted to explain the outcome, which is much bigger and more lasting than a singular moment.
Where words failed me, I opted to share a video and images by movement photographer Sarah-Ji of the post-election rally in Chicago on November 6. The visual aid helped express the gravity, bridge the gaps, and connect the dots, for both of us. I hope it provided context for him to hold on to, to return to. I know there will be follow-up questions. In the months and years ahead, I anticipate hearing “why” an infinite amount of times, each time more sincere than the last.
Until next time,
May we embody our fungal relatives, and steward the transformation of energy.
Christian
Updates
Subscriptions are still 25% off through December. There is still time to join tomorrow’s post-election breathwork practice. It is a sliding-scale offering, and you can register on my website.
Reading
As mentioned above, Let’s Become Fungal!: Mycelium Teachings and the Arts.
Creating
Space for rest, making handmade ornaments, meditation, kitchen crafting, contemplation, science experiments, joy, and love love love.