Dear relatives,
Here is a song to set the vibe:
This week’s letter comes to you, auspiciously, on the first day of Black History Month, which coincides with Imbolc, the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. While I didn’t originally plan it this way, there is something that feels quite natural and freeing about the timing.
I appreciate your understanding and patience with me. I’ve spent most of the month sorting out life amidst a fair amount of change and transition. If I had to describe this moment as a texture, I’d say it feels like viscous mud. I am working my way through it, little by little, with as much patience and compassion as I can give.
The other day, I was catching up with a good friend, and our conversation turned towards a discussion about rituals as both record and metaphor. I shared with them my innate desire for rituals that open me up and guide me. I enjoy routines that allow the day to flow with tenderness and curiosity. When I am out of practice, I tend to feel wayward (which is how I’ve been feeling this month). As we spoke candidly about our lives, the rich and intimate exchange became more than a chat, it morphed into an opportunity to find my way again.
After our discussion, I thought about my ancestors and elders. I sat in stillness contemplating the knowledge that they employed to steer the ship of their lives. I remembered my grandfather who learned to navigate the sea through the stars as a Navy veteran. I thought about my grandmother who planned her garden according to the season, and who, as an avid cook, had a particular place for everything in her kitchen. I thought about my father who was a paratrooper in the Army, and his natural gift for understanding the conditions of a landscape. It is through their unique work of divination that I’ve come to understand rituals as devotional modalities and a way to embody reverence for life.
From the soil to the stars: On January 27th, Uranus ended its retrograde and resumed a forward motion in the sign of Taurus. The top of the year began with a slow start through the stable soil of the Bull. The planet of innovation and revolution will continue its ritual dance through Taurus until 2026. Now that Pluto has ingressed into Aquarius, we’ll continue to see heady issues concerning tech justice. Pluto will work with us over the next 20 years, to dismantle the patterns and systems that tend to withhold information and exclude others for the sake of power. We’ll need a solid compass to stay at the helm.
I’ve felt every bit of this astrology in my bones. Most of January has been replete with big changes, and I’ve struggled to locate a map inside of my experience. I’ve felt untethered and uncoordinated in many of my efforts, and I’m certainly not where I thought I’d be at this point in the year.
As is common practice, I began to make plans for the New Year in November When December rolled around, it seemed like everything fell away as my attention was drawn toward pressing matters that required more of my time and care. All of this amidst witnessing ongoing genocide, and the mental and emotional fatigue started to manifest physically, triggering a recurrent pain pattern. This pattern (almost habitually) tends to show up when I am feeling heightened stress and uncertainty.
Interestingly, I’m not alone in this experience, and in my healing studio, I’ve noticed an uptick in patients with a similar presentation: neck pain and pain in the chest, arms, and shoulders. Astrologically, these areas of the human body are the domain of Taurus and Gemini respectively. In East Asian Medicine, they are regulated by the Upper Jiao, or Upper Burner, which helps to maintain circulation and hydration in the upper body. I’ve heard similar stories from fellow practitioners, and across the board, we are witnessing the same recurrent theme.
The bulk of my work involves pattern identification and utilizing somatic rituals as a means of healing. Since starting my practice in 2018—the same year that Uranus began its transit in Taurus—I’ve been on a quest to deepen my understanding of how patterns are shaped by relationships. I’ve done my fair share of continuing education courses and I even completed a term of doctoral work. I’ve since shifted my focus (for reasons that I’ll share in a future dispatch) and have begun to learn astrology. I’ve dipped my toes in and out of studying the wandering stars since I was a pre-teen. It feels timely to return to my studies at this moment in life. It has been humbling to trace the threads between astrology and history. I’m making my way through the thick of this threshold; slowly the direction is emerging from memory.
I’m curious to hear what practices or rituals you are engaging with this year that are helping to you navigate through this collective transition?
With gratitude,
Christian