The Bearer of Benevolence
A letter about Aquarius season, libations, and collective care.
Dear relatives,
How is your heart today? How are you feeling amid the mess of the world? I hope you are safe and supported through it all.
In case you need a buoy through these rough times, I’ve created a chat thread in honor of the upcoming New Moon in Aquarius so that we can introduce ourselves and get to know others in this community. And, if you would like 1:1 support, my books are open for February. Virtually, I offer astrology readings. If you’re not sure which reading is the best fit, you can always schedule a complimentary consultation and we can talk through your questions. And, if you’re in the local area, I also offer in-person acupuncture sessions.
This week ushers in Aquarius season, the coldest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Midwest, we’ve had many crisp mornings that bite the cheeks and nose. And the wind has been whipping up, oscillating snow in all directions. The sun dips early below the horizon, bringing stillness and the impulse to hunker down.
The night skies have been some of the clearest I’ve seen. I can’t help but venture into the fridged, dark air to look up into the vastness. So far, I’ve greeted Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, as they move into formation and eventually align on February 28. Bearing witness to the planets at night, when it’s cold and quiet, I feel immense gratitude and clarity. I am grateful for open-source technology like Stellarium, which has helped me learn more about the Cosmos—within and throughout.
As the cold wind whirls outside, I am also grateful for the warmth inside. But, I think of those who do not have stable housing, who are now more unsafe in the face of heightened fascism. As this new administration continues to roll out its demoralizing agenda, putting so many people and communities at great risk, I look to the soil and stars for guidance; to remind me what it means to survive.
On January 21, Pluto and the Sun aligned to form a cazimi in the sign of Aquarius. Just before the planet of death and rebirth and our grand luminary began their brief embrace, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde gave the national homily—a speech so potent, that it continues to reverberate throughout the nation.
And, during his last moments in office, Biden commuted the life sentence of indigenous activist Leonard Peltier on January 19. After a long-awaited fight for freedom, Peltier is going home.
After reading Bishop Budde’s full prayer and commentary, and hearing of Peltier’s release from prison, I can’t help but think about the embodiment of air and how it manifests throughout and within nature. As a Fixed Air sign, Aquarius has deep archetypal and ecological meaning. Aquarians, the anti-hero of the zodiac, are often concerned with the collective. Co-ruled by Saturn and Uranus, this is a sign that learns the rules in order to break them. It was, after all, ancestor Audre Lorde, an Aquarius Sun, who bestowed to us the beloved provocation, “For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change.”
When I think about the Water Bearer, I envision the “river in the sky,” the long, narrow, and dense band of water vapor within the atmosphere. Aquarius is akin to this environmental phenomenon that connects continents and redistributes concentrated water at great distances—from the tropics to the North and South poles.
Bringing this image down to earth, I am reminded of the ritual of pouring libations. The purpose of pouring libations is threefold: to pay homage, to give offerings, and to affirm. The homily by Bishop Budde—who, from what I’ve read, is a Sagittarius Sun—imbued a call for deep care and accountability, a call to reckon with our personal and collective ethos. It was, indeed, a plea of mercy on behalf of the vulnerable, and it also honored the legacy of Dr. King, Jr. on a day when he may have otherwise been forgotten.
In the months and years to come, we’ll continue the underworld journey with Pluto in Aquarius, highlighting humanity’s relationship with science, technology, transformation, power, and freedom.
During this Aquarius season, I invite you to discern where, and for whom, you pour out your sacred libations, your offerings to the world. I want you to remember that social media platforms and other iterations of interactive technologies will come and go, always demanding and scrambling for our attention.
Who are you and who are we without this type of technology? What other forms of exchange exist in the natural world that are less greedy and more giving?
Relative, I also invite you to consider the technology passed on to you from your ancestors, our more-than-human kin, and our generous Earth. For what remains in the wake of collapse are the connections we make and the relationships we invest in. May they be our greatest teachers and our greatest sources of strength.
Thank you for sharing your time with me.
With gratitude,
Christian
p.s. A few tiny rituals getting me through the week:
🎧 This song and music video by Samantha Crain is on repeat.
📖 A poem about the sky and sea, by Aimee Nezhukumatathil.
🎨 This handcrafted print, created by Oscar of Tenderheart Press with words by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.