THE HOODWITCH: WITCH TIPS + WEEKLY HOROSCOPES 8/9-15/2017
Sci-Fi Cover artwork by David Pelham
Witch Tips
Eclipse Season is all about a powerful flow of feels; last week we had a Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon) in Aquarius, and on the 21st we will have a Full Solar Eclipse (New Moon) in Leo. The Leo/Aquarius energies have introduced a deep theme into our lives, that of Attention versus Intention.
Leo is a fertile fire sign. What you feed this season will grow, whether you're devoting your attention to power struggles; vanity; fear; or the people, situations, and patterns that bring you joy. It'll be hot or maybe even burn your house down – what it won't do is chill. It wants to be fed attention, praise, and validation. In balance this can be a healthy thing, but out of balance, it's a hot mess.
Aquarius is a heady air sign. It's interested in the future and the very best way to get there. It's energies reflect humanitarian concerns, but it's not about personal justice as much as social justice. Aquarius wants equality and is willing to use any means to get it. Out of balance this can mean dogma, coldness, and the drive for kindness without all the mess of having to deal kindly with people. In balance it's a freaking revolution that benefits the future of humanity. It's time to refine your intention. It’s time to create a future that's better than the present.
Don’t strive to avoid problems because that won’t work. Just make sure your problems are creative and help you be a better version of yourself, instead of being destructive and keeping you stuck.
This week, feels are still on fire as we sit between the two Eclipses. On the 12th the planet of communications goes Retrograde until September 5th. This means that your devices and plans are likely to act wonky, so plan on having patience when the inevitable delays and mini dramas occur. The symbolism of the Retrograde during Eclipse season is especially interesting though; it’s a call to review, revise, and realign your attitudes, communication style, and even your friendships. This is meant to be an internal process, so don’t be so quick to find answers that you miss out on the process of going inward and taking authentic interest in what’s happening for you, for reals.
On the 14th-16th, diplomatic Venus will form an opposition to the planet that loves to destroy things and rebuild them later, Pluto. Oppositions have a funny way of getting projected out, so watch out for relationship dramas, and do your best not to stir the pot unnecessarily. You’re entitled to feel your feels as dramatically and passionately as you do; just don’t think that this entitles you to act out. Pluto’s drives can be ruthless, petty, and demanding – but you shouldn’t be! Be prepared to confront your ugly bits with compassion and strength. What you do and what you consent to are reflections of you; what others do or don’t do is them telling you who they are. Listen to it. Feel your feels, but strive to act in ways that reflect your integrity, not your situation, my love.
ARIES
March 21-April 19
What you do with your time is your business, Aries, but this is not the time to waste it. You’ve pointed yourself in the right direction, but self-doubt and worry threaten to derail you. The good news is that you’re not supposed to have it all figured out or be perfect! The bad news is how it feels. As you expand into the person you want to be, you have to outgrow some things. Don’t assume the worst of change; find your strength in this time in-between certainties, my love.
TAURUS
April 20-May 20
You may feel you have the right to pop off on someone, but this week it’s wise to fight that urge. How you manage your ego is of the utmost importance. Whether you think that you’re the best and entitled to more than others or you think you’re the worst and entitled to less, you face the same problem – it’s the wrong kind of self-obsessing. Pick battles that reflect your values and don’t detract from your integrity, Taurus.
GEMINI
May 21-June 21
People are delicious and distracting and confusing and so very, very important to you. This week your relationships should be your top priority, Twin Star. You can’t control how other people feel or act, of course, but you can manage your own mouth and behavior so that your side of the road stays tidy. If you’ve been hiding yourself away from real intimacy, it’s “come out, come out, wherever you are” time. Be yourself, and count the fallout of that as a blessing.
CANCER
June 22-July 22
This is a profound week for you, Moonchild. Your feels are extra intense, and you’re ready for things to change. If there are things in your interpersonal life that need addressing, this is the time to do it, as long as you make sure that you give the same latitude to others that you want for yourself. Don’t waste time figuring out if you have a right to your feelings – of course you do! Instead, focus on how to most honestly and kindly express them, my love.
LEO
July 23-Aug. 22
Just because you don’t know what comes next doesn’t mean that you have anything to worry about. You’re likely to feel rattled this week as your drive to be chill clashes with your needs. Be suspicious of your compulsions and defenses because they’re likely to be more about the past than the present, Leo. Seek a balanced union of your needs instead of a perfect solution, and it’ll help you get out of your way long enough for the unexpected to come in.
VIRGO
Aug. 23-Sept. 22
You don’t have to do anything. Seriously. You can quit your job, your friends; you can radically change the whole current version of your life if you want to. Stop telling yourself that you’re locked into this or that, Virgo. You’re making choices, and those choices have a smorgasbord of consequences – some good and others not so much. Make choices that you believe will make you happy, even if they’re the harder ones to make. This is your life, and it’s on you to own it.
LIBRA
Sept. 23-Oct. 22
This may be the end. Circumstances are pushing you to grow or feel the pain of trying to stay the same. Your homework is to get real about the role that fear has to play in your dreams and decision-making, Libra. The thing that’s for sure is that you can’t keep on going as you have been, but if you don’t believe in yourself, it will be hard to see that as a good thing. Honor your potential, not your worst-case scenarios this week, my love.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Remember to breathe, Scorpio! There’s a meaningful difference between emotions and sense impressions, intuition and anxiety. The trouble is that though the differences are deep, they’re often very subtle. It’s important that you know yourself, even the parts of your psyche that are uncomfortable. Get grounded into the here and now so that you can notice if you’re reacting to something presently happening versus something tugging at your heart.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22-Dec. 21
You shouldn’t need things to be fun in order to trust that they’re growing in the right direction. Sometimes the best things for you are hard. This week your head wants to direct your heart, but your heart won’t listen. You have to take a stand, but if all you’re doing is trying to prove a point or get your way, you’ll end up with a power struggle that leads to more problems. Don’t rush to find a solution before you figure out the contents of your own heart, my love.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Having a healthy ego means knowing when to step up and when to stand down. You run the risk of obsessing on the one thing that’s really bad, and ignoring all the good, Cappy. You are hereby permitted to feel as terrible as you like about whatever tragedy you are dealing with but only if you balance it with the positive. This week, once a day (or every time you get overwhelmed), commit to listing seven things that you are grateful for.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Anxiety sucks. This week your work is to put all of your self-care tools to work and really try. I don’t mean that you should overcome your restless thoughts or unsettled feelings – that’d be nice, of course, but a wasted opportunity. Now’s the time to cherish your feelings enough that you actually investigate them, Aquarius. It’s only with self-understanding that you can effectively work with your blocks and turn them into a ladder.
PISCES
Feb. 19-March 20
You don’t have to take on anyone else’s stuff, Pisces. Your loved ones, acquaintances, and neighbors are all entitled to their own feelings, and you don’t have to do a thing about it. Be on the lookout for when you manage other people’s feels as a way to take care of yourself instead of when it’s truly appropriate. You don’t need to understand everyone’s experience or walk around with a spiritual doctor’s bag. Just show up for your commitments, and let the rest go this week.