prairie burns, the hydra life, + astro chart archetypes
or, it doesn't have to be like this all the time, right?
I wrote and recorded a hypnosis track that I thought was completely informed by the “weather report”s delivered in a group chat with
+ . In the track, I ask the listener (me lol) to name the overgrown organic material in my prairie (prairie: my daily life, my creative energy, etc.).And by giving it a name, I could choose to clear it with a controlled burn.
On the second listen, what I named was The Hydra— one of my favorite parts of myself: the many-limbed approach to my smorgasbord of projects, ideas, passions. I wanted to focus on my thesis, the reason I moved my little family across the country to Spokane, WA. I wanted to really honor this time to double down. Commit. But still my brain was trained to add, add, add. Because that has worked for me in the past.
I couldn’t just rev the engine anymore and hope my to-do list would be completed soon. It was a self-regenerating list. And so, in the hypnosis, I burned away the hydra strategy.
It worked. Hmm.
I did finish my thesis (whatever finish means).
But now I’m kinda… uh… missing the energy? Whoops.
Maybe next lunation’s hypnosis will focus on bringing back the hydra energy at half-mast. Halfling hydra? I’m sure I’ll find the words for what I’m looking for.
I try to record a couple days after the new moon and listen as frequently as I can until the balsamic moon, when I can see what I want next. The next balsamic moon will be May 15 - 19, when I defend my thesis!
All this is to say: I struggle with focus. Though that’s now how I view it. I’m an incredibly directional beast. I locate the target and p o u n c e. What I forget sometimes is that pouncing requires decision.
One cannot pounce on two things simultaneously.
In the 45 seconds I could speak with a beautiful stranger while boarding our plane1, I learned that she was 52 and at the stage in her life where she knows exactly what she is and knows to tell people out-right. I told her I am 33 and I’m entering that stage in my life where I’ve tried enough of everything where I can start to choose what I am going to lean into. I told her of my precise color palette in my wardrobe (I prairie burned 80% of my possession—except the books!—this month) and she told me the soft, the lush, the drama looks good on me. I want to meet this woman again! And to see her DVF wrap dresses she found in Paris! Is this a Craigslist Missed Connections ad?! Maybe!
A week ago, I had an astrological consultation with Shawna St. Vesta whose focus was on finding archetypes in my chart through the lens of business (branding, marketing, The Work, 1:1 Client types, and my value). What she found in my chart—something I’ve pored over more times than I’ve showered, likely (and I love a squeaky clean body!)—was no surprise, but helped me decide on who I am.
> In poetry workshop, someone said I am a poet of the lush.
> Growing up, my high school bf’s mom said I’m sanguine, of the humors. (I was certain I was not sanguine, but self-exile is fun lil past time of mine.)
I don’t want to write a poem of litany about How I Am just now because I can just share:
the archetypes so glaringly present in my chart are Ariadne, Dionysus, Sappho, Eros, and Lilith. Fuck YEAH.
How STRANGE, too, that I choose The Labyrinth for my writerly persona when Ariadne, the Lord of the Labyrinth, is my foremost archetype?
And Dionysus, the god of THEATER, revelry, shapeshifting, life feeding life in the organic process of death, of LUSHNESS— !!!
Of course Sappho and Eros are there, and right on top of each other (in the 10th house, if you’re curious. Yes, I am writing a steamy novel right now).
A note on the steamy novel: when it’s ready to be talked about, I’ll be posting a living autopsy of it… autopsy? Reverse outline?
I really like the idea of Ariadne knowing the Labyrinth so well that she could give Theseus a thread to find his way back out. I’ll be looking for the thread from the completion to the origination of the book (which started with a dream in July ‘21).
In this chart reading, I felt I found my paths to focus my finite life. No more wondering if I’m here to write children’s books. Although maybe I could… I’m here to help people through the Labyrinth and to rejoice in it. I’m here to go through the Labyrinth myself ;) and REJOICE in it.
*heads out to read everything about Ariadne and Dionysus and Lilith and Sappho and Eros*
LINKS TO THINGS THAT HAVE RUINED MY LIFE FOR THE BETTER RECENTLY:
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas is my current favorite book. It’s like reading the hottest gossip but make it literature and also Gertrude Stein calls herself one of the only true geniuses Alice has met, but writing as Alice.
This episode of The Magic of the Spheres Podcast where Maeg Keane and Sabrina Monarch talk about the 5th House, pleasure, Ariadne, Dionysus, and Semele.
Dirt Gems - oracle deck. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!
My newest movie EARLYBIRD (directed by Marty!) premiered this past weekend in Milwaukee and Boston! More posts at instagram.com/twoscoopsy about this Big Moment.