November's Woo Corner inside
|
Good people of the internet, We're 10 days into November and well into Scorpio season. This is otherwise known as the most birthdays per month I ever have to remember, due to my affinity for the spicy little creatures. Also, I am very bad at remembering birthdays so I apologize in advance. It will not change. If you're new in this sandbox (hi!! I'm glad you're here!) I use this monthly broadcast to summarize all the corners of the internet I whisper to, as well as to deliver the functional woo of the month. If you're here for the functional woo, you'll find it at the bottom of this email. But if you fancy some other goodies, grab a beverage of your choice and stay awhile, you're very welcome here. On the podlycastOctober's aural offerings included:
On the PatreonI was feeling the Muse hard in October! The Oracle: a true storyA bit of writing that came out of nowhere, as it so often does- "When I was 21, I met an oracle. If you're picturing the oracle from The Matrix, you are actually right on the money." Read the rest here The Muse (FREE POST! No membership or login required) This post is NOT about the drawing- but I do espouse the value of drawing something badly to help an idea elbow its way out of your skull and into the world. This particular idea (to create a photograph honoring the particulars of how I personally experience the Muse) sprang into my mind with all of its adult teeth already intact. You can access this post without a membership, and the comments alone are worth the click: How I keep my face looking mostly like my face For something completely different, I wanted to share how I take care of my skin. I LOVE knowing if something is tried and true and works and is affordable- and I hate the process of figuring those things out, so I made this to counterbalance the deafening roar of marketing that pummels everyone around this time of year. Here are some things that work for me, and here's to resisting the tomfoolery. (1st and 2nd cleanser?! GTFO of here). Other haps:There are a few spots still available for Aerial Serpent: Circus for Life, a retreat experience with myself and Kristina Nekyia Canizares in January, 2026! The remaining spots are priced at $2,400 for the week and include everything (food, all of the programming, accommodation, and outings). If you'd like to escape winter with us for a week of witchy learning from two obsessed lifelong devotees of our crafts, we'd love to meet you!
and finally: The Audacity Project, the final countdown:The 30th cycle of The Audacity Project will be enrolling in late February- the absolute best place to be is the waitlist! You get extra TLC, early access bonuses, and $100 monies off of tuition. This will be the LAST cycle of it's kind, run with more 1:1 support from me than you can shake a stick at.
And without further ado: November's Woo Corner The Knight of Swords is the fiery aspect of air (so...lightening, y'all. It's lightening). At his best, this archetype has a mind like a Scandinavian summer's day- sharp, clear, and almost too bright to look at. The powers of learning, science, and intellect are strong and make a good companion to decision making this month. Notice I said "companion", not "sole driver". The shadow aspect of the Knight of Swords is when he uses his intellectual prowess to imprison himself in a cage of cold logic, often driving others away with sardonic judgements. Because of his sharp mind and keen observations, he can easily do this and argue both sides of an issue with equal aplomb. It's truly impressive how he can hold all sides at once in his mind. ...but he's still sitting in a cold cage of logic arguing with himself. The saving grace here, the difference between getting caught up in theoretical wormholes and being able to weild intelligence benevolently, is BOTH the grounding and depth that he lacks. TL;DR: touch grass. Get in your body. Feel your feelings. Logic alone will never be a warm bedfellow. Card #2: Why is this here? The signifying card for this month is the 10 of Wands, from the Tarot of the Divine- a gift from my Dalta Rex: This card depicts the skull of tribal leader Saguaa (from a Guarani legend). When his daughter was missing, rather than call on his people to aid him in his search, he took possession of the problem individually. Clearly, it did not end well. Life grew out of death, as it usually does, but it was too late for Saguaa. The invitation of the 10 of Wands is one of self oppression: how are we isolating or caging ourselves because we believe that to be "the right thing to do?" Culture tends to associate suffering with nobility- something I deeply reject. It is not noble to take a burden onto ourselves that should be rightly shared- it's self important at worst and short sighted at best. If what we really want is to find what is lost, we'd have a lot better chance if more people were looking with us. This whole woo corner could be summarized by saying: go outside and phone a friend. I'll take that advice immediately. So here's to you and here's to me, and here's to shrugging off our ubiquitous self oppression. Don't go back to sleep. xoRachel |