Astrology, the imperator

Summer solstice - The Empress 

"Who are you?". This existential question is asked daily, every time we do an interview, we meet a new person, or we have to choose an Instagram caption. Despite appearing intimidating black written on white, we are used to respond using a series of 'types' in which we identify ourselves. The city or region from which we come, our main occupation, our greater interest. These groups of belonging allow us to communicate a large amount of information in a short time, based on their implicit connotations. Sometimes, we feel the need to emphasize how we diverge from the stereotype, perhaps stating that 'even if they are from Rome, I don't know how to cook carbonara'. The types allow us to certify our identity, giving us a point of reference to me to measure ourselves.

Astrology works similarly. Roberto Sicuteri, in his book "Astrology and myth: symbols and myths of the zodiac in the psychology of the deep", explains how the zodiac signs reflect the types present in classic myths. We are presented with a general idea of ​​our personality to deal with. Astrology itself is an art, very different from the horoscope that suggests to the twins to avoid onions on Tuesday and promises the meeting of true love every week since 1976. Astrologists spend years studying astral cards, unique for Each individual, and use them as a guide to ask intentionally general questions, who present us the opportunity to question ourselves about the deepest parts of ourselves. The space left to interpretation, often a source of criticism of astrology, is what allows us to answer honestly to questions that we have never had the courage to ask ourselves. In short, a kind of spots of Rorschach of the stars.

There are several reasons why astrology has become increasingly popular in recent years. On the one hand, we are experiencing a profound economic and climatic crisis, and the feeling that the world is undergoing has been increased by the pandemic. All the reference points we had been swept away, it is obvious that something should change. The refusal of the rationality and greed that led us to our present makes the alternative of a way of life based on the most attractive intuition. Not so different from the 70s, during which the cultural revolution was advanced by Hippy who sang 'The Age of the Aquarius'.

The climatic crisis led us to want a deeper relationship with the planet we live. Many concepts related to astrology are inherited from a rural culture. For example, solstices and equinoxes are linked to the ancient harvest parties. Considering that the way we divide the time is completely invented (we literally decided that a month a year every now and then changes number of days just to bring back the accounts), it does not seem so absurd to follow the rhythms of the earth.

Finally, we live in a world where relationships are increasingly superficial. Armed with apps and social media that give us the opportunity to create US-E-GETTA friendships and romanticism with the ease with which a poke bowl on deliveroo is ordered, we find it difficult to go from 'what is your favorite color' to 'tell me i your darker secrets. Astrology is a fun way to access deeper conversations. It is not yet socially acceptable to ask someone if he considers himself impulsive or stubborn to the first appointment, but is it considered normal to ask "Are you ram or Capricorn?".
It is important to take into consideration that there is a precise reason why astrology is considered by many to be a stupid pastime, and that reason is ... drum roller ... patriarchy! Always him. Historically, all that women liked to women has been labeled as stupid and of little value and substance, to keep a male chauvinist system by making women feel stupid, of little value and substance. The fact that pop and Rom-com are considered the worst genres despite the most profitable is not causality. Our society continues to earn with what women like, and then argue that it is a stuff that is worth nothing. Why is fantasy football okay and the phases of the moon right? At least the moon exists. Astrology is often criticized because it is accused of not having real effects on the world, but the real effects depend on conventions. Our entire existence is based on conventions valid only because we decide to make them such. The monetary system and religion are not real things, but they have real effects because as a society we have decided so.
Recently the meme Astrology GF and and Stock Market BF It has become viral. Buzzfeed claims that it comes from the fact that the stock market for women is so difficult to understand as astrology for men. This is not the case. The truth is that both are beliefs based on nothing. Numerous times it has been shown that the value of an action is as influenced by that of the relative company as my delay in the last two weeks as a retrograde mercury. Everything is based on what people believe and want to accept as reality. In short, we live in a world in which a little users of Reddit can crash an entire system and people are enriched with the dogecoins, however, the idea of ​​using the summer solstice as an excuse to celebrate the past six months and honor the fact that the days begin to shorten, that is irrational.
Astrology is a fun and harmless pastime. If you are interested, enjoy it. If someone criticizes you, he raises his eyes to heaven and "you are a [his zodiac sign]", because he is always fun. Ah, and true love? Meet him next week, don't worry.

You are overvissut* to the first six months of 2021, congratulations! Our ancestors, who had understood everything, celebrated the summer solstice to celebrate the harvest and honor the extension of the nights. If you want to feel a little witch, here's how to celebrate your female side and the small wins of the past months, how to choose jeans instead of the suit trousers.

The solstice represents a moment of flowering, growth and creative power. Summer begins to show itself in every corner, warm and welcoming. 
In the tarot cards, the representative paper of this moment is the imperator, to release not only propulsive and sensual energy, but also to represent a precise moment in the female cycle: ovulation. The fertile days of this moment are an exceptional opportunity to convey passion and vitality in everyday life, take care of others and projects as to feed them. Every month, during the ovulation period, we take the clothes of the empress, apparently static on their throne, but in the creation and nourishment phase, surrounded by abundance: water, plants, flowers, a lush scenario. On the day of the solstice, the Empress invites us to celebrate the most maternal and caring side, towards everything around us, but also towards our personal realizations.
To honor June 21, the longest day of the year, and warm from every point of view, here are some ideas: 

1. Make something flourish. Turn on a candle and write a note to you stess* on what you want to make it bloom this year. What do you want to grow up? What does care requires in your daily life? When the candle has consumed almost completely, you can burn the ticket, and undergo the ashes in the ground, or in a flower pot.
2. Find a representative representative, it could be paper, an image, a representation in a book and try to connect with the figure. What do you think? What are the internal and external forces that distinguish it? Try to put you in place, and to view in what area of ​​your life or your path these forces manifest themselves.
3. Walk in nature! The best way to connect with the creation, growth and flowering of the solstice is to move from artifice and city cement to recharge and discover one's inner summer.

Good solstice! 

 Linda Massi & Geneva Petrozzi