THE HOODWITCH: WITCH TIPS & HOROSCOPES 7/19-25/2017

Artwork by Pierre Kiandjan

Written By Jessica Lanyadoo

Witch Tips

The Sun and Mars enter playful Leo early this week, and that means that it’s time to let the light in, lovelies! Before that solar shift happens, we have one more kick in the pants from the Sun in Cancer though; watch out from the 19th-21st as the planet that governs our sense of self forms a challenging Square to disruptive Uranus. This transit will bring about sudden changes, upsetting conditions, and unexpected shifts in power. This is a great time for exploration and creating reform but a terrible one for making things more secure. Be open to learning something that you didn’t think was true, and keep your gossiping to a minimum as it’s likely to come back to haunt you.

These days can also trigger restless anxiety, so make sure that when you’re feeling nervous, you try to get grounded and breathe into the present moment as much as possible. My two favorite anti-anxiety Witch supplies are lavender for the nervous system and amethyst for protection and calming the mind.

Amethyst & Lavender are both available HERE

The big news this week happens on the 23rd with the New Moon at 2:46 am PST. This New Moon in Leo is the first of two New Moons in the sign of play and creativity this summer – the second one will be the Great American Eclipse on August 23rd. It’s rare to have two New Moons in the same sign – we usually only get one per year. Trust that whatever comes up now will be extra meaningful and  intense. None of this is made more chill by the fact that passionate Mars is sitting pretty much on top of this Moon. Be open to learning about your ego, lovers. Leo can be self-involved and arrogant, and the Moon has a hard time seeing other people’s experiences when it gets too emo. How you assert yourself, how you evaluate your own or others' merits, what you feel entitled to take, or the priority you place on getting yours is likely to be staring you straight in the face this week. Instead of devolving into defensiveness, embrace the fullness of what you are and how you do! Embrace the work of directing yourself where you want to go, even if it seems like it’ll be a lot of work.

TBH the Universe has got you in a corner because from the 23rd-25th compromising Venus will be opposite rigid Saturn. This will further the need for you to make sure that that your actions are an accurate reflection of your values. Saturn can make you feel lonely and hyper-critical of your looks, your relationships, and how you come across to others. Your best course of action is to get aligned with yourself and not worry so much about what others do or don’t think about you.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

What you want and what’s in your best interest are not always the same thing, my love. This week your impulses will be zinging, and it would be easy to jump to conclusions and get deeply invested in something that you don’t yet fully understand. Instead of looking outside of yourself for answers, practice checking in with what’s underneath your feels, Aries. By better understanding your impulses, you can make better, more effective choices.

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

This is it, Taurus. You’re in a powerful state of manifestation, and that’s either going to be a very good or a very bad thing for you this week. Where your emotions are fixated is where you’ll see results, so get real about what you’re resonating with. If you’re on a diet and eating healthily but focused on how much you hate your body as it is, you’re likely to manifest more of your pain. Get your feels and your thoughts on the same page, my love.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

What you value is not a theoretical thing – it’s reflected in your actions on the daily. This week is likely to bring about an encounter with your choices that crystallizes a reality you’ve been avoiding, Twin Star. Instead of defending your behavior or justifying your right to do as you please, first make sure that you mean it. This is an excellent time to face facts and redirect your life. Confront the truth; you’ll be better for it, I promise.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

It’s essential that you’re honest, Moonchild. You don’t need to fix anyone’s feels, you just have to show up. Be honest with yourself about what you’re feeling and why. Then you’ve got to share that truth with the people you trust. You’re not right or wrong, good or bad – you’re a complex and layered person. It’s OK if things are messy and you have contradicting feels. Own your perspective because the truth is true, whether you want it to be or not, my love.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

On July 23rd, we have a New Moon in your sign, and it’s related to the upcoming New Moon in Leo, also known as the Great American Eclipse on 8/21. (You usually only get one New Moon in your sign per year!) This is not the time for messing around, Leo; this is a special time in history, and a meaningful time for you, personally. How you show up and who you chose to be are extra crucial because of this unusual lunar activity. If you allow yourself to be emotionally present, you will discover profound heartfelt truths.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

As the world around you changes, you must change too. This week isn’t meant to be stable, it’s meant to be a time of expansion. Maintain your self-care without attachments, Virgo. what I mean to say is that you shouldn’t try to direct the flow of your life this week because new data is coming in that will help you change or expand your perspectives. You can’t benefit from this if you’re not open to seeing things differently though. Open your heart and your mind, Virgo.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

Things are gonna come at you real fast this week, so now’s the time to address your ambiguities, Libra. If you don’t know what you want, you may buy into a plan that is great – just not great for you. Cultivate the kind of self-reference that supports you in knowing the difference between a crush on a person or situation versus a crush on their crush on you. All that glitters is not gold, my friend. Use your discretion, and don’t be scared of saying no this week.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Instead of seeking to avoid problems, embrace them, Scorpio. This is an excellent time to get things done that you’ve long been putting off. This may not be an easy week, but it doesn’t have to be bad either. Identify the material limitations you’ve been feeling blocked by, and write a three point plan of what you can begin to do to tackle them. You don’t need to fix anything, but you should set your sites on proactive steps to improve your life this week.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Feeling lonely is the pits. It’s a restless place to be, but in truth it’s important to be able to take a step back from people and really be with yourself. This week you may feel a bit off when it comes to your relationships, but there’s a big picture reason for it; you need you. If you’ve become caught up in other people’s opinions, you’re likely to have lost track of your own. Reconnect with your inner world without needing to get attention to validate your efforts, my love.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Things aren’t supposed to stay the same, Cappy. You are meant to change and grow, and as you do, you’re inevitably going to outgrow some things that you’ve come to rely on. This week may be challenging because you’re on call to do things differently and you only theoretically wanna. Allow space for your heart to drag behind your head if you need to; just don’t leave it in the dust.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

The New Moon on the 23rd in your relationship house is an important moment for everyone, but you’re likely to feel it in an extra sort of way. This week your relationships will come into focus for you, so ready or not, it’s time to cope. Who you chose to invest your energy in and what you consent to participating in are on you. Be the friend, partner, child, or neighbor that you want to be, even if it takes bringing greater intention into all of your interactions this week.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

At the end of the day you need to like yourself. It’s really easy to get caught up in what you think others want, or your projections into what others think about you, or what’s even possible for you to do based on other’s opinions. But it’s all a fool’s errand. Make sure you believe in the direction of your life, be damned what anyone else says. Commit your actions in the direction you need to so that you like the person you are in the here and now, Pisces.

The Hoodwitch: Witch Tips & Horosocopes 6/28~7/4/2017

Written By Jessica Lanyado

Witch Tips

What do we really know about the sign Cancer, other than that it’s got an unfortunate name and that it’s a hella emo sign? Cancer is strong. It’s a sign that’s represented by a hard-shelled crab, and while it may move towards things sideways, it comes equipped with weapons and can throw down if it has to. Planets in the sign of Cancer are concerned with their safety. The way that they assess it is by either referring back to their internal experience or checking in with what other people seem to think or feel – and this is where things get complicated. When dealing with heightened sensitivities, it’s wise to have a system of evaluating your own experience; otherwise, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by emotion and act defensively. This can cloud your judgment and encourage attachment to people, situations, or things that are not actually a part of your true security. This week, Cancer vibes are going to be strong.

Things are likely to be extra, so make sure you’re as grounded as you know how to be. On the 27-29th, chatty Mercury will be sitting on top of agro Mars. That’ll make everybody eager to jump to conclusions, feel hecka irritable, and quick to get defensive. Try to sit on your reactions and allow for more info to come through before you engage in fights, especially petty ones. On the 28-30th, Mercury will sit opposite Pluto, and that combo of these two transits can be downright explosive. You’re likely to obsess on things that make you feel bad, so be mindful of where you let your thoughts go. This is a great time for working hard to uncover the truth, but try to go at things directly, lovers.

Artwork by Ken Herman

If that wasn’t enough, it doesn’t end there; on the 1-3rd, Mars in Cancer will sit opposite Pluto in Capricorn. These two planets govern war and the need to be recognized as ‘right’. The combination can make you feel defensive and paranoid, so remember this: once a thing is done, it cannot be undone. Be humble in your strength, even if you feel like proving yourself at all costs. Other people may slime you with bad vibes, or you can spread around crappy juju if you’re not careful around these dates. 

Every witch needs black Tourmaline to help stave off negative energies, so make sure you’ve got some in your pocket this week. The greatest challenge from the 28th-3rd is to act with integrity; don’t do as the biggest jerk in your circle would; act in ways that make you like the person you are.

By the time the 3-5th rolls around, Mercury in emo Cancer will be forming a square to Uranus in individualistic Aries. The truth will come out around this time, so you better hope that you were playing it clean earlier in the week. This energy can make it hard to sleep because it stimulates your nervous system, and it can generate anxiety for the same reason. This is a great time for innovation but a lousy one for stability, so don’t seek it! Strive to grow beyond your limitations, and especially beyond your fears this week.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

Things are not meant to stay the same, and that’s a fact. Instead of holding on to what you thought you wanted, try being open to new ways of patterning your life. This week it’d be a mistake to get caught up in the details when there are big-picture shifts trying to take place in your life. Don’t hide from your own best interests by getting caught up in pettiness that you don’t need to be a part of. Focus your energies on getting where you want to go with your integrity intact, Aries.

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

Your friendships are a meaningful reflection of the person that you choose to be. Pay attention to the dramas and very real dynamics at play with your friends, pals, and contacts this week. There’s a live wire humming through all of your communications right now, and it would be easy for a poorly placed word or an unintentional tone to set off trouble. It’s important that you air out your thoughts – just choose an appropriate and reliable shoulder to lean on this week.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

Your ruling planet, Mercury, is on fire this week, and that can go in any direction for you. Stay grounded so that you don’t get swept up by other people’s dramas or become an unsuspecting player in one. When you’re stressing and fearing the worst, it’s extra hard to see things clearly. Take the space you need to be able to manage your feels; you risk getting so caught up in what you fear that you miss the potential inherent in your situation, Twin Star.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

This week may find you irritable, overwhelmed, and done with it all. There are no wrong feelings, just difficult ones. Find healthy ways of off-gassing your anger and agitation so that you don’t get into power struggles masquerading as meaningful issues. If you’re gonna get into it (and you may just have to), don’t get caught up in the details. By sticking to the big picture, it’ll be easier to avoid picking fights. Be intentional about what you do and how you do it, Moonchild.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

Pay close attention to your dreams this week; your sleep may be poor as your subconscious works out some heavy stuff. You’re likely to feel really flooded, and the way to handle it is to be willing to let go. Just because a thing is difficult doesn’t make it deep, Leo. It isn’t necessary to keep on reliving the same lessons – you’re allowed to walk away. Don’t process with people you don’t trust, and don’t waste your precious energy on played out dynamics this week.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

If you don’t have confidence in yourself, every part of life becomes difficult and hard to navigate. So here’s the million dollar question, Virgo: are you worthy of trust? Do you generally act in your best interests and in ways that reflect your values? Do you stand up for yourself when you feel wronged? Do you take yourself out of situations when they prove to be bad for you? If your answers are “no,” this is the time to start being a better friend to your lovely self.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

This is a time of great striving for you, Libra, and that’s not comfortable. When life is not stable, it’s tempting to assume the worst, but it’s not wise. Uncertainly and change are not synonymous with problems, my love. Be strong enough in your convictions that you can let people, situations, or attitudes go when they need to. In order to have a fantastic life, you don’t need things to come easily (though it would be nice); you need to be free.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

Things are complicated in your relationships, but that doesn’t mean that there are any hard and fast rules about what should come next. Avoid the desire to come up with a tidy answer to make a messy situation less complicated. Life is complicated. You don’t need to have it all together or to know what comes next in order for you to be doing the right thing for you in this moment. Act with honesty, and invite the consequences that this incurs, my love.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

If you allow other people’s beliefs and opinions to corrode your confidence, they better be pretty compelling. This week, others may harsh your mellow with their fearful expectations and negative projections. Your job is to parse out the Negative Norberts from those offering wise counsel. While you don’t get to know what will happen next, you do know how you want to participate in the here and now. Let fear guide you away from danger, not forge your life plans.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

If you don’t like the way things are, you’d better change them. The problem is that you’re unlikely to be able to see positive solutions when you’re obsessively running over everything that could go wrong. Repetitive thoughts and actions are like prayer, and they amplify whatever it is that you’re focusing on. Be careful of what you sew this week because your actions will be backed up with extra power. Make sure what you do is creative, or it’ll feel powerfully destructive, my love.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

There’s only so much that you can do at once without feeling over it all and quitting. Pace yourself through everything that you have to get done this week, as it may feel like too much. There are heavy shifts happening deep within you, and if you aren’t present for them, you may just miss a golden opportunity to let go of baggage. There are some things that you’re totally done with but habituated around; prioritize the places and people that make you happy this week.

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

This week is all about finding opportunity where you feel stuck. This may require you to step outside of your comfort zone or to take pains to better secure some parts of your life. Whatever happens, if your attitude is that of a person with a sign, a stand, and a bunch of lemons, you’ll be alright, Pisces. Preparation doesn’t require that you control things, only that you are a good steward for them to grow.

The Hoodwitch: Weekly Horoscopes 5/10-16/2017

Artwork by Victoria Siemer

Written by Jessica Lanyadoo

Witch Tips

It's Full Moon time again, kiddies, and this week is likely to bring hella chaos, so get ready! 

The Moon will be full at 20 degrees of Scorpio on the 10th at 2:42pm PST. Expect feels to be at heightened levels of intensity leading up to this event. It’s is a dangerous time for building up resentments, developing grudges, or obsessing on your ex, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. Scorpio is the sign of death and regeneration, healing and destruction; whatever happens with this Moon, it isn’t likely to be chill. You’re going to want to get deep, and that can be complicated if things do go your way, which I’m sad to say they probably won’t.

On the 10th fierce and combative Mars will form a Square to idealistic and devotional Neptune (in transit astrology you can think of the Square aspect as a bit of a curve ball or sucker punch). While the high point of these vibes will be felt on the 11th, you can expect it to intensify the psychic and messy nature of this Full Moon. The best way to manage this is to rely on your spiritual values and tools for staying in alignment with yourself, both emotionally and in your actions. Mars wants to have its energy be known. It wants power, revenge, and validation. Neptune couldn’t care less about any of that; it’s the planet that governs the interconnectedness of all things, or on the dank side, checking out and giving up. The danger here is that your feelings will be so scattered that you end up more overwhelmed than you can handle. The best advice I can give you for these next few days is to hold yourself accountable to the same standards that you hold others to and vice versa. Don’t be a martyr, and don’t think that you’re owed more than anyone else. Thinking that you’re the worst and thinking you’re the best is kinda the same problem – it’s thinking too much about yourself.

The jittery, restless Mercury conjunction to Uranus is still active until the 12th. This means that we all run the risk of gabbing at the mouth about every paranoid theory and defensive feel we have – so watch out! If you can, wait until after the 15th, when Mercury moves into stabilizing Taurus, to draw your conclusions. From the 11th-13th, activating Mars will give butterfly kisses (that’s a Trine aspect for bb astrologers) to expansive Jupiter. This can be great for getting things done in a major way, or it can just make it easy for you to run with le cray much farther than you otherwise would. Be willing to check your entitlement this week, lovers, or you may end up putting something into motion that you can’t stop.

PRO TIPS for A World Gone Wonky: 

1. Breathe

2. Align yourself with reliable emotional resources

3. Connect to and honor your spirituality

Life is complicated and beautiful; be here for it all.

ARIES

March 21-April 19

If you can accept that you’re not in total control of most things, your work gets a lot clearer, this week. The Full Moon on the 10th is an opportunity for you to release something or someone that you’ve been clinging to that you know is no longer right for you. Sometimes your task is to heal, and others you need to make a call and walk away. If you stop trying to fix things that aren’t broken you can start unpacking what you need to let go of, my love.

­TAURUS

April 20-May 20

Not everything that hurts is bad, and not all dynamics that feel good are healthy for you. Your relationships are an organism – they live and breathe, needing sustenance and care. If you ignore them or mistreat them, they can grow in gnarled directions. Take stock of how you’ve been showing up with the people you’re closest to, Taurus. The first half of this week is an opportunity to have compassion for the people in your life, even if you have to assert some potentially painful boundaries.

GEMINI

May 21-June 21

It’s not enough to know what you are, you’ve got to know what you’re not, Twin Star. This week you’re in for a major lesson in boundaries. The trouble is that it’s hard to know what’s enough, too much, or not enough, when you feel wonky about your own value. Prioritize getting grounded in your worth so that you can make the right calls in love and work. Know your rights and your responsibilities and act in ways that reflect them. There’s so much to be gained from setting sustainable expectations, sweet one.

CANCER

June 22-July 22

Something that’s been bugging you and tugging at your insides is about to come to crisis, Moonchild. If you’re committed to situations that don’t really serve you, you can expect to have stuff come up this week that requires you to deal with them. Be especially careful of being passive aggressive - if you’ve got something to say, spit it out! If you’re asking someone to be humble about their part, lead by example. While you have the right to your feels, you’ve also got to own your part.

LEO

July 23-Aug. 22

Expect the Full Moon on the 10th to kick up some family drama, Leo. You may have some old feels from the past come up with surprising strength, or perhaps a new emotionally intense situation will emerge. The key in either case is for you to show all the way up. If you’ve been acting in ways that aren’t true to you, it’s time for you to own up to them. It’s OK to say you’ve changed your mind, or that you’re wrong. The thing you shouldn’t do is to defensively try to rewrite history. Step up.

VIRGO

Aug. 23-Sept. 22

Be careful what you say, Virgo, because you’re likely to spend the first half of this week brimming with feelings that scramble your brain. It’s important that you honor the yearnings of your heart so that you don’t project them out and make mountains out of molehills. It’s easy to weave a narrative to match your feels, but that doesn’t mean that you’re telling yourself a true story. If you slow down and take the time to investigate your heart, you’ll able to figure out what’s really going on for you.

LIBRA

Sept. 23-Oct. 22

Don’t let your fear of conflict distract you from the central issues in your relationships, Libra. You don’t need to be defensive in order to defend yourself, and things don’t need to be terrible in order for you to stand up. This week your ego is gonna get triggered, and it’s on you to not shut down or act out. Be here for honest conversations, even if they’re super awkward and hard. Place authenticity over accommodation, my love.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23-Nov. 21

The Moon is only full in your sign but once a year, when it’s time for the rest of the zodiac to see what it’s like to live with such intense feels, Scorpio. Take an actual break from the busyness of your life and do a real check-in with yourself. If you’ve been holding it together, it’s OK to fall apart for a minute. Don’t wait for something to trigger your feels before you take care of them. Show yourself a little love this week and place your emotional wellness in high regard as a form of self-care.

 

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22-Dec. 21

Things are likely to get a little murky this week, ‘Tarius. Your feelings are likely to be all over the map and while that doesn’t mean that they’re unreliable, it does mean that you need to allow space for things to play out before you jump to conclusions. It’s not just OK to have limits - it’s essential, but it’s also really important to be informed. Breathe through your reactions so you can figure out what you really need to reach towards, and what you need to let go of.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22-Jan. 19

Where do you belong, Cappy? You’re ready to be more involved with community or group ventures, but you’ve got to be choosy about where and with who. This week’s Full Moon on the 10th is going to bring up all kinds of feelings about your place in the world. This is a fertile time for letting go of past entanglements and attachments, and for seeing things as they really are. This is the first step in a process of feeling more connected to others in a way that gives you life, instead of drains it outta you.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20-Feb. 18

Where are you going, Aquarius, like really? This week’s Full Moon is an opportunity to get real about the track you’ve set yourself on. If you’re not happy with the choices you’ve made in recent months you’re likely to feel the weight of it now. It may be tempting to check out and lose yourself in daydreams and distractions but that would be a waste of an opportunity. Challenge yourself to make healthy decisions, even when disassociating seems easier. 

 

PISCES

Feb. 19-March 20

You don’t need to take on other people’s dramas as a way of showing support. It’s not on you to know some magic solution that works ideally for everyone; all you need to know is what’s right and healthy for you. This week your mantra gets to be: “those are not my monkeys, and this is not my circus”. Manage your own sweet self, and let others do the work of figuring their own selves out, Pisces. Know your limits and honor them, my love.