The artist this week is Shizuka Kusayanagi @illustrated_by_shizuk.  Kusayanagi works in a variety of disciplines:  painting printmaking, photography, and writing.  She also creates experiences, Art for All Ages workshops, “as a modality to connect with and care for oneself and others.”

One of the beauties of art is it can evoke emotional responses.  Having the viewer confront/experience/comprehend their own inner emotions.  In her words: “I study and interpret the essence of a subject as if I were creating a portrait or translating a language. A place, a memory, or an emotion all become portraits that I steep myself in to gather information and step out of to tell their unique stories in an attempt to evoke feelings, a universal language without physical form.”

Kusayanagi believes that the practice of art is medicine not only for herself but also for the viewer/receiver.  This healing aspect of her work started when she took a year-long dive into inner work and meditations and produced the work, “Body”.  “I encapsulate visions I had experienced during meditations or states of mind-body connection. Art is medicine for me, and I intend to spread the medicine of the art, the visual language that unites us all as humans.”

Your pondering for this week:  Can you see your emotions as friends, companions, protectors, and healers?

Solar System highlights

The moon begins in Aries – great time to start on a project or an idea you have left dormant. On Wednesday the moon moves into Taurus, you have the energy to make things grow.  Then on Friday the moon is in Gemini – time for hanging out with friends for the weekend.    Then Sunday, the 17^th, the moon moves into Cancer- self-care is your top priority.  On Wednesday the 20^th it moves into Leo – time to shine.  And on Friday March 22^nd the moon moves into Virgo, a great time to finish or get started on spring cleaning.

Mercury is now in Aries for its 8 weeklong crash course in learning to say what we need in a non-reactive way and work on if our action matches our words.  It’s a mini course in Non-Violet Communication.  Mars is still hanging with Pluto in the water-bearer’s sign of social consciousness.  It pushes us to innovate and think about how our actions affect not only our own future but the future of the world.  So, you have these 2 areas to focus on.  Mars (do my actions benefit more than me?) and Pluto (how can I share my power and wealth to the collective?).

And Venus has just joined the Sun and Saturn. This is still a lesson about our influence and place in society.  But instead of just pushing actions they are wanting us to dream bigger without restrictions. And they are asking us, how we can be adaptable in how we shine, and can it bring beauty and harmony into our sphere?

*** Signs with an * it is a big week for you.  Pisces this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year.  And Virgo it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time. And I have a tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the weekly forecasts.

****And I am experimenting again.   I had switched from using the older suits name (pentacles, cups, swords, and wands) to a more elemental way of reading them which is earth, water, air, and fire.  Now I would like to leave the binary and feudal system of the RWS’s court cards.  So, the RWS old version is Page, Knight, Queen, and King is changing to Heart (pure embodiment of element), Body (moving the element), Spirit (living the element) and Mind (taking care of the element).

May light be on you, around you, and within you.

Nina

Aries

Nine of Air – Life is full of things to worry about.  Luckily the Muse of Worries flies to your aid.  She reminds you that worrying is actually beneficial if you can control the problem.  Worrying helps you to find possible solutions.  But she reminds you that being anxious about things you can’t regulate is an unprofitable use of mental energy.  So, for the next two weeks practice laying aside worrying about aspects of life you cannot control.  The key is working with hope and for the best outcome instead of the worst.

Taurus

Four of Water – The next two weeks the Muse of Contemplation would like you to do some inner work.  Pick three subjects, areas, or aspects that you would like to reflect on.  The challenges during this work are circle-thinking, going into rabbit holes or self-doubt.  When you find yourself doing these, look outward, by asking/finding outside sources for support or the knowledge you are missing.

Gemini

Nine of Water – The next two weeks the muses are wanting you to work on the concept of contentment.  The challenge is experimenting with the level of when you are actually satisfied versus when your craving is.  So, the muses suggest trying exercises like eating 3/4^th of your meal and seeing how you feel after 20 minutes.  Or practice slow living. Slow living is a lifestyle which encourages a slower approach to aspects of everyday life, involving completing tasks at a leisurely pace. The key to this period is finding out what truly makes you feel good.

Cancer

*Emperor – The Muse of Protection would like to work with you these next coming weeks.  She asks, what do you need in place to feel protected and then what will help you implement it.  This protection can take on aspects of your physical space, like eating more calcium or fixing a door lock. Possibly your friend/work group, are they supportive the way you need it and are you asking for it when you do?  Or even your own self-care like enforcing boundaries around your quiet time.  Think of this time like a crab forming its new shell after a shed.  And I hope you learned from the muses the last two weeks around worry.  This is not a time to worry but to strengthen and adapt.  Remember the Universe and muses have your back.

Leo

Mind of Water – The Muse of Emotions will be working with you for the next two weeks.  This Muse likes to get down and dirty with you about the whys of your emotional state and then how you are dealing with it.  This time is not about judging your emotions but hanging out with them, understanding their needs and why they are trying to gain attention.  This muse recommends pondering the Guest House by Rumi for inspiration.

Virgo

Ten of Water – The Muse of Happiness would like to work with you for the next two weeks.  She challenges you to find what makes you happy and then to create space so you can dive into these sunlit waters more often. These delectable morsels are the little things in life that make you smile:  laughter, rainbows, a cool breeze or a warm fire, music, etc…. She reminds you that happiness is flitting, but it is also a well you can return to as needed if you know its source.

Libra

*Magician – The Muse of Experimentation is visiting you for the coming two weeks.  This Muse pushes you to experiment with your world.  You have all the tools you need but she prompts you to find new ways to implement them.  This could be as simple as playing with the layout of your home/office or planning a new garden or trying new recipes to cook.  Think experimentation and expansion without too much expense.  And lastly, she reminds you that experimentation is more about play than goals.

Scorpio

*Hermit – The Muse of Perspective advises for the next two weeks you need to pull away from life and gain some distance.  This distance will give you a broader look on not only the foreground of your life but also, its horizon.  This task can make sure what you are doing is aligned with your goals or seeing that maybe the goals have changed.  The challenge is for you to find space from your everyday life to get a glimpse at the bigger and more holistic view of your landscape.

Sagittarius

*Judgement – The last two weeks the Muse of Deconstruction had you acknowledge what isn’t working for you; before an outside force deconstructs it for you.  And then the planets threw in a challenge to make sure your redesigns lift yourself and others while being adaptable.  Well, the Muse of Evolution is here to help with those redesign, because they still are not right in helping you step up your game while also being flexible enough to change as circumstances do.  This can be as simple as making empty space in your schedule that can be utilized when needed.  Or maybe it’s about bringing part of your work-out nearer to home, so you do it more constantly or for less money.  Remember evolution is really being able to utilize a niche with more ease.

Capricorn

Seven of Fire– The Muse of Competition comes for two reason.  Either you are competing with someone or a concept in society or you are competing for your personal resources of time and space.  So, if competing with an person or idea, she reminds you that what you are doing is about your unique calling.  It is not comparable.  Or if it is a resource then she endorses establishing your boundaries with clarity and conviction in the coming weeks.  It is not that your resources are in lack but there is only so much time in the day.  Key words:  determination, distinctiveness, and demand.

Aquarius

Four of Air – Where the last weeks were all about momentum, these next two are about relaxation.  The Muse of Restoration advises rest and restoration.  She suggests finding times in your schedule where you can tune out.  The challenge is this includes technology or mental output/input.  For the biggest part of your body that needs rest right now is your mind.   So, sleep is important but also staring out the window with no goals or puttering is too.

Pisces

Five of Water – The Muse of Optimism would like you to work on a cup-full mentality. The challenge is acknowledging the spilled cups while also picking up the full ones and moving on.  She asks, do you want grief to define your life or the positive lessons of that grief?  We grieve because we love, and we are disappointed because we hope. Let love and hope be the cups you continue to bring on your journey and not the worry that they might spill.