*Trigger warnings.
This week’s artist is Kara Walker @kara_walker_official. She is best known for her use of silhouettes in her art. However, Walker also uses drawing, painting, text, shadow puppetry, film, and sculpture to delve into history, slavery, sexuality, violence, subjugation, and the ongoing psychological injury caused be the legacy of slavery.
Her work leads us to think about our history often using dark humor and thus examining our contemporary racial and gender stereotypes. Her work is controversial with a wide variety of audiences. Many think her work demoralizes and betrays the history of slaves. However, this is her work as an artist. Artist work to comprehend their own experience and have a dialogue with their audience. Walker’s work does just that. In her exploration of self, she has made you think of yours.
Your pondering for the week: To expand your knowledge of Black History try these prompts created by @feministajones, it’s week long commemoration of the accomplishments and personhood of Black women held between February, Black History Month, and March, Women’s History Month. I shared mine to start you off.
The daily prompts are as follows:
DAY 1 February 25: A Black Woman You Admire – Deborah Phillips aka English – defense attorney- my friend and roommate from college. I admire her intellect, creativity, musicality, power, strength, as a mother and just her general badassness. Then in a more famous way, Michelle Obama pretty much for the same reason I admire Deborah.
DAY 2 February 26: A Moment in Black Women’s History – Katherine Johnson’s overall career as a mathematician for NASA. Since I grew up in the Cape Canaveral area in Florida during the 60’s and 70’s, space stuff was so interesting to all us kids and made me want to be in the sciences. But you rarely saw woman or people of color in these fields. So, seeing her get recognition by President Obama just felt like women in STEM and their contributions are finally getting seen.
DAY 3 February 27: A Black Woman from Another Country – Queen Nzinga Ana de Sousa Mbande of Ndongo and Matamba (1583-1663) modern day Angola.
DAY 4 February 28: A Black Woman Who Has Made Your Life Better- Dr. Patricia Bath invented Laserphaco Probe for cataracts removal. Every recent elder in my family has benefitted from this invention and seems I will be in the future too.
DAY 5 March 1: A Black Woman Artist – at this moment I’m in love with Kayla Mahaffey @kaylamay_art, but there are many like Kara Walker or Tawny Chatman @tawnychatmon above who’s art has moved me or has expanded my thought process profoundly.
DAY 6 March 2: A Powerful Quote from a Black Woman- “As a classroom community, our capacity to generate excitement is deeply affected by our interest in one another, in hearing one another’s voices, in recognizing one another’s presence – bell hooks. Her books where guides for me as an educator and as a person.
DAY 7 March 3: A Day of Self-Celebration for Black Women
Solar System highlights
This week begins with a new moon in Gemini on Monday – time for collaboration and sharing your feelings. On Wednesday it moves to Cancer – self-care is important. Then on Saturday the moon is in Leo – spend time in the sun.
Mercury (communication and knowledge) has now moved into Aquarius (innovation and society) – a great time to talk about personal and social change. Then on Thursday moves into Pisces – talk out your dreams with others. Mars (action) is still in Gemini (communication and knowledge), until March 25th, 2023. This is a 7-month stopover instead of it’s usually 1-2. Mars is pushing us to truthfully talk and follow up with actions. The challenge with this time is your politeness filter has been switched off. So, it is having us double down on how to be constructive with our voice – to promote action not reaction.
Venus (beauty and harmony) is in Aries fires up our passion and pushes us to action. Jupiter (growth) is in Aries until May 16, 2023 – great for manifestation, expansion, and action. And lastly, Saturn (structures) spends its last week in Aquarius until March 7th – so innovating and modernizing your everyday life is its intention.
PS. 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 new tip jar if you want to leave a gratuity for the weekly forecasts.
May light be on you, around you, and within you. Happy Solstice no tarotcast next week so I’ll “see” you all in 2023.
Nina
Aries
*Sun – This week is your time to shine. The Muse of Radiance is here to highlight your good qualities and projects. So, focus on what is easily seen this week. You can even boast a little. The challenge is not to overshadow those around you. There is enough light for all.
Taurus
Queen of Earth – The Muse of the Grounding comes when you need to get your soles and soul re-connected with Mother Earth. Whether that is gardening, buying flowers, eating more veggies and fruit, or playing with our other sentient beings that cohabit our earth with us, it is important to use your senses while you are interacting with the bounty of nature.
Gemini
Nine of Air – Your mind is very active this week. The Muse of Worries and Fretting would like you to ignore the should, could and would sentences. She asks you to focus only on what you can truly control in the now. And let the rest of your thoughts go.
Cancerian
*Lovers – The Muse of Intimacy comes when you need to deepen your relationships. This week spend time in conversation with those closest to you. Share your secrets with others, especially the confidences that you hide from the world. This Muse reminds you that you will have more commonalities with others than you think. And don’t forget to listen to other’s secrets too. Sharing is caring.
Leo
Three of Air – You can be triggered this week. The Muse of Deep Wounds has come to help. She reminds you these triggers are places that are ready to heal. So, spend quality time with a friend, therapist or in meditation and go to the root of the wound and begin to heal. Big Hugs.
Virgo
*Temperance – Temperance is a life card for you all. You have life lessons around turning your volume knobs down to mid-range. The Muse of Patience and Middle Roads is your life companion for this work. This week will hold an aspect or two that can make your volume button either turn up to eleven or down to mute. If this happens ground yourself and then rebalance the intensity of your reaction. As they say: Keep calm and carry on.
Libra
Ace of Fire – This week is a perfect time to light a fire under a project that you have been holding off on. The Muse of Vitality is here to help spark what you put your focus on. The challenge is also exactly that being aware of where you spend your energy. So focus wisely and go for it.
Scorpio
Five of Water – This week will have its ups and downs. The Muse of the Half Full Cup advises that if you view situations as half full you are more likely to see there is enough and share. But if you view them half empty one often falls into a scarcity perspective and the feeling of isolation. This week is a test in optimism, finding the silver linings in rain clouds and accepting the umbrellas of friendship.
Sagittarius
*Hermit – Though you all are gregarious as a group, even you need time to pull back and think. This week the Muse of Perspective advises to spend some time in solitary reflection. There are aspects of your life that you need to see from heights to gain the larger picture. The only challenge is, if you do get time to walk away, telling others of this mini-sabbatical, so they don’t try to find you during your hermitage.
Capricorn
*Devil – Where last week was about control and getting things done, this week it is time to investigate the untamed. The Muse of the Wild is calling to you this week. This is life-long energy-work for you all. The challenge with this card is playing with the wild without getting swept away by it. You have good boundaries and are tethered, so allow yourself to step away from structures so you can relax into and play within the subconscious, rediscover nightlife, or even go out in the wooded wilds at dusk and dance or howl.
Aquarius
Seven of Earth – This week is great for work. The Muse of Do is helping you find your flow and the satisfaction of getting things done. There is ease if you keep a steady momentum and have a good plan of what you need to do. By putting the work into this week’s projects, you will create more ease in the future and a better bounty too.
Pisces
Three of Fire – The Muse of Timing comes when you need to utilize this time of waiting wisely. Things are happening behind the scenes, and you should match that energy. This is a great time to revise projects, re-stock your resources, and brainstorm. Do what needs to be done to get ready for the future.
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