Summer solstice

(image cc Alexandria Willis Fleming from upcoming photo series)

today marks the summer solstice for the northern hemisphere. this week is a moment to reflect on the growth you’ve experienced since the winter solstice last December. the word solstice translates to “sun suspended”. It marks a moment of reflection, a sense of a collective deep breath. take a moment today to get some sun on you skin and make a note of how you’ve grown and what has sustained through the changing of the seasons. the longest day of sunlight links up with the shift of the sun moving into the sign of cancer. as a mutable sign, gemini moves the energy of the seasons, transferring a light breezy effervescence from the urgency of blooms and emergence of life that began in springtime. the essential energy that must transfer onwards to usher in cancer (the cardinal sign of summertime) is one of that says… this is what has survived the renewal of winter and birth of spring, and now… how do we sustain it?

Cancer is ruled by the moon. it’s connection to fertility comes from the ancient Egyptians linking this time to the flooding of the nile, when the nutrient dense sediment would saturate the plains to bring life to the soil. from the moon, we get the cancer significations such as mothering, caretaking, creativity, nourishment, comfort, sentimentality, and protection. in our own lives, we look to the house that cancer rules in our natal chart & the placement of the moon to see what we deeply care about/for, and where that energy will manifest in our lives.

the gentle nature that cancer is known for comes with another side. the crab archetype of the zodiac, cancer is known to protect the things it loves the most. a natural home maker, it’s influence is to burrow and collect and beautify surroundings. creature comforts, self care, hospitality… comes with an intuitive ability to sense when a thing or a person is not safe and act swiftly to guard their sensitive world. Under the sign of cancer, one can become moody and begrudging if their feelings are not respected, or if their inner most needs are not met. When we tune into the area of our life that cancer influences, and our moon sign, we get a big picture view of that intimate world we shuffle to protect at the slightest hint of imbalance.

ruling the breasts and the stomach, cancer illuminates how and what we need to feel nourished and how that nourishment is best digested. as the cardinal sign marking the beginning of summer, cancer initiates the steps we must take to sustain life. to do that, we must bring awareness to our bodies in some way, awareness to the care it takes to be vulnerable and creative and intimately know our needs. below is a little spread for where this energy is manifesting in your life as the sun illuminates this area of your chart. read for your rising sign (perferably) but you can also try reading each one for you moon, and sun sign as well. we will have a new moon when the sun and moon meet in cancer next Tuesday. this area of your chart will be illuminated for that new moon.

daisies for cancer season

houses

(areas of influence)

cancer rules

for each

rising sign

aries rising- home, foundations, family (both blood and chosen family), land, realestate, ancestors

taurus rising- local community, communications, siblings, social media, education, daily rituals to connect with the divine, marketing, messages, writing, frequent/small scale publishing such as a blog or webinar, short distance travel, transportation, neighborhood

gemini rising- personal possessions, what you value, self-worth, personal income, material sentiments, self-care, what nourishes and sustains your individual wellbeing

cancer rising- identity, character, body, vitality, world view, lens that you see the world through, self-awareness

Leo rising- isolation, sanctuary, places we go to be alone, institutions (both spiritual such as ashrams and world places of confinement such as hospitals/jails ect.) self-undoing, unconsciousness, shadow work, hidden enemies, mental health, large animals (think horses), foreign cultures/lands

virgo rising- networks, groups that align with your vision for the world, connections, large gatherings, friend groups, the collection of influences from other people that support your visibility in the world at large, activism, movement of energy that comes when many gather to support an idea (especially for a better world)

libra rising- public image, career, visibility, worldly success, mother’s influence can be seen here as well.

scorpio rising- belief systems, higher education, systems of study that deepen your faith and engagement with life (astrology), connection with religion/god, divination, large scale publishing such as a novel, long distance travel, foreign travel

sagittarius rising- shared resources, other people’s money, debt/taxes/inheritance, emotional baggage that comes with partnership, trauma that we are forced to deal with, counsel/therapy, intimacy, where our shadow is acted out, corporations, possibly karmic soul patterns we must work with in this lifetime (depending on your belief system), grief, death, suffering, loss

capricorn rising- relationships, close partnerships, business partners, one-one clients, contracts, known enemies, what we are looking for in partnership & what we attract

Aquarius rising- daily work, routines, health/body, tasks we must do each day to keep going, the grind, the physical nature of how we move through each day and it’s effects on our wellbeing, this area can also represent others who work for us and small animals (think cats & dogs)

pisces rising- pleasure, creativity, joy, self-expression, children, sex, dancing, arenas (think concerts, sporting events, performances), flirtatious encounters, the little things that bring us happiness

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as an astrologer and artist, one of my favorite ways to work in harmony with the planets and stars is to find creative ways to structure my life in resonance with the seasons. It’s fun and interesting to see how things flow with greater ease when I work this way! I am a gemini rising, so the sun moving through cancer illuminates my 2nd house (see gemini rising above^). since my natal MOON is in pisces in my 10th house (public image/visibility), I thought a creative way to work with this energy would be to share some of my self-care essentials this season. All of my favorite things listed below are my absolute go-to, every day, creature comforts and wellness regimes.

self-care essentials

beauty

ILIA beauty I love everything ILIA. one of my favorite’s is their balmy tint hydrating lip balm in the shade ‘runaway’.

Westman Atelier highly recommend the highlight and contour sticks for a dew kissed and subtle glow!

Paint Box recently I just can’t get enough of nail care! I used to resist going to nail salons because of the chemicals used. for at home, non-toxic nail polish, paint-box is my go to!

Olive and June another nail polish/press on nail brand for less toxic nail art! I have yet to try all of their products but have heard great things.

wellness (skincare and what’s inside that counts)

Alexis Smart Flower Essences Alexis Smart’s flower essence blends have been essential in my toolkit for many pivotal life moments. I started with Whole Hearted a few years ago found myself weeping for two weeks straight. that blend is meant to help support healing past wounds around grief and heartbreak, and like many homeopathic remedies, the symptoms can be brought to the surface more intensely before they are released. I have been blown away from the subtle effects of all the blends I have tried since! You can read more about how to choose which blend to use on her website. The great thing about flower essences is that there are no side effects, so you can experiment with them in an intuitive way without worrying about overdoing it.

Osea Malibu okay… I’m hooked. I first tried OSEA as a sample in a gift bag from an event. I have combination skin so anything too rich feels oily, and too light doesn’t actually hydrate my skin. OSEA is the first all around skincare that really soaked in and I could see the results quickly. The seaweed infused products really make you glow. I swear by their hyaluronic acid serum, white algae mask, and undaria algae body oil. seriously, you might as well subscribe because you won’t want to run out.

Goop Glow as a mom of three kids and a small business owner, I don’t have a lot of time for trips to the spa! this is my go to ‘facial’ in a jar. helps my skin feel smooth and clear with instant glow factor.

Anima Mundi Herbs we’ve all (likely) seen Anima Mundi’s well curated instagram feed, but have you actually tried their products? I was pleasantly surprised to fall in love with their teas. We drink a lot of tea in our household, and have even made our own blends in the past so we can be picky when it comes to herbal tea mixes! The all around favorites have been the calm- stress relief tonic for those moments you need to take the edge off (without feeling drowsy), and blue lotus tea for enhanced intuition during meditation or before bed.

Bee Keepers Naturals with great tea comes… great honey. after learning that there is basically no regulation on what qualifies as ‘organic’ honey, I have been grateful to find this brand. since bee’s can travel up to 5 miles to collect pollen to bring back to the hive, the extensive testing that Bee Keeper’s Naturals does to make sure there are absolutely no pesticides in their honey is beyond. the founder stands behind her product, and works with small hive bee keepers across the country and in Canada to support the bees and the bee keeper’s holding up this next level honey standard. plus…. the propolis… listen to the podcast episode here. favorite products that I have tried are the bee powered superfood honey for my daily tea, and the propolis throat spray for anytime we feel a cold coming on! Plus the kids products for immune support are amazing as well.

Melissa Wood Health the best short workouts (I can even do these with the kids running around) expect a boost energy AND heart centered joy from this sweet sagittarius fitness and lifestyle entrepreneur!

personal growth

To Be Magnetic if you have worked with me before or know me well, you know I preach the work of Lacy Phillips and To Be Magnetic. Her motto is that to live a full and magnetic life we have to believe we are worthy of it. She makes shadow work approachable, with self guided mediations and workshops to deepen your awareness of limiting beliefs and rewrite those neural pathways so you an create a life aligned to you most authentic desires. Dig in y’all… I have been doing this for over three years now and I can’t speak highly enough about how big of a change I have seen since I started.

Chani Nicholas the best astrology app! a great resource for both the beginner and advanced astrologer or just anyone curious. Chani studied under Demetra George who is a huge influence on the style of astrology I practice. Chani also runs an amazing equal opportunity business so when you sign up, you know your dollar is going to a company that treats their employees with integrity. She offers weekly readings, a breakdown of your natal chart, current transits to your chart, and guided rituals and meditations. the writers for this app are some amazing astrologer’s as well, you’re getting more than just one perspective, its juicy!

hope this season brings you all the nourishment you need to integrate growth and creativity in your life.

Xx, Alexandria