Tarotscopes that slay: New Moon in Aquarius

Tarotscopes that slay: New Moon in Aquarius

Aquarius Season is a time to get weird. This is the sign where the Sun feels like a stranger to itself. It can’t behave in the way it’s most accustomed– rather it must embrace the electric strangeness of this cosmic air sign. Consider Aquarius the sign of the voyeur, the rebel, the alien. As an Aquarius Sun myself, I have always felt like an oddball– the things most people take for granted I cannot help but question. And as a result I have that ferocious streak of Aquarian contrariness. I am always looking to swim against the current, not because I am difficult but because I am obsessed with finding another way, a way that is uniquely my own.

After the punishing rigidity of Capricorn season, Aquarius responds with rebellion. You too, no matter your sign, must find a new way that is uniquely your own. You must rebel against who you’ve been. You must rebel against what you’ve been taught was acceptable and permissible. Instead, embrace your oddities and your peculiarities because they are all part of the larger celestial puzzle. And if you deny your individual pieces, the puzzle will never be completed. This New Moon at 4 degrees Aquarius is an escape hatch from normalcy and an invitation into your larger cosmic self.

This New Moon also officially brings an end to Eclipse Season. Remember that Eclipse Season shows up to bring us back into alignment, to eliminate the distractions and the illusions. It’s rarely subtle and it’s not often pleasant but Eclipses show us, with striking clarity, where we have been deceived by others or ourselves. They make it impossible to stick our heads in the sand any longer. Eclipses come in to change you on a soul level– so you’ve been changed whether you like it not. This New Moon in Aquarius comes in on its heels and asks: Ok, you’re changed, cool, now what?

I am here to tell you that you are not crazy or making it up, things have been intense AF lately. Everything is evolving quickly and everyone is feeling it. Capricorn energy is heavy and has a tendency to make us overly serious and take everything a little too seriously– Aquarius wants none of that. Can you begin to be more playful with your whole life? That’s the key to understanding the invitation of this New Moon. Yes, there are big changes you need to make. This New Moon (happening on Friday at 1:41 PM, PST) will square Uranus in Taurus, the planet of creativity, chaos and shaking it up– meaning your physical life needs to reflect this new you. But can you rearrange your life playfully? Can you cast off your old masks, your old goals, even your old fears and step fully into the real you?

Here’s an Aquarian question: Who is the real you? Is it the voice (or voices) in your head? Is it your resume? Is it your past and the story you tell yourself about it? Or maybe it’s something way bigger, you see, Aquarius Season is all about the big picture. What if you pushed Google Earth on your whole life? Zoom out, further, further still. Can you get a sense of the larger patterns you’ve been acting out? And what if you, as you know yourself, were actually just a fraction of a wiser, ancient, more cosmic being? What if you could begin to live your life from your expansive and strange soul? These are the sorts of questions that this season offers us. Life isn’t something to manipulated, it’s to be lived like you were riding a wave. Trust in the bigger YOU that you might just be coming to know.

When we deny our strangeness, we deny the world a new point of view. We can’t assume we know where this is all heading. But we can double down on our individuality, not so we can be the star of the show but for the greater good. As the sign which rules over humanitarian work, large groups, dreams and hopes and wishes, Aquarius teaches that making ourselves small and normal makes the world small and normal. It’s not just time to break out of the box, it’s time to break the box.

At its essence, Aquarius speaks to our universal interconnectedness. We are a human family, we can’t deny that. And we can’t afford to give up on humanity, it’s all we have. But first, you can’t afford to give up on yourself. Use this New Moon and this Aquarius season to expand out into your curious edges. You’ll find that when you are brave enough to own the full landscape of yourself, it empowers all those with whom you come in contact. You can never know the full impact that being your whole self can have. It radiates in invisible currents, it empowers in silent waves. And once you get used to it, it feels a million times better than playing safe ever did.

Aquarius loves to learn.  Some even consider Aquarius the ruler of Astrology itself.  Perhaps you too have been feeling a call to expand your mind in 2020.  Curious about practices like Tarot or Astrology? Well guess what babies, I’ve got you covered.  Starting in March I’ll be leading an eleven-week online Tarot immersion with my husband, Angel. We’re calling it Tarot + Cosmos.  During these eleven weeks you’ll learn more than just how to read the Tarot, you’ll develop your own psychic gifts, build your own symbolic language and empower yourself to answer your own questions.  Learn how to use divination in your every day life and make use of your intuition. Each class will begin with a guided meditation and end with Q&A. You’ll get a copy of my extensive and original Tarot notes + additional materials to inspire and expand your relationship with the Tarot.  And as a bonus you’ll receive free access to the Spiritual Gayz Moonthly Astrology Webinars while class is in session!

This is way more than a class, it’s your virtual weekly sanctuary where you can feel held in sacred space and gain perspective on your life.  Give yourself the gift of self-care that will actually nourish your spirit and teach you skills to make your life better! Here’s a week by week break down of what you can look forward to learning!

For more specific Cosmic Updates and Tarot Wisdom, I highly encourage you to tune into The Spiritual Gayz. This twice monthly podcast that my husband Angel and I offer up is dedicated to exploring the wide reaches of spirituality without pretending that it all makes sense.  We released an episode earlier this month all about the Astrology of 2020 that I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of. We have tons of episodes on Astrology but also Tarot and Shamanism and healing and magic. Not to mention fascinating interviews with groovy cosmic queers like Steven Canals, writer/co-creator of the hit TV show POSE, actress/icon Lena Waithe, and beauty/make-up expert Lihja Stewart.  If you’ve been looking to expand your spiritual horizons in a fun, accessible way, look no further!

You may have noticed I’m no longer pulling a collective card for these moonthly Tarotscopes.  That’s because I’m pulling a card for the collective every week and doing a video reading. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll find these videos on my stories every Thursday and in my Highlights.  But you can also find them on The Spiritual Gayz Youtube page, here!

Below you’ll find your individual Tarotscopes for the complete lunar cycle.

Read for your SUN and your MOON… and if you don’t know your moon, look it up gurl, that’s part of your personal power waiting to be claimed!

You’ll notice there are a fair amount of reversals this season, which doesn’t surprise me since our first Mercury Retrograde of 2020 happens at the tail end of Aquarius Season.  But remember, reversed cards are not inherently bad. Reversed cards and Retrograde planets operate similarly, they want us to slow down with them and stop taking their meaning or influence for granted.  If you find your card is upside down please read this note on reversals for deeper clarity on what an inverted card might mean for you.

*A NOTE ON REVERSALS*

When a card comes in upside down, we say it is reversed.  Every reader works with reversals in their own way; some readers don’t even work with reversals at all and that’s gorgeous too.  For me, a reversal represents a level of complexity that a direct card lacks. It does not mean the opposite, it does not mean weaker energy or just downright bad.  A reversal can be likened to a retrograde planet, its energy is not different just slower. As one of my favorite astrologers Anne Ortolee says: A retrograde planet is like a quiet kid in the back of the car, you have to turn around to see it.  Maybe a reversed card works this way, too.

Perhaps reversed cards are just trying to get our attention.  They might come in like an exclamation point, saying: “Look at me!  You really need me right now!” Sometimes I think reversed cards are indicating a lack of neutrality, a push or a pull– whereas direct cards signify energy coming in clean but also maybe a tad boring, conventional.  However you decide to see the upside down quality of the card, please do not be dismayed by it. It could signify your own resistance to the message, but it could just as easily signify you own surprise.

It’s not that a reversal changes the energy of the card, it’s that your position has changed. Where you were once firmly with your feet on the ground, now you’ve completely flipped– you’re seeing things from another point of view. Simply put, a reversal opens us up to the unexpected. Just when you think you know a card, a reversal literally turns that interpretation on its head, expanding our capacity to understand the messages from the spirit world and ourselves.

AQUARIUS

Ace of Wands (Rx)

The Ace of Wands is pure fire.  It’s a big bang of energy and excitement.  Consider what fire can do. It transforms everything it touches, burns away the dry and dead. Fire can help us release what is no longer needed.  But fire can also initiate. Consider the expression “trial by fire”, it starts us on a new path. Think of your car engine, your hot water heater, even starting your computer requires fire to spark.  How you use the Ace of Wands is up to you, to release or to ignite, to let go or begin again– but no matter how you view the invitation this card offers, a new beginning is at hand in the fire of your being.

Wands, as the suit of fire, rule over the things in our life which spark (ie. our sexuality, our creativity and spirituality).  They teach us how to take action in our lives in alignment with the divine. Sometimes this card even signifies a new spiritual awakening, a soul being caught on fire. Think about lightning, which is ruled by Aquarius.  Traditional people considered being struck by it an initiation as a shaman or healer. Perhaps this month is an initiation for you, a new way of connecting to spirit, to the divine– the very source of your life.

Even upside down this card signifies an explosive beginning somewhere in your life.  It is a profound reconnection to universal love. When was the last time you felt connected to something larger than yourself?  Was it during a theatrical performance, a long hike in nature, some truly passionate sex? The most important thing in life is to stay connected to the source of our being, even if that source surprises us or changes as we evolve.  Find the electrical socket your spirit longs for and plug that baby back in.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

PISCES

The Moon (Rx)

The Moon is a reminder that not everything needs to make sense.  Sometimes our power can lie dormant in the mysterious underbelly of our psyche.  How do wake it up? We lean into the strangeness of ourselves. Consider the moon herself, how her light distorts the truth, it illuminates vistas and landscapes in a way the Sun cannot.  I think about taking Full Moon hikes in the desert, the moonlight makes the sand look like snow. Where in your own self have you been avoiding your own lunacy? There is a power in your unique madness, let it come to you.

Did you know the Moon appears in more songs than any other heavenly body?  More than the Sun, more than Venus– the moon captures our imagination and creativity.  It invites us into a sacred place that requires darkness. With this card showing up for you this moonth, perhaps you need to embrace your queerness in a way that celebrates your freakiness and transcends the shame others have heaped upon you.  Shame is our understanding that something about ourselves is wrong. With the Moon to guide you, there is no wrong, only parts of yourself that have gone unloved or unseen.

Queer isn’t just about homosexuality.  Queer is about the unconventional. All of us can embrace the queer spirit and innovate our lives by looking at them from a different point of view.  As the card which connects to Pisces, the Moon suggests a deeper journey unfolding for you. Dreams and visions, psychic insights, unexpected downloads, mystery, magic and wonder await you.  But you will have to wait until the Sun goes down. This journey will only reveal itself to the moonlight.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

ARIES

Nine of Cups

This is one of my favorite cards in the deck.  The Nine of Cups signifies that you’ve finally achieved a new way of flowing with your life and in particular, your heart.  Traditional Tarotists call this “The Wish Card”, and would suggest making a wish when it shows itself to you. But I would like to take that concept a step further.  Consider that you are a wish. You are a wish the Earth made and she brought you here. What is it that only you can achieve? What is the unique magic of your soul?  That will illuminate what sort of wish you are.

When we give ourselves permission to follow our deepest yearnings and satisfy the mysterious passions of our soul we are firmly in the Nine of Cups.  This is being alone but not lonely. It’s when you lose track of time working on a painting, writing your novel or just wandering the forest. There is no need for others to validate your work or your choices because you know even if they didn’t you would chose the same.  In some ways there is no choice except to live the life your heart knows is possible or to deny the very reason you are alive.

If it sound deep it’s because it is.  But it doesn’t have to feel heavy. Quite the opposite.  This is a time for profound joy, genuine Aries. The joy that comes from having found your path and walking in unequivocally.  Don’t let others get you off course. You know what you came here to do, even if you can’t quite put words to it. There is a light inside you and all you have to do is crack yourself open so it can pour out.  Shine on, babe. Shine all the way on.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

TAURUS

Five of Pentacles

Fives in the Tarot are sacred contractions, think of five fingers closed in to form a fist.  This is a halfway point, a bend in the road, a realization that what you packed for your journey is all wrong.  Pentacles are the suit of Earth, they speak to our body, our bank account, our career– if it has a material form, Pentacles rule it.  Therefore this card can indicate a lack of physical resources. But Pentacles also speak to the invisible magic that is hidden in the ordinary things, and the Five is where we realize we actually have everything we need– even if it doesn’t appear that way.

While I would be lying if I said this is a favorite card, it tends to follow me around.  I’ve had to learn how to embrace its medicine. It’s the medicine of asking for help. Where in your life are you too proud and trying to go it alone?  If you would just ask for some assistance you might find you are breaking through without the breaking down. This is not the time for putting on a brave face, this is the time to admit where you are struggling and seek the help you need. Easier said than done, I know.  But when we come to others out of genuine need, you’ll be surprised how open and warm the exchange can be.

On a practical level you might find that your bank account is bust, your cupboard a little bare.  But that doesn’t mean doom is on your forecast. Trust that you have everything you need. Sometimes we have to make a little extra cash selling the clothes we no longer wear or the books we no longer read.  Sometimes we need scarcity to make us appreciate what we have. You have the wide sky. You have the gentle sun. You have a universe that loves you and believes in you. That is a richness that no card or circumstance can take away.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

GEMINI

Eight of Pentacles (Rx)

Nose to the grindstone, clever Gemini, that’s the order of business for Aquarius season.  The Eight of Pentacles is all about work, working hard and working consistently. I mean look at the figure in the card, he is literally making money.  And you are meant to be making money at this time. But that doesn’t mean sweating and straining for every hard earned cent. There’s an invitation here to grow your skills and expand how you approach your work in the first place.  Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still have to work hard but you can also be working smart.

You see, the Eights in the Tarot are evolutions.  They bring us into a new dimension, like from 2-D to 3-D.  Or imagine an ape slowly becoming a human, evolution is a slow process but then there’s a moment when BAM you’re just a brand new being.  The Eight of Pentacles is trying to help you evolve your technique. It’s not that your old tricks are bad or even ineffective, it’s just that if you keep relying on your old bag you’ll never develop your new skill set.  This is a moonth to refine your technique, to let your craft grow wings and fly you to new worlds. Whether you’re an actor or a chef, an entrepreneur or a computer technician, let Aquarius Season evolve your game.

Perhaps the evolution of your work is remembering that there must be joy and passion in it.  After working at something for so long we can lose our original sense of why we do this work in the first place.  We can just be going through the motions, spinning the same old wheel. Well maybe it’s time to reinvigorate your love for what you do by getting inspired.  You must recreate the wheel for yourself, it still spins, but this time not just forwards and backwards, but in all directions.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

CANCER

Wheel of Fortune (Rx)

The Wheel of Fortune never stops spinning, it never stops changing– the only thing that remains the same is the center of the wheel.  Think of it like the eye of the storm where everything is calm and still. That’s where you need to be this month. Things are changing for you in a major way and even though it may not feel like it, you asked for this.  You see, our whole outer life is just a reflection of our inner landscape. When we make profound changes internally it’s just a matter of time before our outer picturing catches up.

Sometimes, when this card comes in upside down, these changes don’t appear so fabulous at first.  But trust me, the Wheel of Fortune always has your best interests at heart. It’s connected to the planet Jupiter, the expansive ruler of optimism and protection, growth and grace.  So if you can trust that these big changes are for your own good, you’ll be just fine. Jupiter is always trying to make us bigger, more expansive– gently growing us up. Perhaps these changes are less than appealing because you realize how much work and responsibility are required on your part to address them.  Well, tough cookies, sweet Cancer, it’s time to put on your big girl pants and attend to the blessings at hand. The bigger the gift, the more time and effort it takes to unwrap it

I had a significant experience with the Wheel of Fortune in the reversed position a couple of years ago.  I had been teaching pilates at a certain studio for years and had long been feeling like I had to get the hell out of there.  I couldn’t grow anymore staying stuck in that place. But I kept putting it off, the money was good, I was comfortable, etc. And then I pulled the Wheel of Fortune upside down and that very day I was fired for an insane reason (ie. bringing my sweet little therapy dog to work).  I was livid, hurt, bewildered and then within twenty four hours, I was so grateful. I was free. And leaving that line of work allowed me to step into my full power as a healer and a reader and an intuitive. I share this because these are the sorts of life changing moments that this card ushers in.  So, if you’re life hasn’t changed yet, get ready, gurl, it’s happening soon.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

LEO

Queen of Wands (Rx)

The Queen of Wands is a deeply sensual creature.  She moves through the world highly attuned to what she feels in her own inner landscape.  She trusts that her body has wisdom and insight and she listens to it. She embraces the physical without losing her sense of the invisible.  The Queen of Wands is you when you are truly alive in both worlds, the inner and the outer. Think about what you experience when you take a long hike in nature or watch the sunset– there’s the outer beauty, yes, but there’s also an internal response to all that beauty.  The Queen of Wands receives and participates in that exchange between what is seen and what is felt, what is known and what is awakening.

She is known as the witch of the deck but don’t think traditional witch imagery, with the black hat and the wart on her nose.  Think of a sex witch, a love witch, a naked in the woods witch. Think Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Lana Del Ray. This moonth is an opportunity for you to embrace your more passionate and seductive charms, not to manipulate others, but rather to bring you more fully alive.  Cast a spell that brings you back into the fullness of yourself. You are your own cauldron, find just the right recipe of herbs and powders and concoct a potion that wakes you up to the sheer magic of being alive.

This card is ruled by the opposing elements of Fire and Water.  Water should extinguish fire. Fire should evaporate water. And yet somehow they coexist, magically.  When you embody the Queen of Wands you are learning how to balance your emotion with your action, your inner flow with your inner spark. Think of this card as being Water on Fire.  You can set yourself aflame this month but you wont burn, instead you’ll just keep shining.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

VIRGO

The High Priestess (Rx)

All the Tarot queens love the High Priestess because she’s the patron saint of all things mystical.  She sits between the worlds and knows how to carry the messages and healing across the veil of physical and non-physical reality.  Her appearance as your card for Aquarius Season would indicate a moonth of mystery and magic. The truth is everyone is psychic, everyone has intuitive gifts.  The question is whether or not you’re willing to suspend your belief that you’re crazy long enough to work on developing this skill set.

Your dreams are not random, they have power.  The thoughts that pop into your head, seemingly out of nowhere, are actually transmissions from beyond.  Don’t try to make sense of these encounters by fitting it into one of your perfectly organized Virgo boxes, let the mystery unfold.  You must become still and passive in order to receive the blessings of the High Priestess. She speaks to the divine feminine in all of us, who is pure, untethered and above all, highly receptive.

Let your invisible antenna do some works this season.  Give over to your psychic self. Notice when you get chills, or tingling hands.  Observe the coincidences in your life with a hunger to connect the dots. Don’t just take them for granted.  The High Priestess doesn’t show up that often, so respect her and respect yourself enough to lean into your own cool, mystical waters.  Perhaps you need to do a little work on yourself to create the sacred space to receive her intuitive messages. Meditation, healing and above all, quiet and stillness would serve you well at this time.  It’s amazing how much you can hear when all around you, within and without, is silence.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

LIBRA

Eight of Cups (Rx)

Walking away hurts but it’s also powerful medicine.  Sometimes in our lives we evolve out of certain relationships, habits and careers.  We just wake up one morning and a cycle has completed itself while we slept. Certain things just don’t hold the same allure.  Honor that. Holding on just because you feel beholden to the past is a surefire way to keep yourself stuck. And keeping the peace isn’t worth sacrificing your soul.  This moonth is about asking this question: Has this outgrown its usefulness? Ask it about everything, from the food you eat to the TV shows you watch– hell even your personal trainer might have started to phone it in and it’s time to respectfully part ways.

You see, Eights in the Tarot are about expanding in all directions.  We go from 2-D to 3-D, we grow wings, we become a new species.  This card is all about the evolution of your heart. Thank the eight cups that served you well, cherish what they taught you– and then leave them at the threshold of your new adventure.  Aquarius Season wants to teach you how to discern which obstacles should be tackled and overcome and which obstacles should simply be walked away from. Not every relationship is worth fighting for, not every job opportunity deserves your blood, sweat and gorgeous tears.

Your heart is not the same heart from your childhood or even your early thirties.  It has grown. You must respect the growth you’ve facilitated for yourself and make sure your life is supporting this new, more vulnerable, trusting version of yourself.  Don’t be afraid to be fierce in protecting this mature heart but also, don’t be afraid to show it off. At its essence this card teaches us new ways our feelings, relationships and creativity can flow.  If you keep walking the same roads all the time, you’ll never discover the path that’s perfect for who you are right now. Get out there and start exploring.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

SCORPIO

Seven of Pentacles

Sevens in the Tarot are sacred.  There’s something about this number that has always inspired reverence.  Consider the seven chakras, the seven continents, the seven colors of the light-spectrum, the seven notes in the musical scale– simply put Seven is a perfect system, a completion of some kind in the eyes of the divine.  When we pull a Seven we are being asked to look at the realm of the suit through the eyes of spirit. In this case it’s looking at your physical reality as an expression of your spiritual life.

I know you have some kind of spiritual life because you’re a Scorpio.  But it’s not enough to just have it and keep it hidden. I have a teacher who says: Anywhere you put your attention is an altar.  So consider that your whole life is an altar, from you bathroom to your desk to your body itself. All of it needs to reflect the deeper spiritual truths you believe in.  Now I’m not saying you need to be putting pictures of the Dalai Lama all over your house, but if you are a buddhist maybe one photo would be nice, you know, to remind you on a regular basis what you’re putting your faith in.

At its essence this card communicates bringing our spiritual lives and physical lives into greater harmony.  There is an invitation to deeply tend your working life, your waking life, from a place of numinosity. What does that mean?  It means if you don’t like kale, why did you plant a bunch and spend the spring keeping the bugs of it? It means if you don’t really want a career in social media marketing, why are you spending all your time online?  This moonth can give you some big picture clarity about what you are actually building with your time and efforts. And if that big picture feels more like a big nightmare it’s not time to panic, it’s simply time to notice that you don’t like the direction your heading in and change course.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

SAGITTARIUS

Ace of Cups

The Ace of Cups is a sweet energy to have in your forecast because it speaks to the waters of the heart.  Sometimes this feels like a new door into your heart, a new creative project, a new city, a new man. Sometimes it feels like you’ve found a new flow in general.  Whatever is starting to bubble up from the waters of your heart, go with it. There is not one good reason we cannot be fully in love with our lives. The Ace brings us to that pure love, the unconditional goodness that this planet home can offer when we move through our daily lives from our hearts.

The heart is a mystical organ, it exists in both ordinary and non-ordinary realities. It is the chakra that is meant to connect us to other people, places and beings (like mountain beings or plant beings).  Its energy moves outwards to remind us that we are not so separate, we are part of a larger web and the heart spins the threads. Perhaps this card has revealed itself to you so that you can begin to tend more deeply to your own human heart.  There is so much wisdom and magic contained in this fist sized organ, but it will not surrender any of its gifts until we reclaim our relationship with it.

Spend this next moonth really dropping down into your heart center and try to listen through your heart, talk through you heart, when you hold hands with someone, hold hands through the heart.  This is a practice of unconditional love that will swell you and float you through any difficulties you face. What you remember when you return to your heart is that there is no one like you, there will never be anyone like you and THAT is your gift to shine as bright as possible.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

CAPRICORN

Magic

So listen, full disclosure here, this is not a Tarot card.  This is a bonus card that the creator of this Tarot deck put in here (the fantastically talented Oliver Hibert).  But I like to keep this card in the deck because it has immense power and over time its meaning has become clear to me.  What is the meaning of Magic? It’s the understanding that everything in the physical world is rooted in the invisible realms and by engaging with the mystical world we can change the ordinary one around us.  Psychic and seer Harriet and The Star says: Magic is finding yourself at the center of two extremes, it is learning how to allow yourself to dissolve so that your soul can expand in all directions and you can manipulate outcomes at will.

Now I know your sign is not the most likely to engage in formal magic practices but I have a feeling this most recent Eclipse Season has probably shaken you down some and you’re more capable of dissolving than you used to be.  You see, magic needs space. Magic needs us vulnerable and open. And now, in the aftermath of your personal crisis, you are both those things. Whatever you’ve lost, good, you didn’t need it. In this more fragile and sensitive state you can call in the things your heart longs for and actually be able to receive them.

The Magic Card indicates an ease in attuning to the hidden messages in nature.  It means that synchronicities are popping up more and more ostentatiously. Pay attention.  You are actually more connected and intuitive than you think you are. Use it. Trust your hunches, your dreams, your strange ways of knowing. Remember that magic has two parts, casting the spell and then trusting the work is done.  Be clear on which part of the spell you’re working.

***Give a reading as a gift or schedule your own reading or healing with Brandon here and follow him on Instagram @thebrandonalter and @thespiritualgayz.***

BRANDON ALTER is a Shamanic healer, Tarot reader, teacher, mystic and writer living in Los Angeles. He is passionate about sharing spiritual tools that have helped him reconnect to the wisdom of his heart. Brandon is a thoroughly trained healer, astrologer and yoga teacher who co-hosts The Spiritual Gayz with his husband, a twice-monthly podcast dedicated to exploring the wide reaches of spirituality, without pretending that it all makes sense. Brandon’s mom took him to his very first psychic when he was seven and gave him his first Tarot deck when he was eleven. Since then he has devoted himself to the study of Tarot, Yoga, Pilates, Reiki, Astrology and Shamanic Skills.

Visit www.brandonalterwellness.com to learn more. To sign up for The Spiritual Gayz newsletter and get these Tarotscopes delivered to your inbox, click here.

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‘We’re in the F***ing Mirror Universe’: Twitter Reacts to Trump’s Space Force Logo Ripoff

‘We’re in the F***ing Mirror Universe’: Twitter Reacts to Trump’s Space Force Logo Ripoff

President Donald Trump on Friday afternoon unveiled the new logo for Space Force, the recently formed sixth branch of the Armed Forces.

“After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

After consultation with our Great Military Leaders, designers, and others, I am pleased to present the new logo for the United States Space Force, the Sixth Branch of our Magnificent Military! pic.twitter.com/TC8pT4yHFT

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 24, 2020

The Hill reports: Space Force was established in December with the signing of the annual defense policy bill. Its establishment fulfilled a top priority for Trump since he first floated the idea in 2018 and turned it into a reliable applause line at his campaign rallies. Though Trump coined the name Space Force, the idea for a separate branch of the military for space originated as a bipartisan House idea in 2017. Space Force’s goal is to protect U.S. military assets in space from threats from Russia and China, which have tested anti-satellite weapon and created their own space military services.

Numerous observers, including George Takei, noted the Space Force logo looks eerily similar to that of Star Trek’s Starfleet Command:

Trump just announced the new logo for the Space Force. The other is Star Trek Starfleet Command. pic.twitter.com/S7NeYdjR4C

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 24, 2020

Ahem. We are expecting some royalties from this… t.co/msYcJMlqjh

— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) January 24, 2020

The Starfleet logo is actually based on the Space Force logo because Starfleet won’t be founded until 2130

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) January 24, 2020

Donald Trump decided to rip off his Space Force logo from Gene Roddenberry and Star Trek, one day after everyone just watched Star Trek Picard and got reminded of what the Starfleet logo looks like.

Trump is the world’s dumbest criminal, and it’s not even close.

— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) January 24, 2020

Third Article of Impeachment – Poor Taste in SciFi Franchises.

Wherein, Donald J. Trump ripped off a Star Trek logo for the Space Force, when everyone knows Star Wars is the superior franchise.

That’s right, come at me nerds.

— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) January 24, 2020

Despite the obvious military aspects of Starfleet, Space Force (and by extension, everything Trump and his administration does) is the antithesis of the core philosophy of Star Trek.

— Phil Plait (@BadAstronomer) January 24, 2020

#Spanky: How long before we can take out an ambassador- from SPACE?#SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/5cRG4egMxv

— Brian Hjelle Reality Winner (@hjelle_brian) January 24, 2020

So is Rejected #SpaceForce logo a thing yet? #RejectedSpaceForceLogo pic.twitter.com/6ttf5hOitP

— Andrew Tumilty (@AndrewTumilty) January 24, 2020

Apparently Melania’s speechwriter is also a graphic designer… #boldygoaway #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/cBhFqsw8aJ

— JMDipiazza (@Joseph_D) January 24, 2020

We’re in the fucking mirror universe #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/5oTYZPKglZ

— Gregg (@GreggSmith1) January 24, 2020

Wow, plans for the first Space Force station have leaked already. pic.twitter.com/l77thkFRlK

— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) January 24, 2020

Pictured here, a first look at the standard issue #SpaceForce flip phone. pic.twitter.com/uBCz5VQNsE

— Jake Reid (@JakeAReid) January 24, 2020

Boldly going where we’ve gone before #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/otq51c2yeJ

— Jackson Grimm (@JackCameraman) January 24, 2020

Oh mate…. #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/bV7rPhAQFn

— Rob Walker (@llamedos77) January 24, 2020

If something had to be copied, I think this would have been more appropriate & honest. #SpaceForce pic.twitter.com/LP8p7fznIH

— Mauricio RMC (@enrealidadnouso) January 24, 2020

Well then……….considering CBS trademarked the logo in 2015, this is gonna be quite interesting.#SpaceForce #StarTrek pic.twitter.com/ByjqYpTDB1

— Brad Ledbetter (@BLedbetter79) January 24, 2020

The post ‘We’re in the F***ing Mirror Universe’: Twitter Reacts to Trump’s Space Force Logo Ripoff appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


‘We’re in the F***ing Mirror Universe’: Twitter Reacts to Trump’s Space Force Logo Ripoff

How these Outstanding Music Artist nominees are bringing queer and lesbian visibility to the forefront of the music industry

How these Outstanding Music Artist nominees are bringing queer and lesbian visibility to the forefront of the music industry

Credit: NPR/BBC/Coveteur

This year’s Outstanding Music Artist nominees represent some of the most incredible talent in music today, including five artists who are bringing queer and lesbian visibility and artistry to the forefront of the industry.

Brittany Howard’s debut album, Jamie, is a collection of eleven powerful, ambitious, rock and roll inspired songs. Jamie is named after Howard’s sister, who taught her how to write a song but passed away at the young age of 13. Howard stepped down as the lead singer for Alabama Shakes to create a personal album with lyrics about her sexuality, family tragedies, and social awakenings.

From the beginning, Howard is honest about her experiences as a queer mixed-race girl in Alabama. Howard reveals her social awakening through the soft yet lyrically dark lo-fi tune ‘Goat Head’ where she sings, “My mama was brave/To take me outside/’Cause mama is white/And daddy is black/When I first got made/Guess I made these folks mad.” 

The love songs on Jaime promote the strength in choosing love in a world fueled by divisiveness. Howards voice roars in the soulful ballad ‘Georgia’, in which she proclaims her love for an older woman. She unapologetically sings: ‘Georgia, I think if I got you/ you could tell I’m being sincere/and I can’t help the way that I was born to be / I ain’t no little boy.’ The melancholy bluesy track ‘Stay High’ guides the album through the relatable desire to live forever with a lover: ‘Cause once you know, then you know /And you don’t wanna go/Back to wherever it is that you come from, yeah/ I just want to stay high with you.’ ‘Short and Sweet’ is about acknowledging differences between two people and the importance of cherishing time. “There are mountains between us/There is time between us/Oh, ain’t there something between us/Something short and sweet”. Howard had full creative control of the album and it showecases love asthe most important aspect of her life.  

21 year old singer-songwriter Mikaela Straus, better known as King Princess, graced pop music last year with her undeniabley queer debut album, Cheap Queen. The album follows the story of personal heartbreak. Beginning with the relatable tracksTough on Myself’, ‘Useless Phrases’ and ‘Ain’t Together’, Cheap Queen is about the emotionally draining stages of a break up with her ex-girlfriend. Not only does King Princess sing about her attraction to women, but also the connection to discovering her gender identity (King Princess identifies as genderqueer and uses she/her pronouns.) In a recent interview with them, King Princess said “It’s something I kind of came into later, I like that I can ride that line on the periphery of femininity. I don’t always have to be an active participant. I think that’s really freeing.”  The Brooklyn native has been out from the beginning of her career, and claims to have always known her truth but chose to come out at the age of 13. In an exclusive interview with The Cut, Straus described her experience with rediscovering the hidden parts of herself: “I always knew what I wanted, I’m a great example of somebody who is gay, but exists on a very complicated gender spectrum.”

King Princess is vulnerable yet resilient and her silky alto voice on Cheap Queen effortlessly generates the importance of being open. On a mission to save the world with her music, King Princess told Rolling Stone: “I want to get to a place where the story is less about me and my face and more about what’s going on in this world. How I can be an active voice for gay people but also the music industry, This is the art we need right now. We’re in a renaissance, and we need people to rebel, come forth and bring messages into art.”

In 2016, Katorah Marrero, better known as Young M.A, became one of the first openly gay woman to make waves in hip-hop. Four years later, she dropped her first solo album, Herstory in the Making – an autobiography that follows her childhood traumas, homophobia, and unexpectedly fast rise to fame. In a recent interview with Out, she spoke about her experiences following the death of her brother in 2009: “All this stuff that was fun and you used to see all the time becomes no longer, because now you know that death is for real but he encouraged me to develop my craft and he taught me how to be strong”.

Early in her career, Young M.A decided to remain an independent artist due to the lack of understanding of the lesbian community in the music industry. The first single on the album, ‘No Mercy’, calls attention to the importance of open conversation about acceptance for the LGBTQ community:  ‘Some say it’s a sin / But I’m a dyke and she a femme/ it’s a synonym.’ In an interview with TIME, Young M.A expressed her love and support for the LGBTQ community: “The LGBT community, I love them with my soul…We know who we are, we know what we represent, we know who we love.”

Tegan and Sara relive 90’s teenage angst with their ninth album, Hey, I’m Just Like You. Referencing their high school diaries for lyrics, Hey, I’m Just Like You is an open-hearted love letter to fans about self acceptance. In an interview with The Guardian, Sara shared: “I have a lot of self-hatred and internalized homophobia stemming from difficult high school years, but revisiting the music and memories of the time helped me, I’m so amazed at what that person accomplished, knowing that inside they were really, really damaged.”

Hey, I’m Just Like You features honest confessions about coming out through catchy melodies, like the song ‘Hello, I’m Right Here’, where the lyrics poetically tell the story of the beginning stages of true self-acceptance: ‘And I’m young, but it’s hard to believe/Yeah, yeah/That someday, I will never see you again/And you might not believe this, but you’ve changed me so much’. In an intimate interview with GLAAD’s Head of Talent Anthony Ramos, Sara said: “I think at that point I knew I was gay and was finally sort of ready to sit down and say ‘okay, I need to figure out a future for myself because the future is now.’” Along with the album, Tegan and Sara released a memoir called High School as an ode to their growth as women, sisters, and queer artists. For more Tegan and Sara, check out their exclusive interview with GLAAD here.

Last year, the iconic two-time Grammy award winner Melissa Etheridge released her 15th studio album, The Medicine Show. Etheridge has been in the music industry for over 35 years and continues to inspire her fans with her raw and authentic songs. The Medicine Show is an eclectic variety of eleven songs dedicated to healing the mind, body, and spirit.

Etheridge came out 26 years ago before she released the album Yes, I Am, which became one of the most iconic queer albums to date. In an interview with The New York Post, she said: “It’s seriously important that people from around the world have a place where they are welcome and I want to support all our brothers and sisters — we’re all in this together.” 

For three decades, Etheridge has been an outspoken and fearless through her music, and The Medicine Show is no exception. The lyrics on the album shine light on the beauty of breaking through hard times to find one’s true self. Etheridge’s natural talent for writing relatable lyrics proves to be true with songs like ‘Love will Live’, in which she faces her fears head on: “I did not shatter, did not crumble, didn’t die/I have chosen to live/I’m no longer down, I am so much stronger now/I’ve got so much to give.”

For more information about the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, including a full list of nominees and how to get tickets, please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards

January 24, 2020

www.glaad.org/blog/how-these-outstanding-music-artist-nominees-are-bringing-queer-and-lesbian-visibility-forefront

Writer has Facebook meltdown after being fired from newspaper for saying there are “only two sexes”

Writer has Facebook meltdown after being fired from newspaper for saying there are “only two sexes”

Jon Caldara (Youtube screenshot)

Jon Caldara is a regular columnist for The Denver Post. Or rather, he was until last week, when he was abruptly fired after publishing a rambling op-ed that attacked LGTBQ inclusion in public schools.

While the newspaper hasn’t clarified exactly why Caldara was let go, he believes it has to do with that fact that, in his op-ed, he argued that calling people by their preferred proper pronouns violates his free speech. Then he accused LGBTQ people of being too “easily triggered, perpetually offended.”

In a Facebook post shared shortly after his firing, Caldara explains: “What seemed to be the last straw for my column was my insistence that there are only two sexes and my frustration that to be inclusive of the transgendered (even that word isn’t allowed) we must lose our right to free speech.”

Just for the record, it’s not that the word “transgendered” isn’t allowed, as Caldara claims. It’s that it’s incorrect. In its glossary of terms, GLAAD explains:

The adjective transgender should never have an extraneous “-ed” tacked onto the end. An “-ed” suffix adds unnecessary length to the word and can cause tense confusion and grammatical errors. It also brings transgender into alignment with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer. You would not say that Elton John is “gayed” or Ellen DeGeneres is “lesbianed,” therefore you would not say Chaz Bono is “transgendered.”

In his Facebook rant, Caldera goes on to affirm that he is “strongly pro-gay marriage,” and has “friends, family, and employees from the LGBT community.” He says he doesn’t care what bathroom anyone uses. Nor does he care how they identify. Which is all great! Until…

“But to force us to use inaccurate pronouns, to force us to teach our kids that there are more than two sexes, to call what is plainly a man in a dress, well, not a man in a dress violates our right of speech,” he says.

Wait… Huh?

How can you not care how another person identifies but then accuse them of using “inaccurate pronouns” and judge them for how they present themselves?

“YOU are free to wear a dress, and quite sincerely, more power to you! That’s power over your own self. You are sovereign,” Caldara continues. “And so am I. Which means YOU cannot choose my words.”

OK, let’s unpack that for a second…

So Caldera is all for inclusion… except when it means actually changing little things, like words, to be more inclusive. Then suddenly it’s a violation of his personal beliefs. Or something.

Got it.

Caldera goes on to say that liberals who once “fought hard to protect free speech” now “fight hard to mandate speech because, heaven forbid, someone be offended or have their feelings hurt.”

It sounds like the only person here whose feelings are hurt is Caldera.

Related: Gay writer calls guys who are into leather “deviants” and “degenerates” in self-loathing op-ed

www.queerty.com/writer-facebook-meltdown-fired-newspaper-saying-two-sexes-20200124?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Tennessee Governor Signs Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill, 1st to Become Law in 2020

Tennessee Governor Signs Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill, 1st to Become Law in 2020

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee

Despite pleas this week from the ACLU and the Nashville Metro Council, Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee has followed through on his recent commitment to sign a heinous anti-LGBTQ adoption bill.

House Bill 836, which Lee signed Friday, will allow taxpayer-funded child welfare organizations to discriminate against same-sex couples and others based on religious objections.

SHAMEFUL: TN @GovBillLee just signed the discriminatory #HB836.

Now, hateful groups can prevent children in foster and adoption agencies from entering loving homes with parents who are:

LGBTQ
single
divorced &
more.#tnlegt.co/IXFoG99yXE

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 24, 2020

“It’s disturbing that Governor Bill Lee signed legislation that will harm children in Tennessee,” Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said in a statement. “Elected officials should protect all of their constituents, not just some. Now, Tennessee has the shameful distinction of being the first state to pass an anti-LGBTQ bill into law this year. This bill does nothing to improve the outcomes for children in care, shrinks the pool of prospective parents and is a blatant attempt to discriminate against LGBTQ Tennesseans. With many months ahead in the Tennessee legislative session, Tennesseans should make their voices heard — loudly — to ensure that the legislature and Gov. Lee do not continue to target LGBTQ Tennesseans.” 

More from the Associated Press: A handful of states to date have enacted similar legislation including Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, South Dakota, North Dakota, Virginia, Mississippi and Michigan. But Michigan agreed in settling an ACLU lawsuit to no longer turn away LGBT couples or individuals because of religious objections. Earlier this month, state Sen. Paul Rose — the bill’s sponsor — conceded during a floor debate that he didn’t think the bill was necessary, pointing out that President Donald Trump’s administration is currently proposing a rule that would impose the same protections. Yet he said he advanced the idea because there was no guarantee Trump would be reelected later this year.

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Tennessee Governor Signs Anti-LGBTQ Adoption Bill, 1st to Become Law in 2020