Has your astrological sign felt like an itchy wool sweater you just can’t make fit or feel right? Mine has! My birthday is July 25, and in dominant 12-sign astrology Leo is July 23 to Aug. 22.
I had a big cry recently during my morning sit in my sacred space because I was feeling the enormous weight of being a Cancer, but being called to be a Leo in these extreme times we are in.
Let me explain. There are, mathematically, 13 zodiac signs. The patriarchal society of Babylon did away with one to make the zodiac conform to its 12-month calendar. A classic move of the patriarchy as part of the effort to erase the Divine Feminine by erasing the female-rhythmic 13-moon calendar.
I’m not an astrologer, but here are the bones of what I’ve gleaned: The missing sign is Ophiuchus, a man holding a snake, with the snake representing the Divine Feminine.
The overarching message of this sign is the wholeness that results from achieving the balance of the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine within each one of us. The wholeness that, when found, allows each of us to step fully into our Divine Purpose…but the patriarchy doesn’t do so well with every person being their fully realized, whole self, boldly carrying out their Divine Purpose.
Practically speaking, 13-sign astrology shifts all the horoscope dates.
Lifelong I thought I was a Leo on the cusp with Cancer. I have so strongly identified with Cancer and have struggled so much to accept the Leo. (The Lionheart part of my spiritual name is all about trying to claim and live into the Leo.)
I am so Cancer-like in my shyness, sensitivity, orientation towards deep emotion, hiding in my shell, and feeling vulnerable and unsure when in situations with new people and new circumstances.
It was so validating to learn that I am, mathematically, a Cancer! In 13-sign astrology shy watery Cancer is July 20 to Aug. 10 and fiery leader Leo is Aug. 10 to Sept. 16.
In a recent Shamanic journey, I took to dive deeper into understanding my true Cancer nature. I was a crab at the bottom of the ocean looking up, and I realized that crab carries the weight of all that water on her shoulders. Crab discretely stays in the sand at the bottom, watching and understanding all the things playing out above her in the vast watery world, and having feelings about it all.
It so beautifully reflected the reality that for so much of my life I’ve stayed out of sight at the edges of things while feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and having big feelings about it all.
It felt so validating, and yet…
In this patriarchal, capitalist, destructive time we live in, a time that imposes so much upon us, including 12-sign astrology, I am being forced to be a Leo. Or I can reframe this and say I am being asked to rise to being a Leo. I am being asked to not hide in my shell, swimming in the familiar, uncomfortable, depressing emotions. I am being asked to feel my emotions, process them through my body by raging, and continually muster the courage to rise to fiery leadership and make a difference.
I am being asked to allow my Cancer qualities to inform my Leo leadership: I am humble, self-aware, self-reflective, compassionate, empathetic, observant and feeling, gentle and persistent, self-effacing (avoiding the spotlight and praise), I value myself equally with others, I am equal to, not better than. (And just so you know, Cancer me cringes at so boldly stating all these good things about myself!)
I also hold the balance of being a carrier of both Water and Fire, and my Water can check and contain the dangerous tendencies of Fire- the dangerous tendencies of leadership.
That cry I mentioned at the beginning of this article? That was all about the watery Cancer reality of me making my journey to embody my purpose, which requires stepping into Leo Fiery leadership, SO DAMN HARD!!! So uncomfortable!!! So itchy wool sweater!
What is your itchy wool sweater about? What are you being called to in these times? What can you learn about yourself by looking into the 13-sign system of astrology? (Note: not everyone will fall into a different astrological sign within 13-sign astrology.)
What is your natural disposition, what are your natural gifts that would have been honored in ancient, pre-Babylonian, 13-sign astrology times? And why are you being called to be something differing in 12-sign astrology in these extreme times?
Do you need support in stepping into a divine purpose that feels like an itchy wool sweater? In discovering your divine purpose? In balancing your divine feminine and divine masculine? In feeling and processing your emotions? If so, I’d love to help. You can book a Shamanic Exploration Session with me here:
https://calendly.com/sacral-transformations/shamanic-exploration-session
Blessings and Courage,
Betti
Betti Rooted Lionheart (she/her) is passionate about working with queer people, teens, healers, activists, change makers, and anyone who feels despair for the Earth and Humanity. She is a Shamanic healer, a spiritual empowerment activist, a Fire Priestess, a writer, a facilitator of the work that reconnects, a minister of the Church of Earth Healing, the mother of two sons, queer, and the founder of Braided Root Waters Healing Sanctuary in Trumansburg, NY. Betti offers powerfully transformative one-to-one Shamanic healing sessions (in-person and on-line) and loves to teach people to Shamanic journey. She is also a facilitator of Circles for Despair, rage, and wailing work. https://sacraltransformations.com/
Published in “The Community Voice” Rohnert Park, CA
