sasaphras27 
Welcome folks, to 2023. We are almost halfway through a decade that began in a brutal pandemic and, for those of us lucky enough to have made it to this moment, there is so much to look back and reflect upon.
The onset of this year is astrologically marked by several major phenomena. Mercury (our mind) is stationed retrograde, which means collectively we may be struggling with communication, with putting new plans into action, with sending emails or booking flights. Mercury retrograde, to quote Jessica Lanyadoo, is a time to focus on the rule of “re’s”: reassess, reevaluate, reflect. While this cosmological placement can be frustrating and difficult, it is occurring at a very poignant time. Moving into a new year is a great time to look back at the previous twelve months; to consider what has changed for you, what themes you recognize within your life, and how you might apply these observations to your plans for the upcoming year.
We also kicked off this first week of 2023 with a Full Wolf Moon in the sign of Cancer. The moon is at home in Cancer, reminding us of the depth of our emotions, to practice our nurturing behaviors, and to connect with that which we hold most dear. As with any full moon, the energies can intensify these themes, which can lead to emotional upheaval, family issues, or general crabbiness. A full moon in Cancer asks us to practice deep listening and urges us to slow things down.
We are furthermore under another mystical theme in this year, provided by its numerology, corresponding to the number 7 and in turn to The Chariot, which is the seventh card of the Major Arcana in tarot. Now, when you think of the archetype of a chariot, you might initially think of driving action, of triumph, of powerful force. However, in listening to the magical musings of Amanda Yates Garcia on her podcast “Between The Worlds”, this archetype began to take on fresh meaning for me.
When we consider our daily practices, whether they be journaling or yoga or a skincare routine, we should shift our mindset from domination of the practice itself, our attempt to master that over which we believe we should have control, our drive for total completion, and instead find intimacy within our practice. Having mastery over something essentially implies that our journey with that thing has come to an end, that we have attained full and perfect control over it. And then what are we left with? Nothing but to move on to something else. Rather, if we were to deepen the process of our practice, to approach it with intimacy, we would find that the practice begins to evolve, and we evolve with it.
For instance, when we practice yoga asana, we step to our mats with the intention of moving our bodies with purpose. Sometimes we have loftier ambitions; finally lifting your leg in Warrior III without shaking, getting up into a handstand, or completing ten sun salutations in a row. Yoga is a unique practice in that even the most dedicated and advanced yogis can admit that each time they step to the mat the question of “mastering” any of these postures is always challenged. Each time we come to practice asana, we are in a different place, within our bodies, our minds, our circumstances.
It is within the moments that we put aside the idea of conquering postures and instead deeply attune to the inner workings of our breath, body, and thoughts, that we are able to form a more intimate connection with yoga and discover, through this intimacy, that the practice evolves into a multifaceted phenomenon. We already know that yoga is so much more than asana, which is only one of the Eight Limbs that make up a traditional yoga practice. Within this evolution, a whole world opens up to us; how we can apply each of these eight facets to our daily lives, and from each of those, find even more ways to deepen our practice, until we realize that attaining knowledge and skill is an infinite process. Since there is no end, there is no need to rush or force ourselves into things before we are ready.
The chariot represents a vehicle or a vessel for transformation, whether we are transforming our immediate environment through travel or simply looking at the world with fresh wonder. Rather than taking the reins and whipping things into drive, discover and allow yourself to evolve symbiotically with that which carries you, that which drives you. One more important element for us to keep in our minds is that a major component of a chariot is a yoke, that which connects the cart structure to the energetic force that pulls it. Yoga translated from Sanskrit is yoke, referring to the connection of the breath to intentional movement.The breath is the driving force that cultivates the energy for the movement of the entire vessel (the body).
So this year, as you move about your day, ask yourself: how can I connect more intimately with my actions/thoughts/practices? Allow this question to apply to everything you do, everyone you interact with, all the things you see. I recently read a post on Instagram about someone’s French teacher encouraging their class to approach the mundane tasks in their life, like going to the grocery store, with the same verve and interest that they would have if they were visiting a new country. The students all remarked how it had made these mundanities exciting and allowed them to notice things that they had previously overlooked. I think this is the sort of energy that we should bring to 2023 as we learn to slow down and become intimate with the world around us, with the practice of being alive.
Before I sign off for this post, I want to harken back to one more Instagram post I saw recently. It featured a Venn diagram consisting of two circles; one labeled “surrender”, the other “mastery”. Where they met in the center was the word “ f l o w ”. I loved this idea so much that I wrote it down in my sketchbook. We don’t need to completely disregard the urge for mastery, but it is essential that we balance out the aggression of mastery with the tender finesse of surrender. While we may have certain skills and experience, we might also approach our practices as though we have never pursued them before, giving in to the unknown.
For this year, I wish for you, my dear friends, to hold space for what you are capable of in the moment, to be so present that you can hear the wings of a ladybug (and maybe its song too!), to understand when your body is calling for rest, to fall in love with your practices, and to approach your life with sublime wonder and curiosity.
Safe travels.
Steph