Ancestral Work

Ancestral work is the practice of connecting with the spirits of those who have come before you, for wisdom, guidance, protection, and strength. 

There are many ways ancestors can aid in our practices. They can act as spiritual guardians, mentors, and foundational power sources. They can offer a macro-perspective, and guide your path in the physical realm, provide guidance, and even mentorship.

Some practices view magic as a collaborative effort backed by a court of ancestors. As ancestors have invested in the success and survival of the bloodline, they can intercept negative energy, curses, and ill intentions. They can also boost intuition, vivid dreams, and give physical signs to pay attention. 

Ancestors can act as "translators" of the spiritual realm, passing information to your subconscious, protect you from untrusted entities, and help interpret divination details. Lending their energy to spellwork can boost it, and enhance manifestation. 

Ancestral work can heal generational trauma and send healing backwards through the generations, possibly even unlocking ancestral blessings, strengths, and talents. 

Types of Ancestors

• Blood Ancestors - biological relatives, including unknown family lines
• Chosen Ancestors - close friends, mentors, adopted family
• Spiritual Ancestors - historical figures, artists, or past spiritual practitioners who inspire your path

Remember, you do not have to consent to working with anyone you don't want to. You do not have to honor, invite, or work with abusive, toxic or harmful ancestors.

Hearing the Call

Ancestors usually communicate through repetition, emotional resonance, and everyday synchronicities. They use your immediate environment, your subconscious mind, and your sensory perception to get your attention. 

The dream realm is the easiest place for spirits to contact you because your conscious mind and skepticism are asleep. Repeatedly dreaming of a specific deceased relative, even if you weren't thinking about them before sleeping, could be the loved one trying to make a connection with you. Dreaming of an unfamiliar person who treats you with intense familiarity, love, or protection could be an unknown ancestor trying to reach out. Being handed an object like a key, book, ring, or even a piece of fruit from someone in your dream is a classic sign of an ancestor trying to pass down wisdom or an inheritance of power. 

Spirits also frequently manipulate the air and sensory memories to make their presence know. Suddenly smelling something distinctly associated with a deceased loved one where there is no physical source nearby (examples: specific type of tobacco or cologne, a cooking spice, favorite flower), could be an ancestor making their presence known. Also hearing your name being called out clearly by a voice you recognize, usually right as you are falling asleep or waking up, can be an ancestor trying to get your attention.

Spirits sometimes use small animals or physical objects to leave a metaphorical "paper trail" for you to follow. Specific birds, insects, or other animals suddenly behaving oddly around you, like lingering longer than normal, or staring directly at you, could be messengers from ancestors. Repeatedly finding specific tokens, like coins, feathers, or unique stones, on your path could be gifts from ancestors. Clocks stopping at the exact time a loved one dies, or a specific song that reminds you of them suddenly playing when you are thinking of your family, could be calls from ancestors saying "pay attention!"

If practices like meditation are already things you do, pay attention to how your body may shift during these moments. A sudden localized drop in temperature or a wave of goosebumps running down your body when you mention or think of a deceased loved one, may be them reaching out to you. Feeling a comforting weight on your shoulder, or sudden overwhelming waves of emotion could be an ancestor touching you. If a candle flame on your altar suddenly leaps, dances, and acts wildly when you approach or reflect on your family, this could be an ancestor saying "I'm here!"

Sometimes though, the sign isn't an external presence acting on us. Sometimes its an unshakeable internal compulsion, usually to look into your family history. Deep desire to look through old photo albums, ask older relatives about their childhood, desire to build a family tree or trace lineage could be a "pull" triggered by an ancestor to look for them. 

Establishing Simple Connections

• Set up a simple ancestral altar
• Cleanse the area, usually with smoke or sound
• Light a white or neutral candle to show that the space is open for communication 
• Speak aloud to introduce yourself and state your clear intention to connect only with healed and benevolent ancestors, or a specific ancestor
• Give yourself time to feel their presence, visualize a light of connection between you and them, or allow space to receive their message or response
• Thank them for their presence, leave an offering to show your gratitude, and extinguish the candle. Remember to clean and remove offerings before they spoil.

The Silent Supper

Sometimes referred to as a "dumb supper," this is a silent meal held to honor and remember deceased loved ones or ancestors. 

Set Up - set your dining table normally, but add an extra place setting at the head of the table, reserved for spirits. The spirit chair is often draped in black cloth.

Food - serve seasonal foods or recipes passed down through the family. When serving, the spirit plate receives a small portion of every dish first. 

Silence - from the moment you sit to eat until the meal is finished, stay absolutely silent. Eat mindfully and meditate on loved ones, listening for subtle shifts in the room's energy.

Closure - once the meal concludes, the silence is broken and participants traditionally share stories about the ancestors they were remembering. The food from the spirit plate is usually taken to be left at a crossroads or under a tree to return it to the earth. 

Simple Ancestral Tarot Spread

A three card ancestral tarot spread can assist in communicating with ancestors and receive their messages.

Card 1 - What ancestral trauma or pattern am I currently breaking?

Card 2 - What wisdom or strength do my ancestors want to bless me with right now?

Card 3 - What is my ancestor's message or guidance for me as I enter the dark half of the year?

There are plenty of other tarot spreads to use, but this is a simple one to get started with.

Ancestor Work Reflection:

When discussing ancestral work with my lovely coven, one member shared their experience with hearing the call from ancestors. They gave me permission to share:

"I was raised in a protestant cult. The kind of cult that was terrified of demons, of ancestor worship, of ghosts, of secular music and movie theaters and jazz chords. Everything was evil. The world was swarming with perdition and hell paths. And why did my Caribbean family choose this cult? Well… because they were running away from things the church said were “ultimate evils."

On my father’s side, there was Rebecca. I’m named after this woman, and yet I never got a chance to meet her. She died before I was conceived. She was my paternal great-great grandmother, and by all accounts she was a very powerful witch. Except, we don’t talk about Rebecca. All we know, all that has been discussed, is her choice to be a witch and how naughty that decision was. I don’t know anyone in my family that has anything of hers aside from a picture, and no one wants to discuss with me what her practices were because everyone on that side is still deeply in the cult and feel that Rebecca was worth running from. 

On my mother’s side, there was Isabel. She’s my maternal great-great grandmother, and that one is finally being excavated by our family. Not everyone on my maternal side is in the cult, a lot of them are even more curious about her now that I’ve started asking questions. However, her namesake, my grandma who has late stage dementia, is still traumatized by her childhood experiences with this woman and her spiritual practice. More running. More fear. 

Until two weeks ago, even I was trepidatious about fooling around with whatever it was she was into.  I also never met Isabel’s son, my great-grandfather Angel. They both died before I was born, and while Angel was spoken of as a great father, husband, provider, and general gentleman, Isabel was spoken of as a powerful medium who did strange things. She was loved in her spiritual community, healed many people, was a real Curandera that received acknowledgment and mourning at her passing. In her own family, however, she was a bad omen. She played with spirits, ghosts, tinctures, blood, and many other things that the cult says is a huge no-no. To the immediate family, being associate with her was shameful. 

Two weeks ago, I was putting myself through the ringer. My introduction to polyamory was messy. I participated unethically and its been hard to forgive myself despite my life being 180 wonderful and blessed now after years of shadow work, therapy, and reconciliation. I saved my marriage. I saved my other marriage. I lost one though, and their impact still had me asking every few weeks “am I crazy?”

So I’m on my umpteenth round of that when I suddenly feel this… tug. That’s it. A tug. 

See, I’d already written about Isabel. I’d sent a submission to an indigenous YouTube channel that features viewer stories about spooky things, and I’d felt her presence enter the chat then. That was months ago. But, no talking, no dreams. Nothing but a feeling that she was there, watching me. 

Anyway, so two weeks ago I’m lamenting to my therapist about my sanity and I felt this tug. This “remember who you are Simba” type shit. 

I said to my therapist, “You know, my great grandfather already broke the generational curse of staying in toxic, abusive relationships. Angel left his first wife and remarried, bought a farm, had more children, and died loved. His ex wife died and was left in a cemetery with a simple slab of stone with numbers spray painted on top to find her. She died racist, abusive, angry, and alone while her ex husband died abundant, loved, cared for, and peaceful. SO WHY THE FUCK AM I WONDERING IF LEAVING THIS PERSON WAS THE RIGHT THING???”

It hit me in the chest like a ton of bricks. The curse was already broken. He broke it. His mother broke it. So what if my other relatives choose to live as though that wasn’t the case? Am I seriously gonna spit in the face of all that power because a cult guilt tripped my living relatives into subservient fear?

Ugh, that shit was wild. That shit had me swirling. My IBS was threatening me that day. I shared this with my wife and they made a loaf of bread. As the aroma of the bread wafted through the living room, I heard clear as fuck “Dinner is at 8 then, mija.”

I went on a walk. Put my feet to earth and breathed deep. I found a horned owl feather and placed it on a plate with some powdered flower petals. Then my meta comes in later and says “I found a pigeon feather and I thought of you.”

I thought of Angel and Isabel. Dinner was for two. I was meeting them officially for the first time and I was gifted offerings. You see, owls are not bad omens for the Taino people, its just the symbol of our cemi of the underworld. 

It was time to meet them. One white candle for peace and reverence, one black candle for protection and grounding. And then Isabel said “You’re gonna give me bread with no cafecito, mija??” Like whoops, I haven’t had coffee in years because it flares my IBS like crazy but I fuckin' found some coffee and made her a cup! We had a candle lit dinner. I won’t tell you the details, that’s no ones business but ours, but what I will say is I walked away with a sense of absolution. 

I felt more like myself than I ever had before. Angel was gentle, sweet, and a bit busy. Isabel was keen and intense, but kind. And I… wasn’t afraid anymore."

-as told by Acolyte HBA

The Chinese Zodiac

Long ago, the Jade Emperor, ruler of heaven and earth, decided to create a way to measure time. He invited all the animals in the world to participate in The Great Race, announcing that the first 12 animals to cross a wide, rushing river would each have a calendar year named after them in the order they finished.

At the time, the Cat and the Rat were the best of friends. Neither was a good swimmer, so they hatched a clever plan to ask the kind, strong Ox for a ride across the river. The Ox, always generous, readily agreed and told them to hop onto his broad head.

As the race began, the Ox steadily navigated the strong currents, pulling far ahead of the other animals. For most of the journey, the Cat and the Rat sat comfortably together, watching the shore get closer. But as they neared the finish line, the Rat's ambition got the better of him. Wanting first place all to himself, the Rat snuck up behind the Cat and pushed him straight into the rushing river. The Cat, terrified of water and unable to swim, splashed wildly and was swept downstream by the current.

Meanwhile, the Ox reached the riverbank. Just as he was about to step ashore to claim victory, the Rat leapt forward off the Ox's head, crossing the finish line first. The Ox took second place.

After this, the rest of the animals fought through the rushing river, each using their own unique strengths, and facing their own distractions.

The powerful Tiger used heavy, exhausting strokes to fight the strong current. He crossed the line gasping for breath, explaining to the Emperor that the river's pull almost swept him away.

The clever Rabbit could not swim at all. Instead, he hopped nimbly from one stepping stone to another. Halfway across, he slipped, but luckily grabbed hold of a floating log that washed him safely to the shore. Little did the rabbit know that just behind him was the dragon. The dragon saw the little rabbit in need and graciously blew wind to carry the log all the way to shore.

The Jade emperor was curious and asked the dragon why it came in fifth place when it could fly. It turns out, the dragon had been distracted from the race by a village that was in drought. The dragon provided rain to save the village then continued the race and was declared fifth place by the emperor.

The Horse came sprinting toward the finish line, completely unaware that the clever Snake had wrapped itself around his front hoof. Just before the line, the Snake untangled itself and slithered ahead, startling the Horse into rearing back. The Snake stole sixth, leaving the Horse with seventh.

The Goat, the Monkey, and the Rooster found a wooden raft and worked together. The Rooster spotted the raft, the Monkey cleared away the thick river weeds, and the Goat used all his strength to pull it through the water. The Emperor was so pleased with their teamwork that he awarded them consecutive spots.

The Dog was one of the best swimmers in the kingdom, but he was incredibly playful. He found the river water so clean, fresh, and inviting that he spent most of his time splashing around and taking a bath instead of racing. When he realized he had lost track of time, he anxiously set out to finish the race, awarding himself eleventh place.

The Pig became hungry early in the race, stopped to eat a massive feast, offering helpings to the other animals as they passed. Then he promptly fell fast asleep. He woke up just in time to waddle across the finish line right before the Emperor closed the gates, securing the very last spot.

And the Cat? By the time he finally struggled out of the mud and crawled onto the shore, the race was long over. Because of the Rat's ultimate betrayal, the Cat missed his chance, cementing a bitter and eternal enmity between cats and rats that remains to this day.

And so the Chinese Zodiac was born.

The Chinese Zodiac

As we saw in the story, the Chinese Zodiac is made up of 12 animals, cycling through in a fixed order. Each animal is assigned a year, and those born within that year are thought to share the corresponding animal’s traits. This zodiac follows the lunar cycle, and begins on the Chinese New Year,  a date that shifts annually, but usually falls sometime between January 21st and February 20th. 

Each year is also assigned an element: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. Each element rules for 2 consecutive years before rotating. The traits of each animal sign is modified by the traits of the corresponding element of that year. These specific element-animal combinations repeat every 60 years. 

• Metal - strength, independence, focus - rules years ending in 0 and 1
• Water - intuition, fluidity, diplomacy - rules years ending in 2 and 3
• Wood - growth, creativity, flexibility - rules years ending in 4 and 5
• Fire - passion, energy, dynamism - rules years ending in 6 and 7
• Earth - stability, patience, reliability - rules years ending in 8 and 9

Each year is also assigned either the energy of Yin or Yang. 

• Yin - passive and cool energy - assigned every even year
• Yang - active and hot energy - assigned every odd year

The Animals

Rat

• Healed: quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind
• Toxic: can be timid, stubborn, overly critical 

Ox

• Healed: diligent, dependable, strong, determined 
• Toxic: can be stubborn, dogmatic, poor at communication 

Tiger

• Healed: brave, confident, competitive, charming 
• Toxic: can be irritable, reckless, overly sensitive 

Rabbit

• Healed: quiet, elegant, kind, responsible 
• Toxic: can be hesitant, melancholy, overly conservative 

Dragon

• Healed: confident, intelligent, enthusiastic, powerful
• Toxic: can be arrogant, impatient, demanding

Snake

• Healed: enigmatic, intelligent, wise, intuitive 
• Toxic: can be jealous, suspicious, cold

Horse

• Healed: animated, active, energetic, free-spirited
• Toxic: can be impatient, self-centered, hot-headed 

Goat

• Healed: gentle, mild-mannered, sympathetic, creative
• Toxic: can be indecisive, timid, pessimistic 

Monkey

• Healed: sharp, smart, curious, mischievous 
• Toxic: can be arrogant, opportunistic, manipulative 

Rooster

• Healed: observant, hardworking, courageous, proud
• Toxic: can be vain, boastful, hypersensitive 

Dog

• Healed: honest, loyal, amicable, prudent
• Toxic: can be stubborn, anxious, prone to worry

Pig

• Healed: compassionate, generous, diligent, calm
• Toxic: can be naive, lazy, easily fooled

In Comparison

While both the Chinese Zodiac and the Western Zodiac stem from ancient systems, provide a framework for understanding personality and future predictions, they are built on entirely different foundations. 

There are some obvious differences: the timeframe for each sign, how each sign is represented, and some different elements. Let's take a closer look. 

The Elements

The Western Zodiac uses the familiar four elements, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. In the zodiac, these elements represent the core psychological temperaments of the signs. The Chinese Elements, Wood, Fire, Ear, Metal, and Water represent seasonal phases of a changing natural energy. In Chinese philosophy, Air is not viewed as an element, but rather it is viewed as the invisible life force that breathes life into the other elements. The elements Wood and Metal are included as they were vital to daily survival and cosmic harmony in ancient agricultural China, giving them permanence among the other elements.

In the Western Zodiac, the assigned element is permanent. Each sign has a very specific and fixed element. Whereas in the Chinese Zodiac, the elements rotate, allowing for each animal sign to partner with each element, and while the same animal to element pairing only happens once every 60 years, it is still a fluid shift. This fluidity allows for a sign's corresponding traits to be shaped by the shifting, cyclical current of the universe. 

The Ego & Community Bonds

The Western Zodiac focuses heavily on the individual, maping planetary placements to create a unique psychological fingerprint to identify a person at their core. Meanwhile, the Chinese Zodiac prioritizes generational traits, emphasizing how a person fits into society, family dynamics, and the destiny relative to the year's ruling energy. 

The Symbols

The symbols of the Western Zodiac include mythological creatures, inanimate objects, humans, and animals, giving an abstract range of identification. Whereas the Chinese Zodiac includes animals that have real-world importance within Chinese culture, save the Dragon, who still holds great cultural importance. 

Zodiacs

I am always hesitant to do any zodiac post, as people get super offended really fast when they feel that what is being said about their sign is either completely wrong, or far too accurate. However, it was requested by a dear friend, in honor of their birthday....how can I say no?

To try to avoid triggering sensitivity, this will be more of a general overview of the signs. I am including the "healed" and "toxic" points for each sign, so lets discuss what exactly that means. When I say "healed" I am talking about the ultimate and perfect description of each sign. Think of this as a goal to strive for. When I talk about the "toxic" parts of the sign, think of this as a cautionary tale of what to look out for and what the sign may be more prone to slipping into if not consistently checked.

Something I didn't do was compare the signs with their compatible signs. Why? Cause its a pretty shallow way to judge a person. Instead, I encourage you to get to know who a person is, as not everyone fits into the typical stereotype of their zodiac sign. 

And with that out of the way, let's begin.

Zodiac History

The modern Western zodiac originated from 5th century BCE in ancient Mesopotamia. Babylonian astronomers divided the sun's path into 12 equal section, at 30 degrees each. Each section was named after the constellation it contained. Later this system was adapted into horoscopic astrology, mixing it with Egyptian decan star-clocks. During this time, planetary rulers and corresponding elements were connected to each sign. 

Now, after 26,000 years of axial wobbles, our Earth has naturally shifted, and no longer matches this fixed zodiac calendar. We will discuss this more later. 

Aries - the ram

• 1st zodiac sign, ranging from March 21st to April 19th
• Fire Element - passionate, energetic, action-oriented
• Cardinal modality - initiating, leading, driven to start new things
• Ruled by Mars - war, desire, competition, physical energy

The ram represents a direct headfirst approach to challenges, smashing through obstacles rather than trying to find a way around them.

Aries has a child-like enthusiasm, a short attention span, and a fierce competitive drive to be number one. They are trailblazers, and love to take charge. Constantly starting new projects, they inspire others with infectious confidence and courage. Aries like immediate results, often acting before thinking things through, which makes them highly spontaneous but prone to reckless mistakes. While they thrive on competition, they play to win and possess immense stamina. Aries is not deceitful, saying exactly what they think, which can sometimes come across as aggressive or insensitive, even though they really do not intend any malice.

Healed - a courageous trailblazer, inspiring leader, and passionate protector who champions others headfirst.

Toxic - an aggressive, impulsive bully who throws tantrums and bulldozes over others to get their way.

Taurus - the bull

• 2nd zodiac sign, ranging from April 20th to May 20th
• Earth element - grounded, practical, realistic
• Fixed modality - steady, persistent, resistant to change
• Rule by Venus - love, beauty, money, pleasure

The bull represents immense physical strength, determination, and a calm exterior that can turn into a fierce rage if pushed too far.

The anchor of the zodiac, Taurus deeply values security, routine, and the finer things in life. They keep promises, are incredibly dependable, and thrive on consistency. Taurus are notoriously difficult to budge once they have made up their minds, and prefer sticking to what they know rather than take unnecessary risks. It’s that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. They also have a deep appreciation for sensory pleasure and love good food, comfortable clothes, beautiful surroundings, and financial stability. Taurus possess excellent stamina and methodical work ethic. They understand that building something of lasting value takes time and steady effort.

Healed - a deeply reliable anchor, patient builder, and grounding presence who creates absolute stability and comfort.

Toxic - stubbornly uncompromising, deeply possessive, and lazy to the point of complete stagnant inertia.

Gemini - the twins

• 3rd zodiac sign, ranging from May 21st to June 20th
• Air element - intellectual, social, communicative 
• Mutable modality - adaptable, flexible, changeable
• Ruled by Mercury - communication, intellect, travel, technology 

The twins represent a dual nature, feeling like two personalities coexisting in one physical form, allowing to see multiple sides of the same situation.

The social butterfly of the zodiac, Gemini is an information gatherer, driven by their insatiable curiosity about the world. They thrive on conversation, debate, and storytelling - effortlessly making connections and always able to talk about anything and everything. Gemini adapts to new environments and social circles pretty quickly, as they love variety and easily get bored with repetitive routines. Their minds move at lightning speed, and they are avid learners who love collecting random knowledge even if they struggle to stay on one topic for long. The duality of Gemini makes them very open-minded, as they simply evolve their thought process as they gather new information. 

Healed - a brilliant, adaptable communicator, open-minded, and acts as a social bridge that connects diverse ideas effortlessly.

Toxic - a two-faced gossip, and a pathologically deceptive spinner of facts, with flakey and scattered chaotic energy.

Cancer - the crab

• 4th zodiac sign, ranging from June 21st to July 22nd
• Water element - deeply intuitive, emotional, empathetic 
• Cardinal modality - initiating, driving emotional connection, protective
• Ruled by the Moon - emotions, instincts, habits, subconscious 

The crab represents a hard outer shell that protects a soft, vulnerable interior - retreating into the home (shell) when threatened as a means of protecting their soft emotional depth.

Cancer effortlessly picks up on energy, unspoken emotions, and their surrounding atmosphere. They possess an intense parental instinct, fiercely defending and protecting those in their inner circle. Like the moon’s cycle, Cancer’s mood can change rapidly, while still tightly holding onto memories, keepsakes, and past experiences. They view their home as an ultimate sanctuary, and value things that help charge their emotional battery. 

Healed - an incredibly nurturing protector, emotionally intelligent healer, and a deeply intuitive sanctuary for loved ones.

Toxic - a passive-aggressive manipulator who uses guilt trips, emotionally intelligent healer blackmail, and their moody hypersensitivity to control others.

Leo - the lion

• 5th zodiac sign, ranging from July 23rd to August 22nd
• Fire element - passionate, expressive, full of vitality
• Fixed modality - loyal, determined, highly persistent 
• Ruled by the Sun - identity, ego, life force, core self

The lion represents pride, courage, natural leadership, and a commanding presence that naturally draws people towards them like a warm midsummer heat. 

The performers of the zodiac, Leo is driven by a deep desire to express themselves and leave a lasting impression. They radiate warmth and positive energy, possessing a natural “star power” that makes them comfortable in the spotlight. Leo has a huge heart and are incredibly protective of their loved ones, showering them in gifts, compliments, and support. They bring a dramatic flair to everything they do and love things like theater, arts, fashion, and hobbies that showcase unique individuality. Disrespect or criticism can easily wound Leo, and their fixed nature can make them stubborn or dramatic when they are challenged.

Healed - a generous warm-hearted encourager, fiercely loyal protector, and confident creator who lifts others up.

Toxic - an arrogant, attention seeking narcissist type, who demands constant praise and throws dramatic tantrums when ignored.

Virgo - the maiden

• 6th zodiac sign, ranging from August 23rd to September 22nd
• Earth element - grounded, practical, reliable
• Mutable modality - adaptable, analytical, resourceful
• Ruled by Mercury - information, communication, logic, precision

The maiden carrying wheat represents the harvest, organization, and the ability to filter out what is unnecessary.

Virgo is the editor and healer of the zodiac, possessing an unparalleled eye for detail and a desire to bring order to chaos. They process data at lightning speed, making them highly analytical; spotting flaws, patterns, and areas for improvement that others may likely miss. Virgo shows love through acts of service, finding genuine fulfillment in solving problems, organizing spaces, and helping others streamline their lives. They easily see how everything could be perfect, making them highly self-critical and demanding of others, and sometimes struggle with anxiety and overthinking. Virgo prefers realistic, tangible results over grand promises, valuing punctuality, clean spaces, and step-by-step styled logic. 

Healed - a dedicated problem-solver, resourceful healer, and master of organizing chaos into useful, smooth structures. 

Toxic - a hypercritical perfectionist who weaponizes flaws, micromanages, and judges people brutally.

Libra - the scales

• 7th zodiac sign, ranging from September 23rd to October 22nd 
• Air element - intellectual, social, relationship-oriented 
• Cardinal modality - initiating, driving social connection, creating peace
• Ruled by Venus - love, beauty, art, harmony 

The scales represent justice, equilibrium, and the constant weighing of options to find a perfect compromise. 

The diplomat and aesthetic artist of the zodiac, Libra is driven by a deep need for peace and beautiful surroundings. They excel at seeing all perspectives of a situation, and are excellent mediators who strive for fairness, justice, and keeping the peace in social circles. Libra loves to be in love, thriving in partnerships and enjoys hosing social gatherings with charm and witty banter. Seeing every perspective clearly can make decision making feel agonizing, but Libra deeply appreciates symmetry, elegance, and pleasant environments; giving them an eye for fashion, art, and interior design. 

Healed - a master diplomat, champion of absolute social justice, and graceful creator of peace and elegant harmony.

Toxic - a people-pleasing codependent who sacrifices truth for peace, hides resentment,, and stays chronically indecisive.

Scorpio - the scorpion

• 8th zodiac sign, ranging from October 23rd to November 21st
• Water element - deeply emotional, intuitive, psychological
• Fixed modality - determined, loyal, focused
• Ruled by Mars traditionally, and by Pluto in modern astrology - passion, drive, action / transformation, power, rebirth

The scorpion represents a quiet presence that observes everything from the shadows, and capable of a lethal sting if cornered or betrayed.

Scorpio is the most intense and mysterious of the zodiac, possessing an aura of magnetic power. When they want something, Scorpio stops at nothing to have it, possessing unmatched willpower and emotional resilience. Scorpio is like a human lie detector, easily reading between the lines, spotting hidden motives, and are deeply drawn to psychological mysteries, true crime, and "forbidden" topics. If you can earn the trust of Scorpio, they will protect you with their life - but if you betray them, they forgive rarely and remember the betrayal forever. 

Healed - a fiercely loyal, deeply transformative alchemist capable of incredible psychological depth and unwavering emotional resilience. 

Toxic - a vindictive, paranoid control freak who holds lifelong grudges and uses secrecy as a weapon. 

Sagittarius - the archer

• 9th zodiac sign, ranging from November 22nd to December 21st
• Fire element - enthusiastic, passionate, highly optimistic
• Mutable modality - adaptable, restless, open to change
• Ruled by Jupiter - luck, expansion, philosophy, abundance

The archer aims its arrow toward the heavens, representing the desire to look at the big picture, and shoot for higher knowledge, loftier goals, and ultimate freedoms.

The explorer and philosopher Sagittarius is driven by a deep craving for new experiences and personal freedom. Sagittarius possesses an unshakeable belief that everything will work out for the best, maintains that enthusiastic outlook, and sees life as a grand adventure. They cannot stand feeling trapped, pinned down, or restricted, making them require plenty of physical space, spontaneous travel, and independence. Sagittarius values truth above all, saying exactly what they think without a filter, which can come across as blunt and easily hurtful even if they intended no malice. They are thinkers who love philosophy, religion, culture, and exploring large abstract concepts rather than focusing on small details. Think "big picture."

Healed - a visionary philosopher, optimistic adventurer, and open-minded seeker who inspires global understanding and truth.

Toxic - a tactless, brutally insensitive wanderer who flees responsibility and acts recklessly without considering consequences. 

Capricorn - the sea goat

• 10th zodiac sign, ranging from December 22nd to January 19th
• Earth element - grounded, practical, realistic
• Cardinal modality - initiating, driving forward, building projects 
• Ruled by Saturn - rules, boundaries, time, responsibility, karma

The sea goat climbs the highest mountains with steady patience, while its fish tail navigates the deepest emotional waters.

Capricorn is the master builder, viewing life as a steep mountain that must be climes step by step through sheer willpower. Exceptionally disciplined and goal-oriented, Capricorn takes responsibilities seriously and is willing to put in years of quiet effort to reach the top. Not relying on luck, Capricorn values hard facts, historical data, and practical strategies over vague promises or wishful thinking. As children, Capricorn act like serious, mini-adults, and only learns to loosen up and be playful while achieving goals, over time. Capricorn keeps emotional lives under tight control, making them appear stoic, cold, or overly business-like until they trust a person enough to let down their guard.

Healed - a disciplined, and exceptionally responsible master builder who provides solid, enduring long term security, and mentorship. 

Toxic - a cold, workaholic opportunist who views people as stepping stones, and values status over humanity. 

Aquarius - the water-bearer

• 11th zodiac sign, ranging from January 20th to February 18th
• Air element - intellectual, social, objective
• Fixed modality - determined, loyal, sometimes stubborn
• Ruled by Saturn traditionally, and Uranus in modern astrology - structure, discipline / innovation, rebellion, sudden change

The water-bearer represents pouring out knowledge and blessings, to wash away the past and refresh humanity for the future.

The “mad scientist” or rebel, Aquarius marches to the beat of their own drum, and values individuality above all else. They care deeply about social justice, progress, and making the world a better place for everyone. Aquarius tends to live in their head, and love analyzing complex systems, discussing philosophy, and brainstorming futuristic ideas. They often find one-on-one emotional vulnerability uncomfortable, and prefer to process feelings through logic rather than raw emotion. Aquarius despises conformity, embracing quirks, fiercely guarding their freedom, and refuses to blend into the crowd. 

Healed - a forward-thinking humanitarian, unique innovator, and loyal friend who works to progress and upgrade society.

Toxic - an emotionally detached elitist who loves humanity abstractly, but treats individuals with cold contempt. 

Pisces - the two fish

• 12th zodiac sign, ranging from February 19th to March 20th
• Water element - deeply emotional, intuitive, creative
• Mutable modality - adaptive, flexible, fluid
• Ruled by Jupiter traditionally, and Neptune in modern astrology - luck, expansion, philosophy / dreams, illusion, psychic connection

The two tied fish symbolizes the struggle living in the material world while longing for the spiritual and imaginative world.

Pisces, as the final sign, is lored to have absorbed every lesson, joy and pain, learned by all other signs, making them an “old soul.” They possess an almost psychic ability to the feel emotions of others, and are natural healers and excellent listeners, even though they easily absorb others’ stress. Pisces are dreamers and artists, channeling their intense world into music, poetry, visual arts, and storytelling. They have a habit of daydreaming, or using fantasy worlds to cope with harsh, overwhelming realities. Pisces love fiercely and unconditionally, being deeply romantic and highly idealistic, they will go to great lengths to help someone they care for. 

Healed - a deeply empathic artist, unconditional lover, and spiritually aligned soul who brings magic and comfort into reality.

Toxic - a professional victim who uses escapism, addiction, and martyrdom to evade taking any real life accountability. 

Ophiuchus - the serpent-bearer

• 13th zodiac sign, ranging from November 29th to December 17th
• Fire element unofficially - there are a few theories on the element of Ophiuchus, including a water-fire hybrid due to its placement between Scorpio and Sagittarius, an all encompassing element as a “hidden” sign which would transcend the zodiac grid, and a “ether” or hypothetical fifth element to represent its spiritual and transformative nature.
• Mutable modality unofficially - adaptable, restless, transformation
• Ruled by Chiron or Pluto unofficially - wounded healer, recovery, spiritual teaching / transformation, rebirth

The snake-bearer features a man holding a large snake, represents the Greek god Asclepius, the god of medicine and healing.

Ophiuchus blends the intense transformative traits of Scorpio and the philosophical freedom-loving traits of Sagittarius. They have a natural affinity for medicine, psychology, and spiritual healing, being driven by a deep desire to fix what is broken. Ophiuchus is a seeker of hidden truths, possessing high intelligence and a thirst for knowledge, and loving to uncover secrets and solve complex problems. They naturally draw people in with an intense charismatic and passionate aura, though they are very sensitive about their inner lives. Ophiuchus thoroughly dislikes rigid rules and authority, preferring to forge their own paths and challenge traditional ways of thinking.

Healed - a wise, deeply intuitive holistic healer who sheds old trauma and bravely uncovers profound hidden truths.

Toxic - a self-righteous, arrogant know-it-all who defies healthy boundaries, and burns down bridges out of sheer rebellion.

The Exclusion of Ophiuchus

Ophiuchus has always been a real astronomical constellation, and was known at the time the Babylonian calendar was created. However, a tidy system, of 12 zodiac signs was adopted to match the 12 month lunar calendar. This evenly split the signs across the elements and modalities. The traditional Western astrology map uses a fixed geometric map of 12 equal slices at 30 degrees. This traditional map doesn’t change based on real-time constellation boundaries. Due to a natural wobble in the Earth’s axis over thousands of years - called “precession” - the constellations have shifted, making the sun now pass through Ophiuchus over the span of about 18 days each winter. This adjustment is why some modern astrology includes Ophiuchus as an unofficial 13th zodiac sign. 

To accurately fit Ophiuchus into the zodiac calendar, the signs shift ranges to accommodate: 

• Aries ranging from April 18th to May 13th
• Taurus ranging from May 14th to June 21st
• Gemini ranging from June 22nd to July 20th
• Cancer ranging from July 21st to August 10th
• Leo ranging from August 11th to September 16th
• Virgo ranging from September 17th to October 30th
• Libra ranging from October 31st to November 23rd
• Scorpio ranging from November 24th to November 29th
• Ophiuchus ranging from November 30th to December 17th
• Sagittarius ranging from December 18th to January 20th
• Capricorn ranging from January 21st to February 16th
• Aquarius ranging from February 17th to March 11th
• Pisces ranging from March 12th to April 17th