Last Tarotscopes for 2020, with Brandon Alter!
By Brandon Alter:
The Last New Moon of 2020 is an Eclipse (Because of course it is!)
I truly believe, in my deepest heart, that everything always happens for our benefit. We live in a compassionate cosmos. Sometimes this is hard for us to conceive because so many of the world's dominant religions depict the godhead as elitist and selective, punitive, punishing, even vengeful—but that’s some old whiteman shit. If we can isolate the divine from the context of heterosexual white supremacy, we might get a different taste of divinity. Perhaps then we can begin to trust that all living things are being cared for by an invisible force. So, if this is true, if we are truly being taken care of at all times (even if we can’t understand how or why), then what the fuck was the point of this year?
Why did 2020 have to happen?
2020 had to happen for so many reasons. There are a slew of answers to this important question—personal answers, collective answers—and I invite you to spend some time marinating in all of it. So far we have managed to survive the perfect storm of pandemic, social injustice, inept leadership, rampant corruption, and crumbling systems of bureaucratic infrastructure (I'm sure I missed a few, but that's a good start). Above and beyond any other answer that may come through, I think 2020 has been trying to prepare us to start over. Starting over doesn't mean you failed, it means you've grown. And here we sit, on the precipice of the last New Moon of the year, and we can feel in the marrow of our bones how changed we’ve become, how ready for a new beginning we are.
The general Astrological theme of this year was about dismantling the old, the stale, the tired, and the false. We did pretty good with that. This is not to suggest the task is completed (not by a long shot), but we’ve torn down enough patriarchal ruins that there's a clearing in which we can tenderly begin to build something new. Beginnings are hidden in endings. As a society, we tend to forget that. We obsess on the end of things. How many books and movies and TV shows have been created about "the end of the world"? We fascinate on the end of relationships, the end of careers—I mean isn’t that what cancel culture is all about?
It almost seems like our current civilization is addicted to endings. And while there's nothing inherently wrong with being mesmerized by terminations, it blinds us from being able to see the other polarity of this complex spectrum. I'm talking about beginnings. Endings beget beginnings. Once we’ve buried an old dream, an old job, and old story for our lives, we are available for the new, the fresh, the clean. Monday’s New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Gemini is both a period at the end of a very long chapter and the intake of breath that begins a new one.
Solar Eclipses are known for their intensity and their almost cruel indifference to the firmly entrenched patterns of our life. They are arbiters of endings, great change, and sometimes chaos. They take away, they clear out, they eliminate, but that’s so that your new life can begin. This particular eclipse happens right next to the South Node, a cosmic position that signifies what we are releasing. South Node in Sagittarius is all about letting go the overarching beliefs and “truths” that we have collectively outgrown. Think of the history of art, the progression of styles and techniques. The same is true for philosophy and religion. Not all beliefs age well with time. We are ready to evolve beyond Impressionism and Surrealism—we’re ready for a brand-new style of being. 2020 has been preparing us to simultaneously create and receive it.
At its essence, this year has been a spiritual awakening for everyone, even if you are just coming to realize it. As we wake up to our own numinous self, we are being challenged to question the centuries-old programming we’ve inherited and fiercely let it go. I lovingly think of the South Node as a galactic toilet full of shit we’re ready to flush. The interwoven intricacy of endings and beginnings is poetically expressed in Monday's cosmic ballet. This powerful cosmic portal asks of you this question:
What are you finally ready to release and, more importantly, what are you finally ready to begin?
There's no shortage of juicy Astrology in these last few weeks of 2020. A week after eclipse season fades out, on the very same day the Sun moves into Capricorn, Saturn will meet up with Jupiter—an astrological happening that only occurs every twenty years. If you look up on the night of the 21st, you will literally see them shining right on top of each other. Saturn and Jupiter are the great planetary teachers. Saturn teaches restriction and responsibility, Jupiter teaches expansion and abundance. They have different styles, sure—Saturn utilizes tough love, Jupiter bestows blessings—but their curriculum is the same. Both of these energies are interested in how we can level up. What Jupiter and Saturn have in common is their desire for us to grow.
The Saturn/Jupiter conjunction happens at 0 degrees Aquarius, the gateway of the cosmic air sign known for inventiveness and eccentricity. Jupiter and Saturn's explosive date-night initiates a new cycle around Aquarian themes that will play out for at least the next 20 years, but probably longer. It's a major moment that deserves more exploration than I can provide here, which is exactly why you should join us at The Spiritual Gayz Astro Club. This a place for people who share a love of Astrology to come together in community to learn, grow, and laugh. Astro Club is a monthly gathering dedicated to expanding your knowledge of the cosmos, connecting you with like-minded seekers, and gazing into your individual charts to get a better sense of where the current energy is taking root in your life. Join us here!
Each moonth, we will facilitate a discussion about the energy of the current Zodiac sign and assist you in understanding how to work with it instead of getting worked over by it. We'll also unpack the major transits of the moonth ahead and take a look at the charts for both the New Moon and the Full Moon, providing you ritual suggestions for both. Most of all, we'll all get to commune in a safe space where you can interact with us in real time and get all of your astrology questions answered. For those who can't join us live, a recording of Astro Club will be emailed to you within 24 hours.
Aquarius is the sign that rules over groups, technology, and hope itself. Having Saturn and Jupiter in this sign all year will empower us to connect with others in order to uplift ourselves. In the spirit of Aquarian optimism and healing, consider joining us this Saturday for our last breathwork of 2020. Breathwork is an active meditation that opens up your ability to sense into mystery and magic. The breath reveals blockages within you that are ready to be released. This practice promotes deep connection to your own heart, spirit, and sometimes can even invite profound visions, revelations, and bliss. It’s a big promise, but breathwork always follows through. It’ll be strong medicine for your soul, a safe place to expand your spirit, and the playlist is always lit AF. Sign up here!
Don’t forget to tune into The Spiritual Gayz podcast; this is our twice monthly offering dedicated to exploring the wide reaches of spirituality without pretending that it all makes sense. We have tons of episodes on Astrology and Tarot and healing and magic. Our latest episode was a deep dive into eclipses; timely, no? And next week, we can't wait to release an incredible conversation we got to have with Don Kilhefner, LGBTQ activist, community organizer, and co-founder of the Radical Faeries. Don has been on the frontlines of gay liberation for over fifty years, and his wisdom is immense, to say the least! If you’ve been looking to expand your spiritual horizons in a fun, accessible way, look no further! And if you’re already a fan of the podcast, please consider rating us 5-stars or leaving us a glowing review. It seems like no big deal, but these two things can really help us grow our community!
Lastly, as you prepare your holiday gifts with care, consider supporting a small business (i.e., US—The Spiritual Gayz!). Readings make a great gift, they always fit, and we even make up super cute gift certificates you can email or print out! Feel free to email us for more details!
Ok babies, that's all for now. You'll find your Tarotscopes below.
Read for your Sun Sign, and if you're hungry for more guidance, read for your North Node. Don't know where your North Node is? All the more reason to sign up for Astro Club!
Sagittarius
Four of Swords