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Social Media Tried to Paint Me as Just an Astrologer: I’m Literally an Artist, Babe

Wednesday Journal Entry, Week 32

Earlier I was watching the movie Divergent, and it got me thinking about my own life, and how if I were to live in that type of society, divided by factions, I would have been just like Beatrice, or Tris- divergent. A rebel. An embarrassment. Someone who has the audacity to not belong, because my mind simply isn’t wired in one direction. The younger me would’ve tried to do what she did, blend and fit in in order to please and pander to the masses. In the scene where she picks Dauntless at the Choosing Ceremony, I think of all the times I did something just to appease others, to not rock the boat, and ensure peace was maintained.

Luckily I’m not that young anymore. I’m thirty, the age where you give less of a shit what society teaches you, or at least, you get better at pretending just enough that people have no choice but to stop telling you what to do. And if they try, you get ready for war.

A few months ago, I took a break from doing readings, and now it’s about time I finally express why that is. Part of it is because like Tris, I’m not just an astrologer. Never have been, never will be just that. Because the best way to be a success is by being as authentic as possible. I don’t regret doing readings at all- in fact, I just put the services page back on my website, but right now, it’s necessary to speak my truth.

It all started back in 2019, when my life basically fell apart. The year prior, my ex and I broke up. He was toxic and abusive so it was a painful but very necessary decision. Fast forward to me and my dog living in a shelter, lost, no job, and just processing the fact that I wasn’t able to get the funding to direct my first feature film. I was devastated, having always been a passionate artist. Life couldn’t get any worse. I was also experiencing my second nodal opposition. The nodal opposition is basically when the transit North Node is in the sign of your natal South Node, and during this period, themes from the past come up before you can really move forward.

In my case, my South Node is in the eleventh house, which has to do with networking, social circles, and friendships. Being surrounded by people had always felt like a happy place, till it eventually gave me resentments. Friendships have often been fleeting and despite knowing a lot of people, only a handful really know me. On social media, anytime I’d join a group, at some point there would be conflicting values that caused me to eventually leave the group altogether. I never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I could even be in a room full of people and still feel invisible.

Growing up, I studied in a French-speaking elementary school, where 99% of the students were children of immigrants, which means I had friends from anywhere and everywhere. Often there were fights with the nearby English-speaking high school, so not only was there a lot of racism, there was also the language conflict that Quebec is infamous for. And being bilingual, I also didn’t fit in anywhere. Because the problem with humans is they love keeping people in categories, so in order to survive as a child, you learn how to mask and adapt, but people sniff you out eventually. They always do. It’s a survival instinct from way back where people would do this to sniff out enemies in tribes. Masks only work for so long. Eventually you slip up by going against one of their unspoken rules or forget an important social cue, and you’re back to being that kid in the corner again.

I don’t miss my childhood.

During my stay in a shelter, I met a lot of amazing people and spent time writing a memoir about my time there. In a weird way, I found myself. It felt like I could do whatever I want, because I had little to lose. I began writing more on my blog and even slowly started looking at people’s charts anytime they wanted some fast insight. Finally a fated moment came where I published two articles on Medium that changed the course of my path. One about the eighth house and the other about moon in Capricorn. A friend sent me a screenshot from a group he was in to let me know an article of mine had been shared. According to my stats, thousands of people had seen my blog. I was walking on air. After years of being a writer, my hard work began paying off.

Meanwhile, on another Facebook group that I used to moderate, they made me an approved reader, so I decided to start offering services, as a way to expand my skills as an astrologer and to also make extra money, since at that point I was still looking for work. In June 2020, several months into the pandemic, the tables turned: I went from living in a shelter to being a staff member in one and not long after, got my own apartment.

For about the next year, I felt like I reached the pinnacle of success. I was doing readings while balancing a job that I loved. I would also post astrology-related memes on Facebook and Instagram and it gave me joy because other people found joy in those memes. After awhile, I remembered that I also write poetry and movies and went back to sharing more of that content. Crickets.

And it’s not that people who followed me didn’t like my poetry or films- not that it should matter, because what really matters is whether I’m being true to myself- the problem is the social media algorithm. I wish someone had told me this a few years ago, but the more you post a certain kind of content, the more social media classifies your account under a certain theme. Seems logical right? After all, if someone mostly shares workout videos, they’re account is classified as workout page; If someone mostly shares music, then they’re classified as a music page. However, what about the jack-of-all-trades like me who has several passions?

I can’t stress enough how close I was to throwing the baby with the bathwater. Because social media, especially Instagram and Tiktok, got so familiar with my work in astrology, anytime I’d share something unrelated, I felt invisible, insignificant, like somehow I was a one-trick pony and that’s all people wanted. In reality, it didn’t really matter according to my stats, people did want that from me. The problem really was the algorithm. It’s almost as if some invisible hand came along and tried to fit me in a box that I never agreed to being put in, and now I was being made to choose between astrology and my art.

My first reaction was to freeze and not post at all. My second reaction was to consider giving up astrology or at least, put it in the background, but even when I talk about a favorite movie or TV show, somehow astrology is always referenced. I’ll try to guess the characters zodiac signs or spend time looking at what in an actor’s birth chart gave them the ability to play their role so well. I just couldn’t help it. It was like choosing between eating and drinking, we need both to survive. I needed both art and astrology.

To be honest, if there’s one thing that held me back for awhile, it was seeing how many famous artists started out in one genre, only to cave in to what’s popular. Avril Lavigne started out as a rocker chick, and then recorded “Girlfriend”. Lady Gaga is originally a jazz singer but become known in pop, and yet ironically, even her pop songs don’t fit any genre. No matter how much some people wnet to great lengths to box her in, she came out on top. Then you have Pink who went against her former producer LA Reed just so he could grant her permission to co-write songs with Linda Perry, because she was more interested in making music that’s personal than being just another pop/RNB girl.

I also think my main problem is that I used to care a bit too much what other people think, because remember, my South Node is in the eleventh house (a.k.a. other people). Yet all my favorite celebrities are the ones who provoke, who make people think and make them angry. Sometimes I’d catch myself not wanting to post a video or share an article or poem, out of fear that it might “offend” someone, or that people will decide to unfollow me if I share something different. I’ve seen it happen a few times, my viewership would decrease if I didn’t post more of the usual content pr for sharing related to politics, but at some point, you have to choose between doing what makes you happy and doing what makes you likeable.

And trust me, as the girl who got bullied throughout elementary and high school, I’m used to not having some people like me. After being rejected so many times, it gets to the point where you realize that really, the only approval you ever need is your own. That’s not coming from a perspective of arrogance, it’s coming from learning tough lesson after lesson. The most important person to support your work is you, regardless of how many others cheer it on.

What the algorithm doesn’t realize is that my North Node is in the fifth house, which has to do with creativity, passion and self-love, which means that I wasn’t put on this planet to be defined or understood. I was put here to be happy. I was put here to make art in every way imaginable, whether it’s through writing, film, astrology- even if it doesn’t always make sense to everyone else.

I also think that social media has a huge problem with niches. While a niche can seem like a good thing, it limits self-expression and prevents people from posting out of fear that no one will see your work anymore. Recently, I had a bone to pick with Tiktok, because anytime I’d share a video with one of my poems, it wouldn’t get more than fifty views, yet if I shared something related to spirituality, it would get hundreds of views. And it wasn’t just me. A friend of mine said she couldn’t see my videos unless she looked up my name. I was livid. It’s almost like in an indirect way, social media has really been trying to insist that I’m not a writer, storyteller, filmmaker and astrologer, that I’m just an astrologer, and that it’ll punish me for being out of line.

I recently deactivated my Tiktok and have barely been on Insta, and whether I start posting there again in the future, I still have my own platform Persephone’s Forum that got launched in late February. And for what it’s worth, at least on there, you’re not expected to fake it till you make it.

And luckily, that kind of mind game doesn’t work on a stubborn Taurus like me, since I’m gonna have my cake and eat it, too. The more you tell me not to do something, the more I’ll want to do it. Slowly, I found a way to somehow merge both, by going into my vault of poetry and finding pieces that reference the stars. I also have to keep in mind that there are many creators like Dossevia who do both art and astrology, and finally understand that there’s no reason to go against my truth in order to get seen. I also think that the worst thing you can do is take social media seriously, it’s really just a game of numbers and not to mention, Tiktok recently admitted that their staff can choose who goes viral.

Despite the fact that we live in a society that tries to put people into boxes, the ones who become successful are those who break those boxes, those who break the boundaries. No one would’ve remembered Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho if he had changed the movie to suit the studios, and no one would care for Pink or Lady Gaga if they only recorded what the labels want. As the saying goes, “Well behaved women rarely make history.” Do I really sound like the kind of person who behaves?

Karina

To get a reading or learn about my other projects, scroll to the menu. If you haven’t already, sign up at my new social media site Persephone’s Forum.

If you enjoyed this, you may want to read If You Love Art, Astrology, or Just Need a Different Platform, Check Out my New Website, as well as Don’t Feel Bad for Not Going Viral, Tiktok Staff Admit Social Media is Rigged, and The Secret Life of the Bilingual Canadian

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If You Love Art, Astrology, or Just Need a New Platform, Check this Out

If there's one thing I learned during my Saturn Return, it's I'll never fit in, and that's absolutely okay, because neither do a lot of people. A lot of voices aren't counted in the world of social media and even beyond it, and what does Nina Simone say? "You've got to learn to leave the table when love is no longer being served." But to put her idea further, you have to build your own table, and make sure that the people sitting there genuinely are meant to be there. And that's what I'm doing with my brand new social media space. I'm building a table especially for those who don't have a seat at the others. And I'm not doing this to be rebellious or make a statement, I'm really doing this to prove that social media can be done properly, with feeling. What started as an idea for a space for artists and astrology lovers, became more.

One thing that’s always stood out to me when it comes to social media is its aesthetic. Haven’t you noticed? Everything is blue, and grey. This concept of neutrality was designed to attract as many people as possible, which is great at first, until you consider what it really means: it erases diversity. There’s this idea that we mustn’t address our differences to avoid rocking the boat, because that’s dangerous. It disrupts the harmony of posting, sharing and liking, and pushes us to think critically on the content we consume and create.

Well I’ve never been the neutral type. I’ve ended friendships and even connections to family members over a silent agreement to being neutral. Yes, to some extent, we need to give people grace, but in situations where there’s an elephant in the room and people try to decorate that elephant with shiny objects, this creates a culture of conflict avoidance, which then leads to either of two things: passive-aggressiveness or censorship.

For example, on social media, you might notice people typ|ng c@pt|ons l|ke th|s. This is one way to avoid being flagged or banned with certain words, and the irony is often these words aren't actually offensive, it's what they represent. Usually people have to do this when making posts about subjects like abuse, trauma, or social issues. You know, anything that reminds the algorithm that we don’t have a perfect world where everyone is a flawless and tanned influencer. And no hate to people who work as influencers, it's just that I like my feed filled with people I actually follow already.

Social media as an introvert and artist used to be my happy place, because it’s the easiest way to connect and express myself. Till it wasn’t, and I had to carefully curate each post based on what would be the most tolerable, most "like"-able and least likely to get muted. It’s easy to say we shouldn’t take the internet seriously, but whether we want this or not, it’s a huge part of our lives, so we have no choice to make it better.

One thing that’s been lacking on social media is how we go about people who don’t fit into a specific box. I get it, it’s hard to market or share if you’re someone who’s passionate about a million and one things, but it’s even harder to put your work out there if you’re an artist since obviously, most artists enjoy more than one skill. It’s also hard sometimes for those who love spiritual topics like astrology because to an extent, there’s still a certain taboo. You could imagine how much harder this gets on platforms that thrive on stereotypes and niches. As someone who’s both an artist and an astrologer, of course I thought of you, but let’s not gatekeep either. We know what that feels like.

This is where that new platform comes in. It’s called Persephone’s Forum, and while initially it was going to be just a forum added onto my main website, I decided to take it a step further, by making it into its own social media website. You can add friends, chat, and post as expected, but... values are key here. You can even get verified, as long as you show that your account name is what you typically use online. More importantly, you don’t have to walk on eggshells anytime you post. As long as you aren’t making remarks that are racist, sexist, homophobic, or show any type of discrimination, and you don’t bully people, you’ll be welcome. Sounds like the obvious, right?

Actually that’s another thing I felt was lacking in mainstream social media, the inability or even refusal, to draw a difference between self-expression and talking down to others. It just shows the privileged position of the people who run these spaces, when they’ll ignore blatant discrimination, but will gladly ban someone just for saying something about Black Lives Matter or women’s issues, or even for mild swearing. And I get it, sometimes kids are online, but there’s only so much pleasing everyone. At some point, we need every adult to take accountability. If it’s more important to make extra profit with certain business partners than to do the right thing, is your business actually that social? If companies like Ben and Jerry’s can go about raising awareness on social causes and still make money, then the issue isn’t reputation, it’s about priorities, and those like Zuckerberg seem to be picking the wrong ones.

Going back to the point of encouraging neutrality, I think it’s just another way of saying who has a voice and who doesn’t. Because who decides what that looks like? Beyond the obvious like religion, sex, and politics, are we supposed to avoid every topic that brings up some emotion? There’s something very patriarchal in telling us that we have to swallow our emotions and just buy whatever products come up in suggested pages or late night scrolls, or to do another little dance vid. The idea that emotional posts and videos aren’t likely to get pushed for views, says a lot about where we stand as a people.

Never in my life did I even imagine creating my own platform, but in hindsight, it was bound to happen. I’ve been on almost every version of social media since 2006, and in university, my friends were a group of guys from the engineering department, so most of our conversations revolved around computers and software. Despite all this, I was studying in film but didn’t fit into that department any more than the engineering department. And if there’s one person in tech I admire for being a misfit too, it’s Steve Jobs, despite having no interest in Apple products.

Persephone’s Forum is born in a time when a lot of world events are happening, and people need a safe space. It’s here at a time where creators have to avoid posting certain pictures to prevent being shadowbanned for nudity, when there’s no actual nudity there. It’s born at a time where Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook/Meta, announced that he would start charging for the blue checkmark, which let’s be real, was initially a symbol of privilege anyway since only famous people seem to get it. It also comes at a time where Elon Musk bought Twitter, only to destroy it slowly from the inside. It also comes at a time where more than ever people are looking for ways to just be heard.

At one point, social media was the place where you could reconnect with an old friend or even just learn HOW to connect. In 2023, it’s become a place where the rich flaunt their Gucci purses and latest vacations in front of millions of followers who most likely are struggling to feed their families. It’s become a place where class is what gets you up there, unless you’re lucky, or patient enough to post incessantly every day. Not to mention scrolling feels like you’re mindlessly absorbing content, when the whole point is to be social. Now it’s just... media. I’d like to change that in some way.

Just over ten years ago, owning a social media platform was revolutionary, but these days, it’s a part of our everyday lives, which means it’s no longer enough to wow people with new emojis or life-like filters, or talks of virtual reality. These days, you have to have values and integrity. You have to show others that their voices are heard, and one thing I learned is that to the people who’ve run the show till now, we aren’t heard. That’s why I did something.

In all honesty, how can you expect diversity from mainstream platforms anyway, when they’re predominantly founded and owned by white men? Aside from Zhang Yiming, the founder of Tiktok, and Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Meta, and of course if you want to count Whitney Wolfe Heard, the founder of dating app Bumble, there’s not much more representation. Black-owned apps TrueSo and MelaninPeople are gaining traction, but have yet to really be put in the spotlight.

Even when it comes to the aesthetic for Persephone’s Forum, there’s no blue or grey. It’s classic and elegant, but also practical, just like the Greek Goddess. It reflects what’s possible when a person takes something into their own hands. And like Persephone leaving the Underworld, it reflects a bit of hope.

The idea for Persephone’s Forum started out as really being intended for people who are artists, or who just love the arts, for people who are astrologers or who just love astrology, but I don’t like fences, I like bridges. Think of it as more of a space where you can be... yourself, whatever that means. Without any algorithm. Without any influencers (sorry not sorry). And especially without darn crummy eggshells. Also, hopefully without bots either, because those can be a pain in the #ss, and the work will be put in to keep it that way longterm.

And if I’m being honest, I don’t expect Persephone’s Forum to change the whole world. If ever it does change something, that would be amazing, but my priority is to simply keep it true to who I am, and to who a lot of other people are. It isn’t reinventing the wheel, it’s just showing off the parts that truly matter. And what we’ve been seeing lately, ain’t it. Maybe for some, but for the rest of us, we’ll be over here. Where we can be who we are, not who they want us to be.

Register for Persephone’s Forum at persephonesforum.com. The Queen of the Underworld welcomes you.

To check out my books, social media and more, visit persephoneandco.org.

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The Astrological Link Between Stranger Things and the West Memphis Three

A Part of the Series Wednesday Journal Entry with Persephone's Lounge

Does history repeat itself? Do we just subconsciously relive certain lessons till we learn from them, like Carl Jung suggested? Is there some force behind everything, or is it just that humans like to link events together so much that it only looks like there’s a pattern, just because the chaos would be too overwhelming to accept?

As someone who’s been into astrology for a while, even I still don’t know what the answer is. Sometimes I like to think that life is random, but other times, I know there has to be more to it. In order to really make sense of the direction this piece is heading, we need to take a bit of a trip in time to May 5th 1993.

At approximately 7pm is when John Mark Byers, Christopher’s father, reported the boys missing to the local police, so this is the event chart we’ll be looking at. The next day, the boys’ remains were found in the woods nearby. According to the time Mr. Byers made the call, we see that Scorpio was rising, just as the moon was already in that sign.

Not only that, we also have Chiron the wounded healer close to the Midheaven at the apex of a T-square with the sun and moon, making the pain and trauma of the events very apparent. It doesn’t quite help that Mars in Leo (the sign of children) is squaring Mercury the planet of communication, because this suggests that some people involved were in such a hurry to figure out just what happened to these boys, that they were willing to blame anyone who fit the profile of a criminal. The fact that Mars is in the ninth house of higher learning at the time of the phone call, shows a heavy focus on morals and wanting to do the right thing, rather than actually looking at the evidence as is. Add a sextile to expansive Jupiter in justice-oriented Libra, in the eleventh house of friends, and no doubt this case would go on to affect a lot of people for years to come.

Of course, it doesn’t really take astrology to understand that a city of only 26,000 people, where it’s likely that everyone knows everyone, would be so taken over by grief and emotions. While a little misguided, keeping in mind the sun-moon opposition, most people would react the same way when crime involves those so innocent and vulnerable. Before the arrest of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, there were several other suspects, and heavy criticism when it came to how the police handled the crime scene.

Going back to the moon and Ascendant in Scorpio, it’s easy to see why there would be so much confusion, since either those who first arrived at the scene were just clumsy at their jobs, or there was something that needed a cover-up. According to Wikipedia, “Police officers James Sudbury and Steve Jones felt that the crime had "cult" overtones, and that Damien Echols might be a suspect because he had an interest in occultism, and Jones felt Echols was capable of murdering children.”

With all that said, what links the West Memphis Three to Stranger Things isn’t only the fact that Damien Echols was the inspiration for Eddie, as said according to the Duffer Brothers, but also that Saturn, the planet of karma and social order, was in the same sign it is now. Back in May 1993, Saturn was in Aquarius, just as today, which means that next year, it’ll be returning to the degree it was at when the initial crimes took place in West Memphis. When Saturn is in Aquarius, we see a lot of [...]

To read the full article, click here.

Karina

To check out my books, social media and more, visit my website, where you can also get a reading. And be sure to watch my new short documentary series on the Saturn Return! If you support my work, consider buying me a coffee.

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Make Way for the Diva: New Moon in Leo 2022

Karina Lafayette - July 28th 2022

What are you willing to stand for, even if it means risking to stand alone? What is something you’re so passionate about, that it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks? There comes a time, where we need to ask ourselves whether we’re really living in our truth, or just pandering to other people’s approval. Having friends and admirers is great, but that means very little if it comes at the expense of your integrity. 

This Leo New Moon dares us to go farther than we’ve gone before. In the beginning of The Lion King, when Simba is sitting with his father Mufasa, he asks him what’s the place beyond where the sunlight shines. Mufasa warns him boldly that he shouldn’t ever go there, which of course like any other young cub, makes Simba tempted to do the exact opposite. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel sings an entire song all about what it would be like to visit the human world. Despite living her life in a beautiful sea where everything is provided for, she knows there’s so much more out there. In Aladdin, it’s only when Jasmine climbs onto the magic carpet with him, that they get to experience what love is all about. Courage is at the heart of Leo, and if there’s one thing you’ve always dreamed of doing but were too afraid too, you may be called to finally give in.

It doesn’t matter if it’s as simple as asking your crush out on a date, or as scary as quitting your job, every step forward is progress needed. When a lion has been caged for too long, it becomes restless, aggressive and depressed. Sometimes rocking the boat is necessary in order to get the job done. Although there may be challenges ahead, with Mercury opposing Saturn and square Mars, and we may clash with those who have other plans, but the risk is worth taking. The current traditions aren’t working anymore, and Saturn as the teacher repeats a lesson till we learn from it. It’s about time we graduate.

Beyond this New Moon, we’re also close to the exact conjunction between Mars, the North Node and Uranus, which happens on Sunday. I’ve mentioned this conjunction a few times and it’s worth mentioning again, because there really is no turning back now. We’re so close to a breakthrough, even if things look dark. Ruled by the sun, Leo isn’t afraid to shine a light on what matters, and often change comes once we decide to step into our power.

When immature, Leo cares too much what people think and does things for clout just to make everyone love them, but when Leo really lives in their truth without giving any f#cks, this is where magic happens. Acts of courage aren’t only necessary to grow, they’re necessary to reminds each other of what we’re capable of. We’re capable of success, we’re capable of being provided for, of being loved, and of having a world where everyone’s needs are met. Remember, before Roger Bannister, no one believed a human could run a mile in four minutes, but he proved that with a little motivation, faith, and passion, anything is possible.

To get a glimpse into how to make the best of this New Moon, read here for your sun, moon and rising signs. Deck used is the Steampunk Tarot.

Karina xo

[To check out my books, social media and more, visit my website, where you can also get a reading. Pay-what-you-can for general readings till August 1st! And be sure to watch my new short documentary series on the Saturn Return! If you support my work, consider buying me a coffee.]

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I Almost Quit Spirituality, Here's Why

A Part of the Series Wednesday Journal Entry with Persphone's Lounge

Karina Lafayette

When a few people I was familiar with began leaving the New Age Community, I was shocked. I couldn’t understand why they’d leave behind something beautiful, where people seemed so generous and welcoming. And even though today I still don’t agree with the direction that some of them went in, I actually get it. Apparently, you really can have too much of a good thing.

A lot of people started joining the New Age Community as an alternative to religion. We wanted spirituality without the dogma and indoctrination. Not to mention, a lot of us come from backgrounds of abuse and addiction, or from families who basically rejected us for being a weirdo. The New Age Community felt like coming home, a home that for a lot of us slowly turned into a nightmare. As much as it’s helpful in a lot of ways, it’s also a part of society that enforces trauma bonding.

I started my journey back in 2013. At that point, I was living with my mother who was a narcissist. Day and night she would yell at me, instigate fights and bounce between overbearing mother bear, to Mommie Dearest. Since there was no way to leave, I started meditating, and it wasn’t long before I learned about my moon sign, and everything made sense. The first astrologers I began following were Michele Knight and Nadiyah Shah. For understanding trauma and anxiety, I would watch Teal Swan videos, but something about her always seemed off, and eventually I unsubscribed after learning about her cult. It was clear to me that as a survivor of narcissistic abuse, I needed to be cautious around where and who I learned from. Fast forward a few years later, between surviving an abusive relationship and financial woes, my boundaries got a lot stronger. During the period after my ex and I broke up, I was doing astrology readings for people and finally bought my first tarot deck. 

For me, spirituality is about achieving inner balance, but the farther I got along in my path, the more I realize sometimes we use spirituality for clout or to escape the real world. Cultural appropriation of things like yoga and certain deities, is the modern colonialism. The idea that Starseeds are supposedly often blue-eyed and blonde haired is clearly just another attempt to justify racism. The way some claim that politics shouldn’t be talked about ever, is really a form of spiritual warfare. And by spiritual warfare, I don’t mean in terms of a conspiracy theory, I mean that they’ll literally gaslight, harass, belittle, and judge you for even mentioning what��s wrong with the world. Instead of “love and light”, the mantra should be, “obedience and denial”. All this made me wonder whether I even belonged in the New Age Community in the first place.

Many times, I was getting into arguments. I’d get accused of being negative, too sensitive, and too stubborn, over issues that were very much valid. I’ve also blocked dozens of “coaches” on social media who kept on saying that Roe v Wade and Black Lives Matter were designed to divide the population, which was interesting from my perspective, because the last time I checked, the system was already designed to keep certain groups away from each other, based on gender, class, and race. I understand that sometimes spirituality is comforting, and can be a safe space from drama, but all throughout history, there’s a pattern of people in position of power telling the rest of us not to complain, and it’s this mindset that allows wars and inequality to continue. There’s also been plenty of people who are spiritual that got involved in human rights, like Martin Luther King, Jr. And yet modern spirituality is becoming more self-serving and less about actually helping anyone these days. It’s also clear to me that some just rather only take part in conversations that affect them, because apparently, nobody else matters anyhow.

These types of arguments haven’t really been a new experience either. Even long before I knew how to read a birth chart, I was a truth seeker. My family would get mad at me for being curious, and I’ve even had situations where random strangers would start yelling at me as soon as I felt uncomfortable around them, despite trying my best to keep composure. My intuition was already picking up on a lot of bs that couldn’t be swept under the rug, from as early as I can remember. The phases of the moon… nature… intuition…animals following me- the path was already written, and not only that, I’m also an artist. And a year prior to getting into spirituality, there was a student strike in my home province of Quebec, so I got into activism first, and spirituality came later. Sometimes people separate the two, but for me, they’re related, and to try and keep them separate all the time, would be like lying to myself. Especially when you think about how a hundred years ago, I would’ve been accused of evil, it’s hard not to stand up for justice. I’m not what you call socially acceptable. Practicing openly without fear is literally a privilege these days, and it’s easy to forget with the safety of social media.

I also think there’s something to be said about focusing too much on spirituality. If you make it your entire identity, it's easy to [...]

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Karina

To check out my books, social media and more, visit my website, where you can also get a reading. General readings are pay-what-you-can till August. Be sure to watch my new short documentary series on the Saturn Return! If you support my work, consider buying me a coffee.