If you all have been with me for a while skip down to the 4th paragraph, I have ranted on this before. But if you are new…… I was an elementary coach for teachers and I am not fond of the emphasis and exaltation of a “minority” history months in American public schools and on Google. Before you get mad please read on. Though I understand its necessity when this movement started, back in 1926 as Black History Week by historian Carter G. Woodson. Where he saw little to none African American representation in the “white halls of history” and probably was seeing the whitewashing of the Red Summer. History week has now grown to a month, added new months for other minorities and spreading outside of America. But have we now fallen into Hallmarking ™ history? In our political correctness, lost the thread?
Textbooks and curriculum of American schools still teach basically the same history– white-male-centric – but now in February you teach about MLK, in March about Susan B. Anthony, and Native American Heritage Month in November, so you can get it close to Thanksgiving – UGH. This does the “minority’s history” an injustice. First it loses its context in history as a whole. The “minority” becomes not part of our shared history but as a parallel thing happening alongside predominately white male history or is only seen for a month in bubble in and of itself. We lose the why it came about and the reverberation of that action now.
Secondly, it supports instead of works against our biological perspective of tribalism. And we lose the perspective of the history of the individual within the collective. The acts of an individual echoing through time and space. Lastly, this undermines teaching the student not only Socratic thinking which hinges on contextual information, but also disempowers the student to see that they can change the course of the future in ways they would never imagine.
The artist this week is Bisa Butlers @bisabutler should be used as a history teaching tool. She takes everyday photos of African Americans throughout history and contextualizes them by using exquisite fabrics and an skilled illustrative thread. Take for instance the art above I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, she uses a Vlisco fabric called “Michelle’s shoes” for the woman’s skirt on the far right. The fabric is inspired by West African textiles, done with and Indonesian batik and made in the Netherlands.
She vividly leads us to see the complex connected thread of these woman’s history, African roots to Maya Angelo and Michelle Obama to our multi-cultural world. She brings these “everyday” people into a contextual history. In her words: …I am telling the story— this African American side— of the American life. History is the story of men and women, but the narrative is controlled by those who hold the pen. ……..My community has been marginalized for hundreds of years. While we have been right beside our white counterparts experiencing and creating history, our contributions and perspectives have been ignored, unrecorded, and lost. It is only a few years ago that it was acknowledged that the White House was built by slaves. Right there in the seat of power of our country African Americans were creating and contributing while their names were lost to history. ………My subjects are African Americans from ordinary walks of life who may have sat for a formal family portrait or may have been documented by a passing photographer. Like the builders of the White House, they have no names or captions to tell us who they were.
Your ponderings for the week: Learn the why behind something in your own history, and see how it affects you now and would you tweak it to change the future? And the Planets: New Moon in Pisces on March 13th great day for daydreaming.
May light be on you, around you, and within you,
Nina
P.S. Signs with an * it is a big week for you. Pisces this is a perfect time to get an Astrological Tarot Reading for your coming year. And Virgo it is your halfway mark for your birth year, so if you need a Planetary Reading for a check in now is the time.
Aries
*Chariot – This is the week to make change happen. The Muse of Movement is here to help grease the wheels. Momentum is not problem. The only challenge with this energy is you must drive it and have a destination to drive it to. If you do not have a focus you may run around in circles this week.
Taurus
Knight of Wands – This Muse comes to say you are in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. You may not see it, but your timing is perfect. Whether you are standing still, trotting along or in full gallop allow your spirit to guide you.
Gemini
King of Cups – The Muse of Emotional Acceptance has come to help you heal old wounds of the heart. This muse celebrates the hardest emotion that we deal with as humans: grief. There is something you need to grieve. This energy wants you to dive deeply into this emotion of loss. When we grieve, we empty the cup fully and by doing so allow the cup to be refilled.
Cancer
Ace of Coins – The Muse of Material Beginnings is here. This is a perfect week to start a new project, re-plan your garden, buy something to fix up your house or start a savings account. The key to this energy of sustainability is to create with the concept of quality over quantity.
Leo
Queen of Swords – The Muse of Details has come to help guide you through this week. This energy comes when it is important to read the fine print, plan out a project in detail, and sweat the small stuff. You can find pleasure if you pay attention to the details of your life. Time to get out that metaphorical (or literally if you must) fine-toothed comb or cleaning toothbrush and tease out the specifics.
Virgo
King of Swords – The Muse of Long-term Planning is here to set up your itinerary for the rest of the year and three- and five-year goals. This week do not get caught in the morass of minutia. Turn your gaze to the horizon and the dreams of tomorrow. Vision boards out, daydreaming on, and no boundaries in vastness of your future.
Libra
Four of Cups – Last week the Muse of Divine energy was here to grow whatever you wanted to focus on. You get another week to do just that. But this week’s Muse ask you to go back and relook over what you are working on. There is something that does not feel quite right. That thing or idea needs some more introspection. The challenge with this is after you have done a pass with your internal eye, turn outward to get another person’s opinion. Though make sure it is with someone you trust with your dreaming.
Scorpio
Ten of Coins – The Muse of Finishing is here to help you complete a project. Either find the oldest thing on your to-do list or finish up something that has been nagging at your subconscious. This is a great week to move a project forward to completion or at least a big leap towards it.
Sagittarius
Ten of Cups – The Muse of Bliss is here to point out all the good things in your life. This week sit back and enjoy all that you have worked hard to get. If you have a roof over your head start there, food on the table you are doing great; and a job that is getting your needs meet, Whoot. And if you do not have these things, help is on the way. You just need to ask and then open your door; you have friends that are wanting to pay you back some of the kindness you have given in the past.
Capricorn
*Fool – The Muse of Leaps is here to help you out of a rut you may not realize you are in. The key to this is to do the non-routine. Sleep late or get up with the sunrise, turn off all electronics after sunset for a night, eat for one day without cooking unless over an open fire, do not look at your emails for a 24-hour period. I know you all love your routines, but this week shake it up and see what new ideas sprout from the cracks.
Aquarius
Queen of Coins – The Muse of Physical Pleasures is here to help you through this week. This muse comes when you need to ground yourself. She reminds you to connect with your five senses if you can daily. Eat good food, see beautiful things, feel something textural, smell some aromatherapy, and listen to your favorite music. Enjoy the simple things in life.
Pisces
*Death – Ok so this rarely happens but the Muse of Organic Change arrives again during your birth month to remind you how important this year is to make big changes happen. And to do so you need to release, release, and release some more. And while you are doing all this releasing you are using this “stuff” to compost new soil to grow from. The challenge with this energy is having the patience and attunement with your surroundings like a gardener. You need to pay attention to the cycles of growth and harvesting. This can be a year where you are planting and harvesting each season.
Queen of Wands – This week the energy can invigorate anything you put your focus to. It also supplies you with the courage and fierceness to take charge of all that you survey. The challenge is doing it alone. It is not necessary, but you can if you must.
Eight of Swords – Self acceptance is key this week. You might be feeling entrapped, but this time is meant for healing. Sometimes the inertia of life has nothing to do with you as long as you don’t take it on as your story. Let go of the collective thought patterns. They are not part of your narrative.
Queen of Cups – Last week your brain was taxed. The energy takes a 180 degree turn to your heart this week. Compassion, calm and comfort are the keys to ease. Find time daily to invite in the 3 Cs. This is no time for martyrdom – take time off and have some fun.
en of Wands – Another week spending energy in completing old projects and cleaning your desk/mind/spirit. The challenge is being responsible for your obligations to those close to you but also to yourself. This week is setting you up for new beginnings once your plate is cleared from the old.
Four of Swords – This energy shows up when you need to recuperate and relax. You are being drained and are not aware of the source or how much it is taking out of you. The best way of finding the leaks is by walking away from all your responsibilities for a small amount of time. Then once you return the seepage will be more obvious and easier to fix.
*Temperance – The energy that surrounds you this week is excessive. This overload unbalances you, so emotional outburst may be necessary to vent and re-calibrate. However, be careful, impatience can trigger more negative and unworthy outpourings. The key is purposely vent before the pressure makes you burst.
*Sun – The sun will come out tomorrow and shine on you all week. So that is great if you are ready to play in the sunlight. However, there is a distinct possibility you may also want to hide in the shadows of pessimism. The challenge is that more you try to be happy the less you accomplish it. In other words, you are thinking to much. Sag your free spirit is needing airing, a drive in the car with windows down, a picnic in the woods, or anything outdoorsy without any goal setting is required. Try spotlighting your focus on things you want to do – not things you have to do.
*Justice – Last week organic change was asking you to not resist or fear transformation. Letting things end so others can begin. You are hopefully now moving with a more natural pace and to a more comfortable place. Luckily, you get another week to work on this shift by focusing on cause and effect. For each decision you are making imagine the possible or impossible outcomes. Why focus on the impossible? Because your mind wants to think of the what ifs and this is the week to let it. Those out-there worst-case scenarios need airing. Not to bring them in to being but to see the truth of their outlandishness.
*Chariot – Wow four weeks in a row with big energy. It started with summoning you to take a bit of control over your destiny by showing up. Then Temperance energy suggested creating your life like a refined meal that has many notes to balance in the creation of a delectable dining experience. Then Justice had you looking for the grey areas to find a true sense of fairness and harmony. Now self-determining change has arrived. This energy is giving you control. The good side is that you have more sway then you think. The bad side is it is all in your hands. This week if you want movement to happen you will need to take the reins. If you look at all of May/June’s forecast now is the time to be flexible and delicate when applying energy but continue moving forward.
Two of Wands – Discovery is the name of the game this week. The challenge is that you are still in a place that is neither the past nor the future; however, you are not inert. You are just taking a moment finding needed items and planning for the move forward. The only challenge is while you are doing this be mindful of the precious moments this pause has given you.
King of Swords – See the broader picture of situations and champion those that are being bullied. Watch for people taking advantage of or manipulating those that are more misfortunate around you. You can solve these predicaments as simply as sharing your toilet paper or getting the elder down the street groceries, so they don’t have to go out.
*Death – Another energy packed week. The past couple of weeks have triggered your self-doubt and insecurities. Then the energy shifted trying to guide you towards self and universal compassion, so you could believe in you and the world at large. This week the energy embodies change and transitions. Things need to end so there is room for new projects/ideas/people. Take this time to, figuratively and/or literally, weed and plant anew.
Queen of Pentacles – Last week, the energy surrounding you was materializing the divine. Advising that conjuring for the greater good brings more ease to finding solutions. This energy continues through this week; however, you will have to let go of trying of controlling the entire materialization process. Watch the line between nurturing and smothering people and projects this week. Whatever you create needs to work without your constant guidance and support to succeed and not suck all the energy out of you.
Ace of Pentacles – Opportunities, abundance and prosperity are the energies to work with. This week has the potential of creation in it. Think of this energy like a seed – this is a beginning. What seed will you pick to plant and water as you go into this spring season. What one thing can you hone your focus and energy into?
Ten of Swords – Normally this energy is harsh, but you seem to rise above the morass by getting out of your head and being there for others. This week’s energy of regeneration and recovery lifts you above the banal and the suffering to a place that feels lighter and more hopeful.
Knight of Swords – To be truly courageous and unstoppable it is best to slow down. You can easily be triggered into impulsiveness. So, take a breath and survey your surroundings before you step into any situation this week.
Nine of Pentacles – Last week’s energy was about walking into your destiny. And, the lessons were about when your luck is favorable grab it and when it is unfavorable let it go. While realizing neither outcomes had anything to do with you. This destiny energy continues this week and adds that while things may look advantageous or not, that you need to watch overextending and/or overcompensating. So, take only what you need and let go of what doesn’t work.
Two of Swords – The mist that surrounds you is making decisions hard and/or is adding undue confusion to situations. So come to terms you are at a stalemate this week and it is best just to sit and wait out the bad weather. The fog will lift, and the road will be clear soon. Just not this week.
Two of Pentacles – Take this week’s energy to slow down the spinning plates. This is a time to look at what overwhelms you and where you are over committed. You have the time to contemplate what are your true priorities and where can you be flexible in your commitments. Life is a balancing act, and this is a good week to regain some of your balance and dexterity.
Four of Cups – Meditation and retreat are key elements to your week. And the atomic structure of this energy lies within the concepts of apathy and acceptance. How do you allow acceptance into your life without feeling apathetic? Contemplating on that goatfish will lead to avenues of ease.
*High Priestess – Listening to your intuition is vital this week. However, figure out what your subconscious is trying to convey is hard to hear through all the static of everyday life. So, find moments of silence, synchronicities and moon beams to guide you to opportunities and solutions that are hidden in the light of day. For example: There is a new Moon in Aries March 24; it’s a great day to start things.
Three of Cups – The energy this week is about independence. Your close ones and friends are important, but it must be balanced with some alone time. And this energy whether with friends or alone is best utilized doing the activities you love to do. This week is about filling your emotional cup.
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