by Morgan Leigh McKenna, Evolutionary Astrologer
If someone asked you to describe yourself in five seconds – without talking about your vocation or family role - what would you say? If you’re brave enough to take the challenge, you might spout off a list of qualities your family or co-workers have used over the years: life of the party, adventurous, down to earth, passionate, and detail oriented. If they gave you ten seconds and you were willing to let your guard down, you might admit to qualities that, depending on the context, could skew darker unpredictable, cautious, strategic perfectionistic, and moody. Maybe you’d even throw your Sun sign in for good measure. You’re a Sagittarius. Thus, “life of the party, adventurous, passionate.” Even “unpredictable” fits in the Sag box. But, “perfectionistic”, “detail oriented”, “strategic” and “down to earth”? That would be a stretch for any Sagittarius.
Now let’s look a bit deeper. Along with your Sag Sun are strong energies in other parts of your chart. Your moon is in Scorpio (hence cautious and moody). And your Ascendant - that’s where the horizon was the moment you were born – is in Virgo (hence detail oriented and perfectionistic.). Finally, you have Saturn smack dab in its home sign of Capricorn. Thus the “strategic and down to earth.”
Key One:
Your astrological chart is a map of energies working with you individually at any given moment. These energies act as catalysts to turn potentials into realities. For instance, let’s say that every morning for as long as you can remember, you do the same thing: get up, stumble to the kitchen to make coffee, and head to the computer for a dose of morning news. Then, one morning, you wake up and tell yourself, “I want to change things up. Today I’m going for a two-mile walk. Before coffee. Before opening my computer.” So, you get up, put on your sweats and walking shoes, and head out the door. And you do it the next morning and the morning after that. About the third day, you wonder, what happened?
Most likely, several planets in your chart came into a positive alignment, giving you an extra boost of inspiration, confidence, and drive to try something potentially scary. Something you’d never done. The potential was always there, but the universe offered you a hefty nudge and you responded. You pushed back on your limiting beliefs (“I’m just not an exercise person”) and revealed capacities you’d had all along.
Key Two:
The universe is about growth, and that includes you. At its core, your astrological chart is a guide to becoming your best self in this lifetime. While we might wish that fame, wealth, and power were the true markers of what’s “best”, we know they don’t necessarily make us better people. Sure, you may achieve some recognition, financial stability, and influence along the way. Fantastic.
But the universe is primarily interested in the quality of your soul while you’re doing all of that. The ancients had it right: this earthly journey is about transformation. In modern-speak, it’s about your spiritual and psychological evolution. Are you learning how to love and heal yourself? Are living into your gifts and potentials? Are you starting to break generational patterns of abuse, abandonment, and shame? Are you becoming more compassionate and helping others on their healing journey?
The energies we encounter day to day represent choice points. You can keep living old patterns that keep you stuck, or you can choose to grow by living more intentionally. You can start collaborating with these powerful forces instead of just reacting to them. When you really commit to that, then get ready. It’s seat-belt time and you’re on the ride of your life!
