When I was twelve, my mother gave me my first copy of my natal chart and a large book on the origins and uses of astrology. The chart was colorful, with the different planetary symbols inked in a spectrum of color. The book was huge, over 300 pages, with information on every sign and planet, history of the practice, and even a guide on how to draw out a chart for yourself. It’s easy to say that this was a bizarre gift for a middle schooler from a large Catholic family, but as an eccentric young child with deep curiosity about aspects of our culture others tend to shy away from, this introduction to astrology makes a lot of sense. It wasn’t until halfway through my seminary degree that I approached astrology as a serious spiritual practice. It was more of a party trick before then, being able on the spot to give people insight into their personalities and experiences, giving cosmic language to life that seems so separated by our vast cosmic universe. I kept this practice as a parlor trick or a secret, partially due to the cultural taboo of what astrology is. For many people, when they hear the words “astrology” or “horoscope,” they most likely imagine vapid magazine articles in Cosmopolitan. For some, “astrology” evokes fear and anxiety due to the long, uninformed association of astrology with satanic practices or “paganism.” But as someone who is unapologetically both a Christian and a practitioner of astrology, these practices have only enriched my faith and my sense of self.

If you were to enter my bedroom on a Monday night, you would find nearly the same scene week to weekーme sitting at my desk, a few candles lit, incense burning, a journal, and my laptop open to various astrological websites, primarily Chani Nicholas. Nicholas is a queer feminist astrologer located in LA, whose online practice has blossomed over in the last few years. For many queer people, she is our cyber-sage and provider of spiritual nourishment. From her courses, insights, and practices, I have cultivated this ritual from her work:

1. Open with a period of silent meditation. Sit down in a comfortable position. Allow the body to relax and be present. Feel the body’s posture ground the spirit from the head to the feet. Breathe slowly, but naturally, using the breath as a meter to aid in the grounding
2. After 5 to 10 minutes, turn to the laptop, I open to Chani Nicholas’ website, but if there is another cyber-sage that gives more useful and/or powerful insight, use them.
3. Slowly review the horoscopes corresponding with the Sun Sign, and if the natal chart is available, feel free to reflect on the horoscopes for both the Moon Sign and the Rising Sign.
4. As one reads the horoscope, listen for the words, lines, images, or sentences that provokes pause.
5. It is at these moments that I make note, either mentally or in my journal. And as Chani Nicholas says in regards to horoscopes: “Take what works for you, leave the rest.”
6. From the words, phrases, and sentences that caught one’s attention: transform those words. Through reflection and creativity, take the words of the cyber-sage and rework them into affirmations that speak to the particular moment. I record the new affirmations in my journal to carry me through the week(s).
7. Once the affirmations are in a place that is accessible, turn outward to close the ritual. This can look like listening to a song or reading aloud a prayer or blessing, light dancing, body movement, or stretching. Something that stirs the body into itself outside of the mind and heart. End with a gesture of gratitude.

Through this practice, I have found that these affirmations manifest in a variety of ways: from the inspirational and poeticー“I give myself permission to slow down, to witness the process of becoming, to listen to the insistence of life”ーto the literalー“I will reinvest in what is truly important to me.” I then use them as sources of my meditative practice for the rest of the week, allowing the words to become integrated into my life. This integration, I have found, centers me, grounds me, sheds light on perspectives and helps me hold themes of collective healing, justice, and tender love at the forefront of my mind. This practice of affirmation, through astrology, also emphasizes that the whole universe is connected, typically spoken as “As Above is Below.” Astrology is a practice that acknowledges the deep interconnectedness of all things in this universe. So as I reflect and work on my own healing through therapy, ministry, and creative projects, I know that as I do the work to heal myself, I am also aiding in the healing of others, the world, and the universe.

By this point, it is fair to say I am not speaking about astrology as a tool for divination but rather using astrology as a tool for inspiration. Astrology, as a practice, is not about belief or faith, like that of organized religion, nor is it an infallible fact. The truth of astrology is that it inspires me to see myself, my communities, the world, and the universe in ways that stir and invite me to act differently. Astrology affirms not only my place but our place in the universe, recognizing the reality that to be an individual is to be a part of a collective and that there are bonds that connect all things together. From the stars, to the planets, to the earth, to ourselves, astrology invites an introspection that is dependent upon extrospection. As above, so is below. This is the space to where astrology belongs. The realm of inspirationーthose things in this world that stir in us a desire to create, to act, to move differently.

Nicholas, on her website, writes that “too often healing is geared towards elevating attributes that are deemed valuable by the status quo. I believe that what makes us different informs our humanity and that our humanity is our greatest asset.” This message is at the heart of all the work she does. By gearing her work towards uplifting the divine brilliance of difference in our humanity, she is lifting up, in all their complexities, those people, those bodies, and those narratives so often discarded by a white supremacist, ableist, capitalist, settler cisheteropatriarchy. She uses astrology as her tool in weaving together collective healing, individual healing, and the movement for justice into a tapestry that invites people to get creative and inspired by her work. This tool, this tapestry, has inspired me to take a passion that was once a simple party trick and transform it into a ritual, a practice, and a way of being that has transformed me, my community, and my outlook on the world.