#23. ancient farm, italian brewery, vintage shop, a reminder for 2023 and...
january 2023 edition.
+ ancient farm + my first medium article + the annoying restriction of festive opening hours + piemontese brewery in camden + making peace with winter + folklore jewellery + buying vegetables like the good old days + medical astrology + otras cositas más +
“Remember, heaven, earth and the body all share a vocabulary.” - Claire Gallagher
“We may want nothing less than consistent success, but disequilibrium is where the magic is.” - Dana Gerhardt
For my Sagittarius moon, it’s challenging to relax and unwind, as there is a sense of restlessness and a conscious and unconscious belief that there is a world outside to explore. Susan Miller started her January horoscope for Scorpios by saying: “You enter January feeling a bit restless.”
It’s not uncommon to hear from friends that I don’t stop. No, I am not escaping any uncomfortable emotion, as I have enough water element in my birth chart (hello, Cancer rising) that balances all this fiery energy.
I’ve had a better relationship with winter for a while now, but I must admit that winter is when I least like to plan a trip. It’s expected that most of us are more indoors during the season, and I love to be indoors, don’t take me wrong, but to feel at my best, it must be a scaled measure of being outdoors too. And winter doesn’t help with that.
For someone heading somewhere almost every month and who doesn’t like to travel during the festive season in December, mainly due to the lower temperatures and when most people have more time to pack and go, it’s not usually my favourite period of the year. I don’t feel like myself.
And then there is the thing called festive operation hours—even London, which people usually set as a top destination, changes. My sweetheart bakeries are closed for a while - for a coffee lover, any temporary closure is a nightmare - there are fewer movida, shops operate at different hours, and the list goes long. Argh. It almost reminds the restriction of pandemic times. I understand why Tate Modern is open on the 1st January, as I doubt I am the only one that feels this way.
Maybe it’s the price I pay for creating a life where my holidays are usually not limited by bank holidays, as I can take time off whenever I prefer, and usually not at the same time as most. Consequently, this lifestyle brings me the ick during summer and winter peaks, as my peak season is definitely not now. And, honestly, I quite like it.
On the other hand, in learning to pause during these few weeks and give space to rest, I’ve been reminded, though, that, during winter, nature also makes a pause, and it’s a natural and an organic cycle to slow down.
“When Sagittarius practices ‘boredom’, that uncomfortable itch to seek, run, and ‘free’ itself quiets down. Plus, this tends to protect Sagittarius from burnout and exhaustion. Believing you should always feel enthused about life, in general, is a lot of pressure to put on yourself. A wise Sagittarius will check its enthusiasm just as frequently as it checks its restlessness.”
Maybe by giving space to rest and stillness, I could make this sentence find me, for example. I am sure it’s not by chance that Body Astrology landed in my lap. The book explores how each zodiac sign is associated with specific body parts and its own rhythms, how medical astrology can go beyond the traditional norm, and how foods are energetic tools (you would be surprised to know that something that usually bothers you on a health level is actually connected to a body part ruled by your sun, moon or rising sign).
During this week off, I also published my first Medium article —a shift between being a reader and becoming a writer.
In other words, I sometimes forget that my body needs rest, my mind needs fewer distractions, and that balance is a dynamic, oscillating process. I’m learning that as far as I expand outward, I must expand inward—a challenging lesson, although it is just like the seasonal year or how nature actually functions.
My healing will probably occur in riding the wave, understanding and having compassion for the fluctuations of ups and downs in mood and energy. Regardless of when it is your own peak season, I hope you also remember this wisdom when you have to immerse yourself in a space you’re not familiar with.
If you need extra help to navigate 2023, I also highly recommend Magic Days, a guide through the spiritual journey of everyday and birthday of the year, revealing how the current astrological season, along with the wisdom of tarot and numerology, can help you connect to the magic that exists in every moment.
Reading one of my favourite magazines these days, I liked that they created a list of simple things to do each month of the new year. So here I am doing the exercise with you, my online community. If you have other suggestions, share them with me!
January: cook a good meal with seasonal ingredients that honour your roots and ancestors.
February: as you buy something new in the winter sale, donate something in return that is overdue in your wardrobe.
March: do some spring cleaning in your personal space.
April: visit a new neighbourhood or somewhere entirely new in your own city.
May: check-in with a friend you have not been in touch with for quite a long time.
June: listen to some stories of older people.
July: have yourself a sea bath!
August: visit a new country.
September: visit a city alone.
October: invite yourself for a restaurant meal.
November: invite your loved ones for a restaurant meal.
December: surround yourself with kids and animals.
Maybe those personal rituals keep making me happy— the dynamic oscillation that sustains my balance year after year.
Here we are with the best bets to start the new year on the right foot: