End of Illusions: Health and Well-being in the Age of Aquarius

The Aquarian Age is upon us, and as we acclimate to this galactic energy it would be wise to properly assess what should and should not be brought into the new era (or New Year for that matter) as we leave the Age of Pisces. 

This past year 2020 really surprised us...but, if you have been hoping for change towards a new paradigm for awhile, then the past year has revealed that a huge transformation is underway. So much of our collective shadow has been exposed, and while a majority of us have been spending time at home in quarantine we have had to face inner shadows as well. 

Currently, the North Node in Gemini is asking us to reexamine our daily lives and how we operate within our habits and persona. While the South Node in Sagittarius is asking us to leave behind old belief systems that no longer serve us. This includes revising daily habits, how we speak to ourselves and others, and mental health. This has put into question the narrative we are told through marketing and media, what is ‘truthful’, how it is delivered, and whether or not it is ultimately supportive of our well being-our vibration...In the Age of Aquarius the truth will grind against the status quo built in the Age of Pisces. 

The Age of Pisces brought us gifts of the human spirit such as art, but it has devolved into an unhealthy idolization of beauty. Growing up, fashion magazines were a source of inspiration and escape for me, but I couldn't help but notice the photoshopped bodies and faces on the covers...and how they all portrayed a certain demographic-young, conventionally beautiful, white women. Women of mature age, women of color, and nonbinary folks were excluded from representation. Not only that, but even those who were represented in the media were funneled through a false beauty standard. Photoshop provided a lens of perfection, but that was only thoroughly understood behind the scenes. What was displayed on newsstands was a beauty ideal, a certain ‘scientifically-proven’ face structure (according to the Greek ratio). This hyperglamourization of the unattainable can be mentally destructive to young women-especially when it is packaged as a prerequisite for success and admiration. 

One side effect that persists today is diet culture. Such trends can incite psychological torment through counting carbs, calories, and pounds-an endless cycle of restricting and craving. It has imposed on many a value system connected only to the goal rather than the actual experience. Pisces energy thrives on the ideal, but can lack practicality-Saturn is in its fall in Pisces, indicating a lack of maturity, responsibility, and sustainability under its influence. We want the easy way out, and believe that something outside of ourselves can fulfill whatever we lack. We reach for the heavens, but forget to keep our feet on the ground. 

Fast forward to 2020 and at large we all see through smoke and mirrors now...at least on magazine covers. However, I wonder if we have caught on individually, within the psyche, removing ourselves from these false notions into a more wholesome way of living. 

Many people idolize being ‘skinny’ because that is what society has valued for decades. It is also a superficial justification for diet culture. However, appearances don’t add up to much if you are stressed and depleted from malnourishment, or simply not enjoying your food. There is nothing wrong with enjoying food-it is our connection to Mother Nature, and is an innate pleasure we have a right to! If we take a more intersectional approach we would understand that people can lose weight in times of stress, which does not exemplify health...or happiness. And let’s be real, we all have been dealing with an unprecedented amount of stress lately-in our own ways! Losing weight doesn’t even guarantee that it will stay off, or that someone hasn’t dealt with weight issues/eating disorders before. So the next time you idolize someone for being skinny, or berate yourself (or even them) for their appearance, reconsider the underlying circumstances you may not be aware of. Everything we criticize is a rhetorical reaction to our own lack of self-worth. Whether this definition of self-worth is a preconceived notion or not is the question. 

Enter the Aquarian Age. Traditionally ruled by Saturn it requires structure and stability. The modern ruler is Uranus-a disruptive planet that sends shockwaves of innovation and change. We are being asked to create structures unique to our own needs and tastes. Rebuild the rules around life. Reimagine the constructs that dictate what holds value. It is time to rebel against what society thinks is ‘right’ and embody your inherent value of exquisitivity. 

Aquarius rules the Law of Attraction in which we attract what we are. We all have a unique path-with ups and downs at different timelines. If we look at the Law of Attraction we would understand that desires to lose weight can easily come from a place of lack, because we see something outside of ourselves that we want to attain-we want to embody a different person. When your path to an ideal body includes deprivation and deprecation you may feel as if you are not worthy to look a certain way. But the truth is, you can only look YOUR way, and your look will match your vibration. If you want to look differently, say to look more healthy, then you cannot deny your self-worth, simply your vibe will need to be adjusted to match the frequency of a healthy lifestyle. No one else can do this internal process for you. It is mimicked through your thoughts, words, actions, and lifestyle. It is about adjusting to your energetic needs and attuning to your body’s intuition. 

This also requires reframing your self image-the idea of ‘you’ in your head. This takes into account your ‘psychocybernetics’, a term coined by Maxwell Maltz, which is also the title of his non-fiction book. Who you perceive yourself to be on the inside will influence the external manifestation of self. You can rewire your psychocybernetics through visualization and affirmations. Through this we can utilize Piscean energy to visual the ideal version of ourselves-how we want to look and feel, how we move throughout our days, the food we eat, and the activities we participate in, etc. In believing that we are already all that we need and desire, we ultimately become so. 

Aquarius is an advocate for the rebellious truth sayers, those who are willing to stand against the crowd and stand in their authenticity; yet also those who support the collective and remain confident as autonomous, unique individuals. What does this mean for the individuals in a society that historically narrowed its definition of beauty down to a certain demographic, weight, face shape, and age? Even beyond appearances, how exactly are we supporting ourselves through prioritizing what brings us joy while being role models to those around us? 

Micheal Foucault, the late French philosopher, wrote about normalization in which one presupposes their identity to be assimilated into society as the ‘norm’ despite current circumstances. Completely disregarding systems of oppression/marginalization, the individual takes back their power by assuming their presence as the norm. It invariably reprioritizes what the individual strives to make known for themself. If they no longer have to consciously assert their identity, then they can instead concentrate on a greater purpose that insists on positive contributions to society. (And subconsciously you will achieve the results you want through balanced concerted effort and assuming you already embody the result). This theory boosts self-esteem, because you acknowledge that your self-value comes from within and only you can give yourself permission to feel good about yourself. If we all remained in our own power, and respected each other’s differences, then any feelings of resentment and envy would dissipate. By individuals being good role models amongst themselves, a positive, subconscious message is sent to the collective-ultimately raising the vibration of the reality we all co-create. 

We are all the same. We are just on different paths at different times. We all have a unique relationship to our own minds, bodies, and spirits. We cannot judge another’s path or timing. At one point someone might have experienced the pain you are going through now. At some point you may feel the success someone currently has. There is no need to project our judgements onto each other. We could switch positions with them one day, and then are only judging ourselves. If we embrace the feeling, the look, the vibe in which we want to carry with us, it will come. Just remember that the physical world takes longer to catch up to the energy we emit. Patience, perseverance, and faith is key. Ultimately, beauty in and of itself is subjective, and the individual holds all of the power to beholden themselves.