Excellent episode as always, Alison (and has become my habit, I listened while doing pre-summer-heat morning gardening).
A few things.
1. Like you, I love connecting the various cycles expressed via frameworks like astrology, Human Design, the I Ching, etc., to how those cycles are expressed in the Nature we are immersed in.
Unlike you, the climate in central Japan has a slightly different expression. What do I mean? Well, one thing that's very cool is that as we enter our first Water Season--Cancer, Japan is experiencing its "rainy season." Now, I'm from the Seattle area and I now live in one of the drier parts of Japan, so I put "rainy season" in quotes because to me, such a season would imply at least 5 days a week of water falling from the sky, where the reality is it's more like 2 or 3 days a week here.
Having said that, Cancer Season here is much cooler overall than Leo Season, which I call "Peak Summer." (Note: The rainy season here really starts around June 10th, so it's a Gemini mutable beginning, but it really does end right around July 20-25, around the start of Leo Season.)
Thus, when I've heard you talk in past episodes about what sounds like the peak of the warmth in your area is closer to the Solstice and about how, in Leo Season, you are starting to feel even the slightest hint of fall, that's not how things are here!
Having said that, by the end of Leo Season, I may start noticing one sign of fall---the days becoming a bit shorter. Still, this part of Japan remains warm all the way through Virgo Season (though the humidity usually begins to dissipate about midway into Virgo Season, i.e. early September). We can often stay "summery" (at least for this Seattle-area boy!) until well into Libra Season. (I've told friends in Washington that this part of Japan has "two Seattle area summers"---in May and in mid-September-to-mid-October).
Oh, and one other thing that I can tell defines a difference is that because you start your school year in August during Leo Season, it must make it feel more like summer is ending/fall is returning, whereas here in Japan, summer vacation begins around the start of Leo Season and lasts until the end of August.
Anyway, I love thinking about all of this stuff and am glad to find someone else who does, too, even if our local cycles are a bit different! And, for anyone besides Alison reading this, I DEFINITELY invite you to consider how the cycles of your local climate (including the social climate, such as school seasons) align with the cycles Alison covers in her podcast!
2. (Boy, there was a #2, wasn't there, Bryan? Ha ha...ah, I got it!)
The second thing is I really loved how you invited people, especially those of us in the astrology community who enjoy using astrology to forecast/predict things in the external world, to consider the micro cycles, to align them with our bodies, and to step back from the external world when it all becomes too much. I feel like I'm constantly giving that advice if not always following it!
Having said that, as a guy who comes from a journalism/political science background who was active in left-wing political movements in the 1990s and early 2000s, I'm also having some interesting experiences these days dealing with people who, due to the absurd U.S. political system that encourages citizens to get engaged only once every four years during presidential elections, are, IMHO, too often falling for the political propaganda of the Moment.
Thus, I don't want to end without inviting people to consider going a bit deeper when forming your political orientation. In other words, read more history, read more political theory/philosophy and follow people (like Chris Hedges) who speak from a perspective that is informed by such behaviors. And then, do your best to stay engaged even when it's not an election year. That doesn't mean you can't step back---again, listen to your body and feel into those micro cycles! And last, remain discerning and somewhat skeptical of ALL political actors/parties/etc.
Okay, stepping off my soapbox. Every once in a while my Capricorn stellium demands I get up on it!
Thanks so much for the detailed note, Bryan! I love hearing about the differences in seasons in different areas- Leo season is definitely peak summer here too, but you're right, school starting a bit earlier makes me have to pay attention to the shortening days. And with climate change, it's hard to say where we'll be seasonally in a few years!
Love that you're embodying your astrology and also engaged with the political sphere... it's definitely a strange bubble to be in the US in this moment, and YES YES YES it's so important to stay informed throughout the 4 year cycles, not just in the months leading up to an election! It is kinda crazy-making how frenzied it gets in election years and then a huge number of people completely drop off, back to the 'comfort zone'.
Excellent episode as always, Alison (and has become my habit, I listened while doing pre-summer-heat morning gardening).
A few things.
1. Like you, I love connecting the various cycles expressed via frameworks like astrology, Human Design, the I Ching, etc., to how those cycles are expressed in the Nature we are immersed in.
Unlike you, the climate in central Japan has a slightly different expression. What do I mean? Well, one thing that's very cool is that as we enter our first Water Season--Cancer, Japan is experiencing its "rainy season." Now, I'm from the Seattle area and I now live in one of the drier parts of Japan, so I put "rainy season" in quotes because to me, such a season would imply at least 5 days a week of water falling from the sky, where the reality is it's more like 2 or 3 days a week here.
Having said that, Cancer Season here is much cooler overall than Leo Season, which I call "Peak Summer." (Note: The rainy season here really starts around June 10th, so it's a Gemini mutable beginning, but it really does end right around July 20-25, around the start of Leo Season.)
Thus, when I've heard you talk in past episodes about what sounds like the peak of the warmth in your area is closer to the Solstice and about how, in Leo Season, you are starting to feel even the slightest hint of fall, that's not how things are here!
Having said that, by the end of Leo Season, I may start noticing one sign of fall---the days becoming a bit shorter. Still, this part of Japan remains warm all the way through Virgo Season (though the humidity usually begins to dissipate about midway into Virgo Season, i.e. early September). We can often stay "summery" (at least for this Seattle-area boy!) until well into Libra Season. (I've told friends in Washington that this part of Japan has "two Seattle area summers"---in May and in mid-September-to-mid-October).
Oh, and one other thing that I can tell defines a difference is that because you start your school year in August during Leo Season, it must make it feel more like summer is ending/fall is returning, whereas here in Japan, summer vacation begins around the start of Leo Season and lasts until the end of August.
Anyway, I love thinking about all of this stuff and am glad to find someone else who does, too, even if our local cycles are a bit different! And, for anyone besides Alison reading this, I DEFINITELY invite you to consider how the cycles of your local climate (including the social climate, such as school seasons) align with the cycles Alison covers in her podcast!
2. (Boy, there was a #2, wasn't there, Bryan? Ha ha...ah, I got it!)
The second thing is I really loved how you invited people, especially those of us in the astrology community who enjoy using astrology to forecast/predict things in the external world, to consider the micro cycles, to align them with our bodies, and to step back from the external world when it all becomes too much. I feel like I'm constantly giving that advice if not always following it!
Having said that, as a guy who comes from a journalism/political science background who was active in left-wing political movements in the 1990s and early 2000s, I'm also having some interesting experiences these days dealing with people who, due to the absurd U.S. political system that encourages citizens to get engaged only once every four years during presidential elections, are, IMHO, too often falling for the political propaganda of the Moment.
Thus, I don't want to end without inviting people to consider going a bit deeper when forming your political orientation. In other words, read more history, read more political theory/philosophy and follow people (like Chris Hedges) who speak from a perspective that is informed by such behaviors. And then, do your best to stay engaged even when it's not an election year. That doesn't mean you can't step back---again, listen to your body and feel into those micro cycles! And last, remain discerning and somewhat skeptical of ALL political actors/parties/etc.
Okay, stepping off my soapbox. Every once in a while my Capricorn stellium demands I get up on it!
Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
Thanks so much for the detailed note, Bryan! I love hearing about the differences in seasons in different areas- Leo season is definitely peak summer here too, but you're right, school starting a bit earlier makes me have to pay attention to the shortening days. And with climate change, it's hard to say where we'll be seasonally in a few years!
Love that you're embodying your astrology and also engaged with the political sphere... it's definitely a strange bubble to be in the US in this moment, and YES YES YES it's so important to stay informed throughout the 4 year cycles, not just in the months leading up to an election! It is kinda crazy-making how frenzied it gets in election years and then a huge number of people completely drop off, back to the 'comfort zone'.
Thanks for soapboxing, it's always welcome!