After reading this week's Refill newsletter, take out some time reflect with these journal prompts and affirmations.

JOURNAL- What's felt unsteady in my life that's calling my attention now? What does my intuition say is a first step in creating stability for this?

JOURNAL- What's felt out of integrity in my life that's calling my attention now? What does my intuition say is a first step in bring this into greater integrity, structurally and truthfully?

AFFIRM- I am deeply supported by forces greater than I can imagine. I am firmly planted and deeply rooted in the care of my creator.

This week's Open Mic was quite different. Instead of sharing a song, I was guided to share one of my recent YouTube videos. One message that came through in the 11:11 video was that a broader collective of people are being called to fully awaken to their spiritual gifts and step onto their unique spiritual path.

YouTubeIf You're Seeing 11:11 Here's a Message for You

If you're within orbit of this Café, there's a high probability that you are part of this collective. Your Soul has put you on a path that intersects with this Café for a reason. Perhaps something I say or the mere existence of this Café will inspire you to lean into your Soul's calling.

My return to creating YouTube videos is a version of me leaning into my gifts and spiritual work, too, so I'm right here with you! Leave a comment, and let us know what nudges you've seen, heard, or felt recently?

DECK: Crow Tarot

Bookshop.orgCrow Tarot: 78-Card Rider-Waite(r) Style Tarot Deck with Mystical Crow & Raven Artwork - Includes Guidebook, Intuitive Meanings, and Custom Spread for Beginners & ExpertsPaying homage to the mystical energy of crows and ravens, Crow Tarot invites us to fly through the veil and connect with our intuitive powers. This artfully created 78-card deck is infused with the familiar symbolism of the traditional Rider-Waite(R) Tarot, making it ideal for both beginners and professional readers. Discover clear interpretations for each card in the 88-page guidebook, presented with both upright and reversed meanings so you can read the cards confidently. The guidebook also features a custom "Crow Tarot Spread" to help you connect with the cards for insightful tarot readings.Key Features: Perfect for All: Full-size, 78-card tarot deck, stunning digital collage art and 88-page guidebook, ideal for beginners and professional readers88-Page Guidebook: clear and insightful descriptions, upright and reversed meanings, based on traditional Rider-Waite(R) symbolismMystical Crow & Raven Artwork: Connect with the intuitive power of crows through MJ Cullinane's unique digital collage style artRider-Waite(R) Based Symbolism: Familiar symbolism, easy for readers of all levels to interpret the cards confidentlyHigh-Quality Card Stock: Comfortable to shuffle, sturdy feel and smooth handlingPerfect for those seeking an artfully created 78-card Rider-Waite(R) style tarot deck that celebrates crow and raven mysticism.

CARDS: The Hanged Man and Page of Pentacles

Embrace Divine delays and detours as an opportunity to study the finer details you might've overlooked when things were moving quickly.

This can have practical application, like waiting on a client who's running late and taking that extra time to review your proposal for any mistakes.

But there's always a spiritual application too. If you're in a season or chapter in your life where things have stalled, embrace the slow down so you can stop and smell the roses. Observe details in your environment, in your life that you hadn't noticed before. Reinvest that time into journaling and other self-reflection practices. Let yourself explore other interests and avenues you might've never considered if things were moving according to your plan.

Oftentimes Divine assistance comes in the form of delays and detours that seem inconvenient and frustrating to us, so The Hanged Man also reminds us to trust the process. Ask how this delay or detour could actually be a beautiful gift or opportunity.

With the Page of Pentacles, there's curiosity, studiousness, and a focus on the basics. Have you attended to the basics before rushing on to the next step?

I love these cards for this week's themes of noticing synchronicity as well. It's an invitation to slow down and observe what patterns or synchronicities your Soul is serving you now.

JOURNAL:

✏ What synchronicities, mysterious moments, or pockets of mundane magic have I seen recently, or at any point, that stand out to me? What was happening in that moment or in my life in general that feels relevant now?

✏ Have I been ignoring aspects of myself that are asking to be birthed and expressed? If so, what am I afraid of?

✏ Is there anything I've felt an inexplicable, yet passionate calling or desire to do? How have I responded to that calling so far?

✏ What might that calling be showing me or teaching me about myself?

✏ Are there any fears that cause me to hesitate when I consider answering this call? How might I reframe that fear?

AFFIRM:

🪄 I am open to the small moments of magic and beauty in my everyday life.

🪄 I am learning to recognize the voice of my own Soul. I am learning to listen to my Soul.

🪄 I deserve to use my gifts. I am worthy of acting on ideas that delight me.

🪄 I know that I have a spiritual purpose, and I walk in joyful alignment.

"Moonlight" by anaiis

YouTubeanaiis - Moonlight (Official Video)

The title of this song is obviously aligned with the vibe of our Café community. As a teacher and healer for colorism, I also love being able to present to you artistic expressions created by and featuring dark-skinned people. This video is visually beautiful in that way.

The lyrics I love too, and here are a some excerpts that resonate with our Flavor of the Week:

"Always divine in the timing you can trust / ... / Now you're moving with intent, you found a new direction / Travel from the heart and you might reach a new dimension / ... / Black, and you know how to walk in your power / ... / All you wanted, to be seen in your fullness / ... / It's a constant elevation / Cause you've got every reason / To wanna reach the stars / No need to ask permission / Be yourself from the start"

In the first verse, lyrics about divine timing and traveling from the heart reflect what it means to be in your own intuitive flow, trusting your inner compass to guide you through life's journey.

That line about being yourself resonates with Saturn retrograde in Aries, the sign of the self, asking us to reconsider and deconstruct falsehoods that have restricted our authentic expression. I love this song for us this week because it's a reminder not to be timid about our dreams and aspirations.

Finding Me by Viola Davis I read this book when it first came out in 2022 because Viola talked about colorism being a major theme throughout the book.

Bookshop.orgFinding Me: A MemoirOPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A HARPERS BAZAAR BEST BOOK OF 2022 • A PARADE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK • A MARIE CLAIRE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK“It’s clear from the first page that Davis is going to serve a more intimate, unpolished account than is typical of the average (often ghost-written) celebrity memoir; Finding Me reads like Davis is sitting you down for a one-on-one conversation about her life, warts and all.”—USA Today“[A] fulfilling narrative of struggle and success….Her gorgeous storytelling will inspire anyone wishing to shed old labels.”—Los Angeles TimesIn my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.As I wrote Finding Me, my eyes were open to the truth of how our stories are often not given close examination. We are forced to reinvent them to fit into a crazy, competitive, judgmental world. So I wrote this for anyone running through life untethered, desperate and clawing their way through murky memories, trying to get to some form of self-love. For anyone who needs reminding that a life worth living can only be born from radical honesty and the courage to shed facades and be . . . you.Finding Me is a deep reflection, a promise, and a love letter of sorts to self. My hope is that my story will inspire you to light up your own life with creative expression and rediscover who you were before the world put a label on you.

You can see my original book review here.

YouTube🎤 Mic Drop! Viola Davis Finding Me Book Review & Colorism Highlights | Vlog-Style

I'm returning to it now because of our discussions this week about personal identity and deconstructing all the restrictions and blockages we have that suppress our authentic self-expression.

In addition to having really powerful themes that resonate with many Café members, the memoir reads like a novel. To say it's nonfiction, the prose flows so beautiful. Viola does a great job of putting us in the scene and making us feel the moment. Not many nonfiction books are page-turners, but this one was for me.

Have you read it? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you haven't read it yet, you can grab your copy via my affiliate link above. Ordering from this link supports the author, an independent bookstore, and this Café all at the same time!

DECK: Gold Lyre Tarot

Bookshop.orgGold Lyre TarotGorgeous photos of real humans and simple design resonate strongly in this modern take on the tarot tradition. Each card in Gold Lyre Tarot represents the divine feminine of today's blended American culture and gender-neutral evolution. Real-life images leave you with the symbolism of everyday life rather than the traditional hermetic; insight will come a little easier to those beginning their tarot journey. Grounded in the same suits & archetypes as the Smith-Rider-Waite deck, the Gold Lyre Tarot holds 78 cards with an insert booklet description, and nicely complements other decks for those who are more intuitively advanced.

CARD: Eight of Swords

With Moon squaring Saturn this week, it's possible that we become aware of an uncomfortable boundary, whether self-imposed or externally imposed.

First, I want to say that an uncomfortable boundary or restriction is not always a bad one. Sometimes it can be helpful, like wearing a cast on a broken limb--uncomfortable yet helpful and supportive. Or going to bed early so you can feel refreshed the next morning, even when your roommate wants to finish binge watching a titilating show--an uncomfortable boundary yet a wise one.

In the weekly Refill newsletter published on Monday, I used the analogy of a river dam, where the river represents your natural flow of emotions, the flow of your intuitive senses, and the natural expression of who you are. The dam can be a self-imposed restriction cnstructed out of fear, obligation, loyalty, dedication, self-discipline, self-preservation or protection, internalized programming and conditioning, or other reasons. The dam can also be an external boundary or restriction such as laws, contracts, social institutions, authority figures, other people's boundaries, etc.

The key to this card is that swords represent the realm of thoughts, ideas, mental activity, and communication. That means when we feel stuck, it's an invitation to rework our thoughts and ideas about something or to find a new way to communicate about something.

I suspect that with the Moon making trines to Mercury and Venus in fellow water sign Scorpio, that there are opportunities to find a more constructive and more supportive mindset and to boost our capacity for clear and honest communication. What I love is that this includes clear and honest communication with ourselves and with our Spirit team!

Wherever you're feeling the pressure, hang in there, and consider how you can better listen to your body wisdom, emotional truth, and spiritual guidance to help you navigate the moment, big or small.

Throughout the week, respond to the following journal prompts and use the affirmations as you see fit:

For beginners:

✏ What are some memorable moments from the past where I felt inner wisdom or spiritual guidance mysteriously appear in my life?

✏ Have I ever followed a hunch that turned out to be quite accurate?

✏ Have I ever gone against my gut feeling and regretted it?

✏ Based on my current understanding of intuition, how might my own intuition work for me (physical sensations, random ideas, song lyrics, visions, synchronicities, dreams, gut feelings, etc.)?

For more experienced intuitives:

✏ What new things have I learned about my psychic/intuitive abilities so far this year?

✏How has using my gifts helped me to grow as a person and learn more about myself?

✏ How have my gifts evolved since I started consciously using them?

Affirmations:

I am open to learning more about my spiritual self. I am learning to go within to receive my own answers.

"Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens" by Andre 3000

Yes, Andre 3000 is and has always been very Aquarian, even in his ATLien days. But on his flute album, I recognize his pioneering spirit, his willingness to go to new places and explore uncharted territory for himself as an artist. He's also very clearly pursuing his individual path rather than waiting for something to catch on or become a trend before he tries it. In that way, he's also a leader. He's not afraid to blaze his own trail. His flute album as a whole can be one representation of these Aries themes on this Aries full moon.

Yet, there's even more when we consider this specific track from his flute album. Starting with the title, which I was extremely drawn to. I often choose to listen to a song or not based on how much I resonate with the title. Anyway, since our Café mantra is "Fill Your Cup and Fulfill Your Dreams," I chose this song for the Open Mic because it's a beautiful metaphor. Sometimes we lose sight of our dreams and feel trapped in a "dungeon" of sorts. With perseverence, though, those very dreams, once only seeds we planted, eventually sprout into something beautiful and everlasting. This is Neptune and Saturn in Aries. Neptune is the dream. Saturn is the perseverence and longevity.

Whatever this Aries full moon reveals to you, believe in the power of your dreams, my love!

https://youtu.be/QLQf-gokRBY?si=6zgKZWdoqYaR_g2E

The Sagittarius archetype has a few things in common with lightning: heat, fire, quick and sudden, seemingly erratic, unapologetic, shocking and sensational.

What I love about this comparison is that lightning provides a sudden streak of illumination and clarity in the clouds. If there’s uncertainty, confusion, doubt swirling around in your mind or in your emotions or in your environment, be on the lookout for moments of brilliant clarity and illumination.

This week’s Open Mic song, however, emphasizes what comes after the lightening strikes: thunder. I love the vibration of thunder because it can be heard and felt.

I sense that this waxing quarter moon brings the lightning before the thunder of a full moon—possibly on the Aries full moon late next week, or on the Sagittarius full moon in June 2027. Whenever the thunder reverberates, it follows the path of actions we take now.

This song is encouragement that when results seem slow or even unlikely, trust the adventure you’ve chosen.

I posted this in the wrong channel last week, so I wanted to make sure it got added to the Bookshop.

I’ve been following Leslie’s work for a few years now, and earlier this year, at an epic Aries themed party on the Lower East Side, we got to meet in person. Since then, we’ve enjoyed a few extended conversations about our respective books. Leslie’s new book, Astrology for Changemakers: Find your Strength, Fuel Your Purpose, and Lead with Your Stars, was just released on September 8th.

One reason I enjoyed following Leslie’s work was that unlike most astrologers I come across, she’s not afraid to talk about sociopolitical realities and call out the ways that power and privilege play out in our lives. She embraces identity and cultural context in her practice rather than pretending astrology exists in a hermetically sealed vacuum apart from politics.

I appreciated that in the introductory pages of her new book, Leslie provides this context. The essence of her book, though, is a practical resource for everyday people to understand their own personal astrology and use that knowledge to guide themselves into greater and more powerful leadership as visionaries seeking to create a better world.

You can support the author Leslie Tagorda, an independent bookstore, as well as me and this café by using my affiliate link here to order your own copy of Astrology for Changemakers.

When we talk about Aries energy being a pioneering spirit, exploring the distant edges of time and space is about as pioneering as it gets! All sciences, really, are about discovery and exploration beyond our current boundaries of knowledge.

In The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, and The Cosmic Dream Boogie, author Chanda Prescod-Weinstein teaches us science through metaphor and cultural references. What I love about Chanda's approach to science is that it doesn't create a hierarchy of science vs. humanities. She so deeply weaves both and holds the value of both. And she's a scientist who is as rigorous in her understanding of oppressive social systems as she is in her understanding of dark matter.

Grab your copy of the book using my affiliate link below, where you can support the author, independent bookstores, and this Café all at once!

DECK: The Wild Unknown

Bookshop.orgThe Wild Unknown Tarot Deck and Guidebook (Official Keepsake Box Set)Kim Krans is not only a vanguard of the new tarot movement, but the person who is redefining it for the twenty-first century. For a legion of contemporary seekers, The Wild Unknown is more than a tarot deck; it’s become a resonant guide for people all over the world, inspiring them to share countless images of their readings, tattoos, and art prints from the deck.Each of the seventy-eight cards in Krans’s Wild Unknown tarot deck is a work of art that explores the mysteries of the natural world and the animal kingdom. Hand drawn in her spare, minimalistic style, the striking images invite deep contemplation. Her Wild Unknown guidebook is also an extraordinary cult art object—a hand-lettered and fully illustrated primer that leads readers through shuffling and cutting the tarot, creating spreads, and interpretations of all seventy-eight individual cards.

CARDS: Daughter of Pentacles and 9 of Cups

MESSAGE:

Dedicate yourself to what makes you deeply happy and satisfied. As you step onto a purposeful path of leadership in some area of your life, remember that you lead best when you are well and fulfilled.

There's some practical aspect to this--a daily practice, some logistics or scheduling, maybe physical materials and supplies that you need, paperwork to complete and organize, or just tidying up your desk.

Even with the mundane tasks, because your overall path is in alignment with your joy, the practical things can have a "whistle while you work" vibe to them.

And if you're not quite sure what makes you happy and fulfilled, this tarot card combo invites you to study yourself. Look at old journals, or start a new one, and document the things, activities, places, and moments in your life where you felt deeply satisfied and fulfilled by what you were up to.

Let us know how it goes! Does this resonate?

To help you go deeper with our Flavor of the Week, “Here’s Where You Lead the Way,” in sync with the Aries full moon, respond to the following journal prompts and practice the following affirmations.

Journal- What am I afraid of? And what’s the deeper fear or belief underneath that?

Journal- Do I have to believe that fear? Do I need to believe that previously programmed belief?

Journal- Where in my life does my love or passion outweigh the fear? Can I amplify my sense of love or passion for something to act from that place more often rather than acting out of fear?

Affirm- I can become more and more brave with consistent intention and practice.

Affirm- I will dare to go first.

Affirm- I approve of myself, and I become more myself each day.

“We can always harness the energy of excitement, following an intuition that feels like internal sparks in order to turn and face your next adventure.” —The Lineages of Change Tarot

Using The Lineages of Change tarot deck, I shuffled to get a message for our waxing quarter moon in Sagittarius this week, and I was blown away by the synchronicity of the cards that came out. The Root of Fire (also known as the Knight of Wands in other decks) is the Sagittarius court card. The Chariot is the major arcana card for the sign of Cancer, which is ruled by the moon. So shuffling cards for a message about our moon in Sagittarius, we got moon and Sagittarius cards.

One reason I love The Lineages of Change tarot is that the guidebook is so potent. For each card, it includes herbalism and quotes from some of the most iconic Black thought leaders.

The Root of Fire: Excitement, Energy, Adventure

“When we begin to live from within outward, in touch with the power of the erotic within ourselves, and allowing that power to inform and illuminate our actions upon the world around us, then we begin to be responsible to ourselves in the deepest sense.” —Audre Lorde

“We can always harness the energy of excitement, following an intuition that feels like internal sparks in order to turn and face your next adventure.” —The Lineages of Change Tarot

The Chariot: Navigation, Choices [Journey]

“I stayed on my own path and did not follow the herd. I made a way for myself.” —Eartha Kitt

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less important whether or not I am unafraid.” —Audre Lorde

Our Flavor of the Week, based on this week’s waxing quarter moon in Sagittarius, says a new adventure is calling you. A quest to quench your thirst for a new adventure of the self.

Will you heed the call of your own soul?

Throughout the week, respond to the following journal prompts inspired by our Flavor of the Week: A New Adventure is Calling You.

• What do you feel inspired to take action on this week? Is this a brand new inspiration, or something that’s been percolating for some time?

• What obstacles or challenges might you face in taking action toward that goal? How might you overcome them?

• What are some significant things you’ve learned about yourself along your life journey thus far? How might that self-knowledge serve you at this time?

Use these affirmations throughout the week to help you fill your cup and fulfill your dreams.

• I am open to continue learning about the world. I am open to continue learning about myself.

• I have been brave before. I can be brave again. I am willing to exercise courage to achieve my goals and fulfill my dreams.

If you're new to the Cafè, here's an easy and safe space to say hi and introduce yourself in the comments!

How'd you hear about the Café? Where ya at? Where ya from? What brings you in today?

Express yourself 😘