Downsizing my vehicle: A Uranian transit insight.
March 16, 2022|Astrology
Uranus, the planet of individuation, questioning social approval and authority, not being afraid to be different and following one’s own path. When an astrological Uranian transit affects a sensitive area in your natal chart, it can feel like a lightning bolt just jolted you, or an earthquake disrupted your grounded footing. A thought can appear to come out of thin air during this type of transit that is helping you become more of who you actually are, and move away from what culture/social media/family have dictated and influenced. Being an Aquarius and ruled by Uranus (and traditionally Saturn), I do have a tendency to occasionally make spontaneous, ok maybe impulsive, decisions. They may seem ungrounded and based on nothing but whimsy to the onlooker…in particular, my parents. It may appear that my choices are weird (to an Aquarian or someone with strong Aquarian or Uranian qualities, this is a good sign ;). What they don’t see is the history of how a decision comes to be in my mind. Sure, it may have arrived at one point as a shooting star of new insight, but then if it resonates deeply within it is followed up on now or filed away as a future idea. For me, I typically analyze like crazy, thinking about every possible aspect I can come up with to consider (this can be quite extensive!) and finally acted upon, although this step can vary. This is for another discussion to be continued, but for now let me tell you about my current oversized vehicle, a Ford Explorer Limited.
I had been quite enamoured with the Explorer. I never thought I’d own such a large vehicle with all that available room. It seemed to represent a bit of status to me for some reason (maybe because on social media and television, many stars are shown driving their gigantic Escalades). More space (a ton more space compared to my past vehicles); driving situated much higher up on the road, looking down on the small cars; new Explorers are out of my spending league; and the features that seemed like luxury to me. Features such as heated seats (front and back), a long panoramic sunroof, power everything, heated steering, a remote start…oh my! I still really appreciate and covet those features. Also, the Explorer gave me self-sufficiency…I love not needing to rely on someone else for their vehicle to help me transport something.
Being self-reliant is something I strive for, but I realized that for the number of times I actually need to transport something requiring 80.7 cubic feet (!) is pretty small. Paying for the fuel and maintenance for that amount of real estate on wheels isn’t as important to me currently. Also, our sweet golden retriever Luna doesn’t want or like to sit back in the cargo space behind the seats, she’s more of a sit in a proper seat kind of girl, resting a paw on the nearest person. The majority of us choose the auto route of owning, well more accurately financing a SUV, or a minivan…almost as soon as we get the dog, find out we’re pregnant…even before we know if it’s actually needed. I got the minivan too due to family pressure when my first daughter was on the way. I ended up feeling like yes that’s what I needed since it was expected of me. I needed to become the “mom” persona and drive the minivan, even though it didn’t resonate with me. I resisted my inner voice and went along with familial and societal ‘norms’ (many Aquarian types do this for a while until we give ourselves a shake and start to hear our own inner wisdom and preferences). We tend to choose the larger home, the larger closet…more and bigger, without much of a thought of what really is needed or what feels right for us as an individual. With larger vehicles, larger homes, larger closets, we feel the need to stuff them full with more and more items…often stuffing our space so full that there isn’t anymore of the amazing space we originally sought.
I am working on choosing to be more thoughtful for my/our needs, even if it’s slightly against the grain…walking to my own beat. That’s where we come back to Uranus. Some people may question my decisions. Thinking what I do, my choices, what I wear, my interests seem surprising and not the quote “norm”. Normal for who? Have we stopped to really question what is right for us and not what society/social media/family/friends/advertising dictates? Often, we’re on a moving sidewalk, part of the herd, and we need a moment to see if it’s moving in the direction that actually feels right for our individual needs, desires, values and goals.
Currently I am under an aspect of transiting Uranus in Taurus sextiling my natal Piscean Mercury. A sextile causes some high energy, excitation, and a stimulation into action. Also to note, Uranus is a very slow moving planet (taking 84 years to travel around your entire natal chart so this transit has been in the works since about April 2021). Sextiles can fizzle out fairly quickly like a fleeting teenage crush, and they can be short-sighted in nature…but on the other hand they can represent a coming together of moment and opportunity that needs to be acted upon (if desired) or the opportunity will evaporate quickly. My mind and heart tell me I am experiencing the latter..fingers crossed lol.
I decided to go small, and green(ish). I went out and traded my vehicle this week. Trading in a 2015 Ford Explorer Limited for a 2018 Toyota Prius Prime. I’m downsizing…quite a bit. I have been quite fascinated with the idea of moving into a hybrid/electric vehicle for some time, choosing a slightly more eco-conscious vehicle. Well before gas prices skyrocketed up to $1.90 CAD a litre, it has been on my mind. I had been researching a variety of electric vehicles, looking to see what’s available, what is recommended and rated. I had called Toyota almost a year ago to inquire about new but my call wasn’t returned (at this point understanding that new cars have been delayed in production due to COVID)…so I figured enough of that. It wasn’t likely to happen and I’m happy with the Explorer, even though I find I’m at the gas pump way too often! Side note: I travel 45 minutes each way to work and my kids go to school out of our local town, a fair amount of driving. So fast forward to this past week, Wednesday March 9th to be exact. I just happened to be pursuing the Toyota website for used vehicles. On occasion I have been looking to see if by chance a used Prius will show up. Oh my! There were 2. One was a newish Prius Prime, the other a slightly older Prius. I messaged and set up a viewing for later that day.
It felt like everything had lined up…what I had been wanting, in amazing condition with low kilometres..and available locally. I loved the quiet smooth ride, the futuristic feel of the design (especially inside), the comfort, and especially the phenomenal amount of travel I could get out of one tank of gas, with the bonus of using solely electric for shorter distances of potentially 45kms. I did it! I traded the Explorer in and financed the Prius after the test ride. I hadn’t needed or wanted to chat and get others opinions on the new vehicle. I just felt like this is what I wanted to do. Yes it would mean a car payment, blah..but the savings on gas would be great..and financially it would be comparable, if not better..I hope!
Now fast forward a couple of days. Surprisingly to me I started to experience feelings of anxiety.. I have been very focused on minimizing, living more intentionally, making space, saving money, and making more conscious purchases. I’m sure like so many others during the COVID lockdowns during this continued pandemic, I have really turned my attention to minimalism. I have watched documentaries (Minimalism, Everything That Remains); read multiple books (Project 333, Discovery of Less, Soulful Simplicity, You Can Buy Happiness and It’s Cheap, Zen Habits, Decluttering at the Speed of Life, Spark Joy); listened to countless podcasts (Soul & Wit, The Minimalists, Millennial Minimalists, Simple Self Care, to name only a few). I want this lifestyle for me and my family. I have been making small steps to declutter, make space…but some of it continues to be a struggle for me.
I have always admired those who drive their eco-conscious vehicles and who have a minimal closet and home of beautifully, but minimal, curated items they love and utilize. I had a best friend when I was younger named Ann. I admired her small wardrobe and minimal possessions. Her closet was quite a bit more sparse than mine, but she had her absolute favourite pair of jeans that she loved how they paired with her perfect black turtleneck. She had one lipstick that was the exact colour she loved for her complexion, and her one favourite leather bound notebook and pen she used regularly. She loved and used and appreciated her carefully selected items she owned. She was quite intentional about if she needed something and what she wanted to acquire, versus buying numerous things on sale or to satisfy boredom or an emotional need. I know what I’m saying is way more extensive than just my desire to have a vehicle that suits me and is more intentional to my current situation, but I’m working on small steps. Changing vehicles from a large, very roomy, seats 7 (technically 6 if you don’t want to be totally squished), where we can move things, transport large items and just keep a variety of things in the vehicle ‘just in case’. Now switching to a Prius that only seats 4, has limited cargo space; and I will be required to be intentional with what I keep in the car, how we transport things, how we will need to do things differently. This has caused me some anxiety.
It’s on the path of what I want for us…but the change feels like it may be difficult to an extent. I know my daughters will likely not love the reduced leg room space in the back seat. The potential of picking up a couple of their friends in the car at the same time won’t be an option (not that this has been occurring at all in the past 2 years)…but may be needed. I realize that I have a tendency to want to be prepared for everything and anything. This has caused me to hold onto things that I don’t use or that doesn’t fit our current lifestyle; to have space in my house for occasional and/or potential guests; and to plan for what ifs that may never arrive. This Prius stands for my need to do what makes sense for our current lifestyle and needs. The need for a reliable vehicle that can get me through a weeks worth of longish commutes without the gas stations attendants getting to know me by name; to avoid feeling like we can’t for for short drives because gas costs so darn much right now; and to help me live more intentionally because my car as a ‘container’ (thanks author Dana White) will dictate that I can only carry what is essential.
I have been thinking about how many people who downsize and minimize also eliminate their car altogether and use public transportation, walk and use their bicycle for daily travel. Due to work and school locations this can’t work for us, but a smaller, gas conscious, reliable vehicle can. I guess we’ll see how the transition works. To quote the poet Robert Frost, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference”. During this Uranus transit, we say goodbye to our roomy Explorer and pick up the new Prius today (Monday March 14th).
Hopefully this snowballs into more conscious living and minimizing. I’ll update on another post how we have adjusted to the new Prius and what else transpires.
Thanks for reading.
The light and night in me honours the light and night in you, Namaste.
Jen
Why astrology?
November 19, 2021|Astrology
Why not start a business that everyone accepts and understands and participates in? Astrology is definitely not super mainstream with a high demand in business for the average person, but that didn’t matter to me because of my innate passion for it. I’m definitely not needing a ‘normal’ mainstream existence lol! (I am an aquarius sun sign conjunct jupiter in aquarius, after all;).
I started my business because I am really passionate about astrology. Not only is astrology just a really fun topic to chat about, and seems everyone knows a little bit…but it is incredibly vast in nature (much like the universe itself!..the learning is pretty much infinite). I didn’t realize how much I wanted to consume more and more astrology knowledge until I learned about the astrologer/writer/mentor/teacher Steven Forrest.
Years ago, I had been listening to a weekly astrology show with Mark Husson on an online radio station called 12Listen. One day I decided to email Mark (the host of the show) to ask him what authors and books he would recommend on astrology. One of those authors was Steven Forrest. I ordered my first book of his called The Inner Sky, and that really opened the floodgate to pursue more, but not just any type of astrology…evolutionary astrology, which I will get into at another time. I absolutely love how an astrology chart speaks about a person. It has the ability to help our deeper understanding of ourselves. It assists in lighting up and clarifying our inner needs (sometimes maybe why we choose paths/people who aren’t as ideal for us, but can lead us to higher ground. It allows for us to have self compassion and understanding about past choices and to illuminate our north star. Personally, I have experienced all that I list here and I have been able to have more self acceptance since diving deep into astrology and my own chart. It is pretty incredible! More on this another time, and back to introducing myself..
So my passion for astrology is definitely at the forefront.
Bullet journaling, I became quite obsessed about it at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown, and still very much enjoying it.
A wannabe musician! I started playing the acoustic guitar back in 2015 and really love it. I clumsily started learning just a few chords, and now can play and sing quite the repertoire..although those darn B chords still slow me down..ugh! But nonetheless I truly enjoy playing. It is a stress reliever and it just makes me happy. I especially love playing and singing with my daughters who will join me on occasion.
Cloud porn! I heard this term a while back and it made me laugh but I must admit I am addicted to gazing at the sky. Full stop. Daytime, nighttime, any season, any type of light..although I must say that it almost always has to involve clouds of some sort, and it is especially enticing when the sun and clouds dance with each other emitting light rays and washes of beautiful colours across the vast sky.
The moon, the stars also call to me nightly.
Energy work. I have achieved a master level of reiki. I feel energy work can be so helpful to me and to others. Add in the energy of crystals and wow..quite the effective combination.
I love being in nature communing with the big old trees and feeling my hands and feet in the earth and on the grass. It feels to me that I can stand near certain ancient trees and feel their grounding energy. I have a few trees in particular that I walk to daily with our golden retriever Luna to immerse myself in this earthy presence.
Getting into my body through yoga and meditation. It helps tremendously with feeling an inner peace and physically it feels so amazing during and after a practice.
Learning more about myself and about others through self development books, podcasts, listening, seeking mentors, body/energywork, and also helping others with a variety of training (including TIR) and innate skills.
Teaching children of all abilities and ages, but currently of children who are blind and visually impaired.
Photography, painting, drawing, journaling, dancing, baking, being silly with my family, reading, listening to podcasts, collecting crystals, making concoctions with essential oils..
This is a pretty extensive list about me, and I could add more, but I think you get an idea of who I am and possibly my motivation behind REDTREE SYNERGY and why I have reached out to you. I look so forward to our next communication and also to learning more about you too!
Thanks for joining me on this metaphysical journey.
With so much gratitude,
Jen