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I found myself in a new role yesterday for the first wedding of 2025. The event took place at an historic guesthouse in the Treme neighborhood, and my dear friend and colleague Felli Maynard hired me as their assistant photographer. Felli specializes in collodion wet plate process, an early 19th century photographic technique that rose in popularity during that era. Here's a short reel I made for the archive. In Portuguese, the words todo o meu coração translate to "my whole heart." It has been almost a year since I have posted anything here. I began working for a foundation which has consumed much of my time and attention, however I still love to provide my services as a celebrant (and the occasional Tarot & astrology chart reading with the right clients). If you are just discovering this site, I welcome you to peruse my virtual wedding album which captures so much of the joy these ceremonies have given me over the years. Today marks the 5 year anniversary of becoming a registered wedding officiant in Louisiana, and here are photos I took of my beautiful couple, Claudia and Luciano, last night. Proof that Spirit works in mysterious ways when we show up with our whole heart. When I think of New Orleans in September, three things come to mind- Saints football, Second Line Sundays, and WEDDING SEASON!! Here's a little glimpse of Gina and Kelly's wedding to give ya'll an idea of how we do things down here in the Big Easy. This year brought major energetic shifts, challenges and opportunities. Our personal relationships, finances, and values were put to the test- some resources fluctuated while others tanked completely. Some of us found ourselves reevaluating an approach to living that had been handed down, not chosen, and we saw the cracks in our foundations. We were stretched. And right when it felt as though we might snap, we expanded in unexpected new ways. Uranus’ rare conjunction to the N. Node in Taurus moved things swiftly, leaving us no time to catch our breath, and left with two options- to let go or be dragged- we followed our instincts accordingly. The soul wants what it wants. Breaking old patterns, ending cycles, facing addictions and meeting new aspects of shadow is the holy grail of our collective hero / heroine’s journey. And now we cross the threshold of a new year where it’s time to ask, “What am I building? Who am I building with? How will it serve humanity?” Because in this age of Aquarius, we gotta put our creative thinking caps on and consider the BIG picture. With Mercury’s station retrograde, there’s still time to reconsider, revisit, and revise the blueprint. Happy New Year from the Temple Blacksnake 🖤 With Sun in Scorpio and Moon in Taurus, this eclipse challenges us to face fears around very particular scarcity issues so that we can truly know our inherent value.
Mercury is conjunct the Sun, and it wants us to be direct, honest and clear. It’s also conjunct the S. Node so expect revelations and secrets… Scorpio rules unconscious depths and things we weren’t able to look at before are coming into the light. Because the eclipsed Moon is conjunct Uranus, our emotional stability is tested. How do we find it during such turbulent times? Venus, the ruler of the eclipse, has been rising in her power ever since 10/22 when she and the Sun met in Superior conjunction at 29° Libra. Venus has been doing THE WORK. Her journey during the Solar Eclipse last spring taught us that love and boundaries are interrelated. We can’t have one without the other. Emotional stability doesn't come from hiding in safety, it comes from standing in our truth and showing courage. In a nutshell, BIG PRIESTESS / ALCHEMIST ENERGY. Uranus invokes change, wants to free up what’s no longer meant for us, and with Mars in retrograde, expect to be re-routed… a lot. Patience and counting to ten can go a long way. When the Nodes are this close to an eclipse I can’t stress enough that impulsivity is not your friend unless you’re willing to sign on for the long haul. What we do now has long-standing repercussions & rewards. It's the perfect set up for karmic entanglement so choose wisely. Folks who accept whatever is happening as part of the bigger plan will have an easier time of it. People who try to force or enforce their will while ignoring the signs will have a struggle on their hands. For a deeper dive, book a reading with me. Oooh lordy there’s a lot of hyped up energy out there. I’m here to remind you that regardless of what you read or hear about this week’s astrology, you are never bound to someone else’s reality. Take what feels helpful and leave the rest.
Scorpio gets a bad rap in astrology. Even I’ll admit that some of my most difficult lessons have happened while the Sun was in Scorpio. But at the end of the day, it was all necessary. It’s the season we collectively pick up the rock to see what’s wriggling around underneath. It’s the season we explore darkness and build altars to the dead and dress like underworld creatures and eat roots. The compulsion to see it for yourself, to really understand what’s beneath the surface… that’s Scorpio. This Scorpio New Moon is conjunct Venus and shares space with the South Node. If you have any relationships that feel karmic (like you came together for the purpose of settling some ancient dispute lol) this is your opportunity to let that shit go. Also, obsessive thinking, jealousy, shame, power struggles… let it all go before it consumes you. Time to clean the slate, make room for something or someone new. Use that karmic poo poo as compost, ya heard? I’m probably gonna turn off my phone, avoid traffic, stay home, eat soup, read a book and make some art. See y’all on the flip side. I swear even if I didn’t study astrology, I’d know it was an Eclipse Week. It’s hard to articulate “eclipsey” vibes vs your average 2020-2022 craziness; suffice to say if you are feeling out of sorts or wondering if someone is acting weird, just file it under this week’s astrology.
First, Venus is about to be all up in our bizness, especially folks with personal planets in Pisces, Taurus, and Libra. Venus rules our self worth and everything we place value on. She also personifies how we identify in relationships so when she shows up hard in a reading, brace your heart for an upgrade. On Tuesday Ms Thing aspects the North Node, on Wednesday she meets up with Neptune, and finally on the day of the Solar Eclipse, she joins Jupiter… all in the sign of her exaltation, the archetype of the High Priestess. Meanwhile, Pluto is stationing to go retrograde on Friday and that just adds a whole other shade of weird to the situation. If you feel a power struggle brewing, just don’t. Pause is your bff The Solar Eclipse happens on Friday, and it’s conjunct Uranus AND (drumroll) it’s the eve of Beltane aka peak springtime. Then on Sunday Venus makes one more aspect to Pluto thus wrapping up a weird AF week. Instead of telling you what I think about how this could play out, I’m just gonna sit here with popcorn and watch. I’m feeling some Sansa Stark vibes (that could just be menopause) but like she went to a bunch of CODA meetings, found a good therapist and realized what a bad bitch she was. I mean nothing was more satisfying than watching that dog eat Ramsay’s face right?? Look, there’s a million astrologers out here in the metaverse. I’m just here to remind you that you matter, you’re a bad bitch, and you got this. Again, my Pisces, Taurus and Libra people are in for a wild ride. Buckle up All my clients this week have mentioned loneliness. Whether single, partnered, with or without children, there is an energy floating around that has got my people feeling some kinda way.
Is it that Jupiter amplifies the Sun’s mood as it traverses emo Pisces? Or maybe capitalism has us all thinking that our most important connections come from having one partner who loves us exactly right and a certain kind of family / friend group that shows up in a certain kind of way etc. My teacher always said that life is a mystery school and we’re all here learning love. Bell Hooks wrote that love’s purpose wasn’t to provide a permanent state of bliss or security but to transform us. Thich Nhat Hanh said that love is a desire to find our true home which is inside of each of us. This is the work. And Pisces is the way… through radical self compassion, brave vulnerability, and loving boundaries. Love is more than a feeling, it’s a way of life and a spiritual path. It’s so much bigger than one can imagine, and we get to explore all the ways, in this mystery school called life. It’s a strange and wonderful time here. Carnival season is happening whether we like it or not. Everyone has mixed feelings, understandably, but I feel it’s a necessary step forward. As I marched through crumbling streets in the French Quarter last night, I looked back at my friends and thought, “Where am I??” It could’ve been 2022 or 1422 and it hit me that we all just experienced another middle age which means we’re due for another renaissance and enlightenment. So that’s something to be cheerful about. It also hit me that my friends and I are growing older… together. And wiser and gentler and grumpier (me). And that was a very sweet thing to realize at the peak of my own, personal middle age. The astrology right now is asking us to review our commitments and love languages. Venus is retrograde for three more weeks and this week she’s making harmonious aspects to Neptune, Juno and the Sun. Venus shows us what we value most, and we’re learning through her relationships how to upgrade our own. Pay attention to what and who you love. Are you holding back in any way? If so, can you observe, with compassion, any fear that might be the cause? And going deeper, can you hold that fear tenderly and say “thank you for keeping me alive but I’m going to release you” 🕊  @brandonrobertphoto SOLAR ECLIPSE 12° SAGITTARIUS
I recently told a friend that I don’t mention quincunxes in my posts because astrology is complicated enough! And yet this Solar Eclipse is in Sagittarius, a sign known for holding many truths at once. Not a bad idea to embrace paradox in the search for truth & wisdom. This weekend when the Moon and Sun form a quincunx to Uranus, we can expect a groundbreaking of sorts- unexpected and sudden shifts that lead us to the next leg of the journey. Saturn’s square to Uranus reminds us that boundaries are the bedrock of opportunity, and with the South Node leaving Sagittarius prepare for endings- old stories, philosophies, and moral identities. Pro tips:
It’s a choose your own adventure kind of week. You got this. |
