Dear Libra Moon,
I have these big, exciting opportunities coming my way. I should feel excited, but all I feel is fear mixed with crippling self-doubt. My mind spins a mile a minute and I feel frustrated at myself for focusing on my fears rather than being excited for these new opportunities. I get so overwhelmed by it all that I just completely shut down. How can I help myself not be trapped in fear and self-doubt? Please help! – Afraid & Overwhelmed
Dear Afraid & Overwhelmed,
I feel you! Yesterday while staring out the window, drinking my morning tea, even though my life is going well, a waterfall of silent tears was pouring down my face. And spinning mind? Mine can be a wild stallion trapped in a too-small stall. I get overwhelmed and shut down too. So I feel for you. Deeply. But I’m going to remind you of something you may have forgotten.
You’re a badass! That’s why these exciting opportunities are coming your way. That’s why you’re meeting the ruthless zen master within, ever ready with his hitting stick. And while I wish there was a golden elixir that I could brew for you that would dissolve your doubt and fear, instead I have just one word for you: Saturn.
When you’re between the ages of 28 and 58—between the first and second Saturn returns—if you want to get ahead in the world, you must submit to the no-nonsense demands of Saturn. He wants you to climb. He wants you to achieve. But he expects you to work for it. So even though everything inside you is calling you to disappear into some deep cave in the woods, never to return again—there are no shortcuts. You’ve got to feel your doubt and fear and do it anyway.
You’re in the “adult cycle” of Saturn. And among the gifts he’s giving you are increasing resilience and mastery. That’s what the adult years are for—the great becoming of who you are. Fear and doubt are actually Saturn’s magical elixirs. They’re so unpleasant, they force you to develop the tools and wisdom you need to make it. Then at 58, when you cross into the elder years (and everything get’s easier), you will love who you’ve become.
So what you need right now are tools. You likely already have some. If they’re not working, you just need more. For me—when I’m lost in doubt and fear—I can shift my mood by calling on a friend or reading one of my spiritual books. I’ve learned I can calm my spinning mind with yin yoga. Other times I curl up in the fetal position and eat a whole pizza while watching animated movies. This builds me up just enough to rouse my inner warrior, that unshakable part of me who just doesn’t give a damn, who’s ready and willing to fight through to success.
I suspect you have a backpack full of tools just like I do. Maybe our readers have some suggestions! Experiment to find your favorites. There’s no one way to do this. Just pack a magical sack and keep adding to it as you walk Saturn’s path. Fill it with the resources and practices that refresh you. And remember, you’re a badass. You got this! See you along the path…
A seeker of meaning and magic, Faye Northgrave is a life-long student and lover of astrology, and lives attuned to the cycles of nature. An Astrological Counselor based near Toronto, Canada, she works with her clients to support their ever-unfolding (and often complicated) journey. When not conducting one-on-one sessions, she is holding workshops, courses and retreats on all things she loves, including yin yoga and cyclical living. She writes a monthly astrology forecast as well as new and full moon musings through her newsletter. You can sign up for it here or email her directly at connect@fayenorthgrave.com
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