Admittedly, Libra is the sign I know the least about. Though it’s Zack’s Moon sign, other than a few pop culture references, I’m mostly at a loss about what it’s like to be a Libra, so I will be relying on actual, professional astrologers for today’s astrological reading.
It’s been a week since we transitioned from Virgo, our season of meticulous perfectionism, into Libra, a season of reorientation and balance. For starters, Libra marks the halfway point of the Zodiac. We cannot go back; we have experienced and learned the lessons of the first six signs and are now tasked with the second half of signs and their teachings. Secondly, Libra is a Cardinal sign meaning it is a sign of leadership and initiative. It kicks off the final three signs of our calendar year (remember the Zodiac starts with Aries in March and ends with Pisces in March, not January to December), giving us the second (or perhaps fourth) wind we need to make it through the end of the year.
Libra is represented by the scales, a symbol of their constant goal of balance. This is balance in all things—internal/external, emotional/physical, work/life—with emphasis on recognizing that we are as much a part of life as it is a part of us. We are connected—the universe and us—and we don’t have to decide where we stop and it begins. Being in Libra season encourages us to question our own balance. And if you feel out of balance, know that the possibility of balance is there—it is for everyone—you just might still need to adjust things, get rid of some weight on either side, until the balance feels right. This takes time, energy, and practice. The balance might not come easy, but keeping work on it. Make it your intention, finding balance. Maybe it's metaphorical balance like your work/life or maybe it's physical and you integrate a balance postures (like Tree Pose!) into your routine to bring balance to your daily life.
I didn’t really feel this transition until looking back on it now. The transition happened two days after Aimée, Sydney, and Kayla left Columbus after a (super short) weekend of partying. Not only was I physically sick from Kayla’s instigating ways, I was feeling overwhelmed with work (nothing new) and my trip to Jamaica (which is where I currently am with Sydney). The floundering feeling was back and it was blocking me from doing—from writing, from submitting, from researching, from being. I put a lot, definitely too much pressure on myself to perform. But instead of feeling productive, the constant worry that I’m not being productive enough means creativity, imagination, and passion are all the harder to grasp. It was as if I needed to purge (read: vomit) my old ways of doing things for the more balanced, harmonious headspace.
As for OTF and balance, the biggest news is that we’ve finally hit over 100 followers on Instagram! Definitely a dismal number at best, but certainly better than when we had less than that. So, OTF fans, keep spreading the Instagram word. Our collaborations this month oscillate between pretty fluffy and a deeper reflection. I’m interested in seeing if anyone has had a right place/right time situation, so that’s our first Friday collab. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month and our collab falls on National Mammogram Day so we’ll be shouting that out. Then I want everyone to share if they’ve begun turning (or have fully descended) into their parents. We’ll wrap up the month with our Hallo-Week theme week.
Shit We’re Loving: READ
Shelby’s Pick: Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed by Patricia Cornwell
I used to say that writing is in my blood. This isn’t untrue, it’s just pretentious as all fuck and I have to pick my pretentious battles. I do have more than one famous-ish writer in my family and one of them is Patricia Cornwell. If you’re familiar with true crime or murder mysteries, you might have heard of her. She’s a novelist and her famous character, Scarpetta, has 24 books to her canon. She’s also fascinated with Jack the Ripper.
After years of research including traveling all over the globe, studying handwriting with experts, and working with 230-year-old evidence, she cracked the case. Jack the Ripper, according to her (and me), is the artist Walter Sickert. His paintings hang in museums—he even painted one titled Jack the Ripper’s Bedroom—he was chummy with other famous artists and salon socialites like Oscar Wilde. No one suspected him. Given the (lack of) resources at the time, Sickert was never connected, arrested, or tried for the crimes and Cornwell goes into detail of additional murders and mutilations not originally attributed to Jack the Ripper but that she believes were also committed by Sickert.
If you have even the slightest interest in true crime I definitely recommend her book. The story is horrifying and upsetting, but finding some conclusion in a case that has baffled millions for centuries is entirely worth it.
Show Your Support:Â Other People Fund
Other People Fund’s mission is simple: Help pay for other people’s therapy. Like us at OTF, Other People Fund believes everyone can benefit from therapy, but they’re also aware of the high cost. Those who seek therapy should be able to receive it, which is where Other People Fund comes in. They’ve partnered with Support for the Psyche, a like-minded non-profit raising funds for therapy costs. Every purchase of an Other People Fund t-shirt, crewneck, or totes helps offset the cost of therapy for someone who needs it.
Our Trust Fund has donated $50 to Support for the Psyche and Sydney already owns the fabulous shirt.
I think we need to see other people, and by other people I mean therapists.
Daily Intention:
Today I will…
Decorate for Halloween if I haven’t already. 🎃
Here’s some nifty buttons for you to press, enjoy: