Leah Wellbaum is a musician, artist, and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. She is the principal songwriter, guitar player, and unrepentant aesthete of the band Slothrust, and also has a side project called ANMLPLNET. On the upcoming Slothrust album, Parallel Timeline, Wellbaum constructs a luscious, ethereal cosmos perforated with wormy portals and unexpected magical iconography. She is a lover of all things mystical and absurd. When she isn’t on the road, she offers lessons in music and creativity. You can find her art at www.leahwellbaum.com.
Well, well, well. Here we are. Welcome to Virgo season! We made it through the fire, but it wasn’t easy. I don’t know about y’all, but Leo season showed up for me in some unpredictable ways this year. My birthday was glorious, I went to the beach and had a long swim in the warm summer ocean. But within only a few days of that, I found myself anxiety-stricken and feeling out of control. As I struggled to ground myself against the feeling of being at the whim of others, I couldn’t help but wonder if I could pause my internal chaos and choose again — choose a different interpersonal boundary. “Boundaries” is a hot word, and they are difficult to navigate with other people. But what about within the self? I am not pro at this, but I am trying to see my patterns with clarity. So I am exiting the Leo season on fire, but I am feeling that what I burned away was that which no longer served me, or anyone else for that matter. Let us be left with the golden truth of all we are, just as the transformative vitriol lion intends.
I have been thinking about control a lot recently. One of the greatest spiritual paradoxes is that of effort and surrender. I find myself more frequently on the side of effort, often trying to make things right at all times regardless of whose circus it is that has run amok. The pressure to manage someone else’s monkeys has driven me mad many times over. It’s a sharp nip to the rear and a lesson to be learned many times over, at least for me. I’ll be the first to admit, the same lesson showing up on many occasions can be due to unresolved issues with the ego and of course, pride. It happens to all of us!
For this Virgo season, I am trying my best to let this lesson of sovereignty sink in, and am focusing on how I can be my best self, instead of trying to tweak the actions of those around me. The truth I arrive at over and over is that we can only actually be responsible for ourselves. As someone who only recently woke up to their own codependent patterns, stepping aside and letting someone else have their journey is not always easy for me. I toggle back and forth between feeling like the dutiful protector, and the reckless enabler. If ever there was a sign that sought to control outcomes, it is the Virgo. But they’re usually pretty good at it! Although I am not a Virgo, this sign shows up plenty in my chart and has led me to successes and frustrations alike, sometimes even at the same time.
The disposition of the Virgo can be pure power and clarity when it is directed at the right things. Virgo is a sign that sees the world with a set of new eyes and is excited to put together a plan that dazzles and delights. That being said, it is important that Virgos remember that delight may not resonate for everyone else, and that does not make anyone’s plan better than another’s. Is Virgo’s plan more organized and efficient? Probably, yes. But again, to each their own journey. Virgos are best suited when they are focused on their personal trials and tribulations, without the assumption that they know what is best for others. A challenge for Virgo season will be keeping perspective about your disappointment if something doesn’t go quite how you planned it. What lesson can be gleaned from the unwanted alteration?
For this astrological season’s fruit pairing, I am selecting one of the most organized and multi-purpose fruits in all of the land: oranges. Similar to strawberries, oranges absolutely blew my mind at an early age. I would run off the soccer field in the fourth grade, dehydrated and sticky. The kind mother of another child on the team would offer me a wedge of orange. Sometimes I would put this right into my mouth, exploding the hundreds of tiny pods with my teeth and enjoying the sweet juice. I debated whether or not to separate the fibrous pulp that clung to the peel and swallow, or to simply suck the thing dry and toss it into the nearby grocery bag. It was generally a 50/50 split on what choice I made, in classic Libra moon style. Other times when I was less hasty to eat, I would stare at the slice of orange and marvel at the contrast of its thick, waxy pocked skin and soft partially erupted insides. How could both of these contrasting things exist at once within one piece of fruit? The spherical nature of oranges has always charmed me, as does its cleverly protective packaging. Oranges are a very useful and sturdy fruit — absolutely reliable. They are the base of plenty of beauty and cleaning products, as well as a great snack for sweaty youth. They even yield what is undebatably the most iconic breakfast juice to kick off the day. Virgos love these utilitarian offerings and attention to detail. The standards are high and the options are plentiful.
Virgos know how to plan for not only excellence, but longevity. Two performers who exemplify this to me in an astonishing way are P!nk, and Beyonce. They hardly seem human. And what a journey they both have had! Have you seen P!nk on the aerial silks singing her heart out upside down?? Here she is, glowing and in control of her powerful physical form. Clearly, I am a life-long fan. I love you, P!nk!
Virgo season is a good time to ask questions like, “How much do we have control over, and how much will be determined by the pre-existing patterns laid by our unpredictable mommy, Mrs. Nature?” And, “What can I do personally to make my space feel organized and authentic to me?.” These are questions I continue to ask myself in all seasons, and I am hopeful that this one yields some answers that offer specificity. This time of year is a great one to start sorting out details you’ve been avoiding. Lean into the nuances of life that delight you. Go on, keep staring at the wacky flower! Can we leave our past narratives behind and see the world through a new lens? What makes us feel grounded and at home without wanting to change people?
Time has been accordion-ing on me for the past few months. Some days last forever and others feel like they didn’t happen at all. It is the nature of time to collapse and expand and I’ve grown to accept that instead of resisting it. Usually. Virgo season embraces excellence and order. Those born under this sign know how to make a confident choice. They are big noticers and they don’t let things fall through the cracks. It’s a good season to be honest with yourself. Toss out your limiting beliefs and know that if you need to make a change, the power is indeed yours, though it may not go quite how you expect. And that’s OK. Mommy Nature has your back.
Here is a Virgo playlist to throw on while you clean your house, and reflect upon how to reach your highest potential, whatever that might mean to you.
And if this playlist doesn’t suit you, please feel free to yield another from the Slothrust ~Mind Your Mood~ astrology playlist & horoscope generator — because no two days are exactly the same.
Bless.
Leah
