The above is an opening to what was a deeply anxious message from a friend who is struggling to focus on their practice and daily life due to the overwhelming onslaught of negative news since the new US president began enacting the highly disturbing, disruptive, troubling and unlawful agenda of his second term.

Something most of us can surely relate to. In these history-shaping, paradigm-shattering times, when those in power seem to be undoing decades of hard-won peace and progress toward a more tolerant, humane, and kind society, we must remember we still have each other—here at the grassroots level—to lean on. When the going gets tough, raise your head just enough to see around; you are not walking this path alone. So, as I did for my friend, I’d like to offer the following:

Hey witch, I see you.

We see you. We're navigating this bullshit storyline together. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish suffering on anyone for the sake of their growth—that's some next-level toxic spiritual bypassing. But I remind myself daily that tough stories give birth to tough heroes. I promise we'll be okay. But I can also promise you The Orange Menace and his henchmen are yet to unleash much more chaos and suffering before this is over.

Pluto shifted into Aquarius. We astrologers knew a once-in-a-lifetime transit would happen on a global scale—a wild river of developments that will sweep you away from familiar shores no matter what. Holding onto the shores of what you know to be right, of what you want life or society to be, will only cause you harm; the current will rip you away. Drowning is not an option, and swimming against the current isn't either.

Lean into ways of life and practices that allow you to keep your head above water. If that means shutting down the apocalyptic, dystopian stream of news and social media posts, please do it, even if it's hard. I struggle with putting my phone down too. Being informed feels like a necessary tool for retaining a sense of control. Like any addict, I'm also well aware that our best bet now is to trust fall into the open arms of our immediate community and away from the toxic news cycle. Even CNN, Reuters, or the BBC—the formerly less biased media—have started reporting in apocalyptic, alarmist ways. Following this car crash of news events is driving us into emotional states that are not good for us—previously a unique domain of social media, aka the toilet of the internet.

Another bizarre cognitive dissonance to throw in the mix: obsessively following astrologers and tarot readers in hopes of finding reassurance that things will change and feel normal again is equally toxic, even if it may seem like self-soothing at first.

The clue is in the shift itself. Pluto shifted into Aquarius. Aquarius is asking us to look to our immediate neighborhood, family, and communities of fellow weirdos and do some good at that level instead. Look around you right now. Is you house on fire? Look outside the window. Is your street on fire? If not - and I really hope that's the case, otherwise stop reading and start running right now! - you're okay. If you have a home, you're ok. If you have a home in the hearts of another human being, you are blessed beyond measure! Look around right now. You are not powerless. You are free to step outside and try to commit an act of kindness toward yourself and others. The shit river is unstoppable; the drowning is optional. We will be okay. It might be a year or a few months when it seems like nothing good is happening and the pit of despair is getting deeper, but I promise you something good is brewing at the same time and something good will eventually come out of this.

We see you. We're a month into the 2025 paradigm-shifting year, and it's already a weird-ass, bizarre storyline of UFOs, fascism, planes falling from the sky, earthquakes, and serious talks of annexing Canada and taking over Greenland with military force. Oh, and finally, we’ve got a solution to the whole Gaza humanitarian disaster: let’s allow the US to turn it into a Riviera of the Middle East! Genius!

It's fucking WILD. But unplugging is always an option, whatever shape that takes for you.

I've started offering astro and tarot doodle readings for free online for the week ahead—something that keeps me busy and distracted enough to not obsessively hit refresh on the CNN website, and it creates value and offers gentle guidance for other people who might need it right now.

It's still quite cold here in Italy, but I still managed to find a super-cheap €40 second-hand bike online. Everyone laughed when I said that was my maximum budget for a bike, but guess who's maniacally laughing now with my hands and face frozen solid, when I take myself on my new bike to a local swimming pool? It takes an hour to cycle there, an hour to cycle back, and I do an hour of gentle swimming while listening to spooky audiobooks. Yes, I might give myself pneumonia, but this three hours away from the internet are bringing me so much joy, I’m willing to risk it.

Contrary to what the internet tries to convince us of, the world still has good in it that will never be extinguished. It might burn less brightly at points, but such is the dance of pro- and anti-humane polarities throughout human history. Neither will ever fully go away, but I’m willing to bet my left kidney that there is more good in the world than evil; it just doesn’t pay as much and get as much camera time.

None of this is and will be easy, but we are not victims; we are fucking gods and goddesses, and this is not how we're going down. The systems might crumble, but new ones that are of and for the people will be raised in their place.

I can't promise you anything other than a piece of my strong intuition about this whole thing: if you hang in there and pour yourself into building joy, connections, and creativity in your day-to-day life—day by day, little steps away from the doom and gloom of that fucking mess—six months from now you'll look back and thank your todays' Self.

The world will be different at that point! The currents of change are strong, and we are being called to adapt and evolve. Trust your intuition, trust your strength, and trust that we are all in this together. But for now, let's focus on what we can control: our own well-being, our connections with loved ones, and the small acts of kindness we can offer the world.

Now away from the internet with you! At least for a while! ❤️ We see you. We got this!