New moon in Gemini: It cost me $300 to simplify my spiritual practice
Pee-colored hair and a video of my morning ritual. And yes they're related.
A few months ago I noticed that the top of my hair had taken on a yellowish tint. Depending on the light it could be very noticeable. I switched from Clairol’s Shimmer Lights to this really expensive purple shampoo I found in Paris (peak bougie, but true). The yellow would almost disappear, but then return after about a week. Then I tried hydrogen peroxide in conditioner. Again, the mixture worked for a bit, but then the yellow returned.
Because I’m vain about my hair this caused some consternation. I broke down and made an appointment at a “curly” hair salon in Zurich two weeks ago to see if they could remove the yellow cast from my hair.
As the stylist, the wonderful and talented Joy, was assessing my hair she asked if I smoked. I told her I didn’t. I quit years ago.
After four hours of purple alchemical magic, my hair was white again. The total cost was about US$300. My budget still hasn’t recovered, but it was worth it. My hair is my “brand”. But her question got me thinking. What was I coming in contact with that could stain my hair like that? Then it dawned on me: the incense.
Note: The hubster is skeptical of my theory. I’m skeptical of his skepticism.:-)
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Although I thought I was past that phase, the neutral toned, gridded perfection of the Instagram spiritual influencer landscape had lured me back into the land of flat lays, elegant brass accoutrements and flammable offerings. My altar looked like the set of Sanford and Son.
I had been algorithmically convinced that my spiritual practice needed an upgrade because life just wasn’t working for me. As if by magic, all sorts of sticks and herbs arrived at our door.
My morning ritual expanded. Meditation wasn’t enough. Pulling a card wasn’t enough. I felt the need to ritually smoke out every bad, icky, “low vibe” entity that had entered my office during the 5 hours of sleep I got at night.
I don’t know if getting only 5 hours of sleep was due to the low vibe entities or my worrying about the money I was spending. Your call.
In any case, not only did I burn incense during the morning, I also burned it during a ritual I started doing again before sitting down to write during the day. And because I was doing it so much, my theory is that the incense yellowed the top of my hair.
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The new moon on 26-27 May is at 6°06’ Gemini, the sign of the twins. It represents duality, a back and forth. The twins like to communicate with themselves and others.
Gemini is rational and intellectual on a good day. But when Gemini is under stress, it leans towards overthinking, overcommunicating, perhaps making things more complicated than they should be. Gemini can become flighty and lose the plot.
I lost the plot.
My natal 9th house - the house of religion and spirituality - is in Gemini. I’ve been under constant, stress since last year because of *Rash gestures outward* . I think the backsliding into a complicated practice was my cry to the Universe for help, an attempt to communicate and negotiate with whoever is floating around me. “If I do (insert ritual action here) more, will you help me get that deal? If I burn (insert combustible object here) will someone, anyone up there see how hard I’m trying to make something happen?”
But all I had to show for my efforts was pee-colored hair.
For the new moon in Gemini I’m renewing my practice of minimalist spirituality and simplifying how I communicate with the unseen world.
Here’s how, plus a video of my morning ritual.