A True Sadge

Yesterday, my yoga teacher stated an interesting observation. This is more or less what she said:

If you have vices, they will be tested in December. More than any other time of year, there is a tendency to over-indulge: over-eating, drinking too much, spending too much money. If you have family issues, they expand in December.

All of this, in my opinion, is the influence of the sun traveling through Sagittarius. In the US, we start Sagittarius with Thanksgiving: a holiday dedicated to abundance…which then features us eating it all up. And then the very next day is (or was) the official start of the Christmas shopping (spending) season. For much of Sagittarius, we are attending (or avoiding) parties.

Under Sagittarian influence, it is very easy to over-do it. But why is this so and what is the benefit?

Some of this is because Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter: the largest, most expansive planet in our solar system. Jupiter expands whatever it touches. But Sagittarius, as a fire sign, is about doing, and as mutable fire, it is also about uninhibited expression. Sadge is most happy, when he or she says and does what he or she pleases. Those more influenced by Sadge or Jupiter know that at times, words just fly out of their mouths unabated.

Centaurs, and their counterparts the twins, know that the key to happiness is freedom. An evolved version of either also knows that freedom has to exist both ways. If rules are imposed one to another, then rules…are…imposed. Saturnian goats love rules, but Jupiterian centaurs hate them.

In my mind, wherever we over-indulge in December, is where we feel most inhibited the rest of the year. We think we are being “good” spouses, students, workers, and citizens when we temper our desires. After all, Santa (and the US Government?) is keenly keeping tabs on us to see if we are being naughty or nice.

But then the sun dips into Sagittarius and we realize that we feel repressed and cheated. We open our gifts to find that they are just not worth it. “To hell with it all, I’m going to do what I want now!”

Sagittarius/Jupiter energy is the most jovial, the most joyous, the most blissful, when it is allowed to blossom. We all are meant to be that. We all are meant to blossom.

For joy to be experienced, joy has to be expressed…unabated.

Aries, the first fire sign, can have us thinking that the strongest among us are soldiers: those who walk around with muscles and armor, a sword and a shield. But what about those who are naked: open, and vulnerable? Is it not a brave one who speaks his or her truth knowing full well that there may be repercussions? Does it not take tremendous courage to walk around without skin—feeling all of the sting of each blow, yet trudging on painstakingly?

Sadge is not about speaking out for affect. It is not about flinging a jab or a dig with retaliation or to instill a reaction. Sadge is about speaking truth (with a little ‘t’). I say truth with a little ‘t’ because a human person can only speak their own truth, which is what they believe in the moment based on their own existence and experience. None of us really knows Truth with a big ‘T’. Thinking we do is simply a trap of Sagittarius (and the ninth house), which we all have in our charts by the way.

I say to you: be a Sadge from now until Christmas. Over-indulge if you feel like it. Go ahead and call out that elephant in the room. Climb out a bit further on that limb. Be true to yourself first and foremost. Give yourself freedom to express who you are.

And observe where you over-indulge. Think about where it comes from. Have you been holding yourself back too much or for too long? Or maybe you feel like someone or something is doing that to you? Weigh your beliefs and your desires. What desires are you making wrong? If you allowed yourself to have what you really want, would that be bad?

• Sagittarius wants to expand your joy, but is your sadness covering it up?
• Sagittarius wants to expand your abundance, but is your poverty getting in the way?
• Sagittarius wants to expand your pleasure, but is your belief in sin stopping you from feeling it?
• Sagittarius wants to expand your horizons, but are your walls blocking your view?

Everything on the right (above) is like a glass bottle. Everything on the left is like the water inside. Stick it in the freezing air of December, and watch what happens. The liquid expands as it freezes and if the container doesn’t expand with it, it will bust open.

Isn’t that just what we want anyway—to bust through the walls of limitation? Sadge is a fire sign. If walls hold it back too much for too long, it’ll burn them down if it has to.

There is a child-like quality to all of the fire signs. Children are the most authentic among us. They passionately express what they feel. What’s more free than that?!?

Some after thoughts:

Alcohol is often called “liquid courage”. If we over drink, we might be holding ourselves back with fear. The alcohol lowers our inhibitions thus allowing us to express ourselves in a way we don’t otherwise.

Food is meant to give nourishment and pleasure. It should be good for you and taste good. If you are overeating, maybe you are not getting enough nourishment or enough pleasure. One without the other will not sate you.

Nutritionists talk about “empty calories” as calories consumed that do not nourish the body. What about empty calories burned? How many calories are we burning each day on activities that do not nourish our soul?

Maybe you’re not over-indulging at all! Maybe you’re just allowing in a way that would be good for you all year long! Just because someone thinks you’re too much, doesn’t mean you are…