Message from the DRE: Independence and Interdependence

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Hello friends!

As I reflect on our core theme of interdependence for this month of April, I am really feeling the energy of Aries. The Spring Equinox in March marked the beginning of a new astrological year that calls in the fiery, action-oriented energy of Aries and the balancing, reflective energy of its sister sign, Libra. As we approach the Aries Solar Eclipse on April 8, this dynamic compels us to explore independence and interdependence in a way that resonates deeply within me today. 

To better explain this special eclipse season we are in, I share these words from my beloved astrologer friend, Maria Concetta Mayo, The Textrologer: 

“The Aries-Libra axis is about the dichotomy between ourselves and others, which is a fundamental tension we all experience throughout our lives. Neither selfishness nor giving so much that there’s nothing left for us is the way to go. We are striving to find the right balance between the two. The Libra South Node eclipse is encouraging a release of relationship dynamics that do not fit the life we are creating, which will get a boost from the Aries North Node eclipse.”

Astrology helps me see interdependence on a massive scale: the moment when I was born, the planets were in a unique position, aspecting each other in specific ways they never truly will again as the universe continues to expand, as I continue to grow, as the planets continue to rotate and orbit at each their own perfect-for-them speed. All of us are suspended in a timeless dance: humans, animals, plants, planets, and beyond.

In this macrocosmic view of interdependence, it can be easy to lose sight of the individuals. Each person, each slug, each dandelion are just as independent as they are interdependent. As we explore interdependence this month at UUCT, we must also explore independence. Each of us are the center of our own lives and yet we are infinitely connected to the lives of all those before and after us. Another astrologer I admire, Jonathan Louis Dent, encourages us to work with this Aries season energy and this intense astrological year to become the hero in our own stories. He asks, “In your hero’s journey, what is your hero fighting for?” And it makes me wonder: how does your hero’s journey resonate in the web of interconnectedness? Because it does. It does.

RE Updates

  • Nursery and Elementary Sunday RE: Volunteers needed for April Sundays! Contact me to sign up.
  • Youth Group: We are reflecting on the last six months of youth group and considering what changes to make for our middle and high school youth group. 
  • Adult RE: Date with Death Club continues on 4/11 with Processing Eco-Grief.
  • Summer programming: Save the date! 7/1-7/3 will be a Mini-Harmony Camp! Let me know how you’d like to help with this three day adventure at UUCT.