We are losing interest in our actual world.
It isn’t that mobile devices, social media and the stuff on our screens has not created a universe of its own. Make no mistake; it actually has.
And if more money, time, and energy is being invested into making sure people are constantly being drawn into their phones, where does that leave the importance they put on engaging in the world they are actually physically in?
In 2021 there was just about half a trillion dollars invested into mobile device-related products, apps and social media. We are likely to be near the full trillion by 2030.
How much money do you think was invested into national parks, by comparison? $3 billion or so. That’s less than 1% of the investments put into smartphone-related expenditures. A tiny fraction.
So what if we value our attention spans in the same manner as we do money? Are young people putting 99% of their attention into the second world created by these devices and 1% into the actual world? It’s probably not nearly that bad, but it does make you wonder: what will our world look like if we are giving it so little attention?
Will our parks fall into a state of decay? Will our neighborhoods become more dangerous to traverse? Will we continue to dump waste into the oceans? Will we forget how to read nonverbal cues? Covid certainly didn’t help in this regard.
Where we put our attention does make a difference. It matters, I promise you. If you put 50% of your idle time into your TikTok feed that is where you are expending your effort. 50% of your creative energy is going to TikTok.
Do you want to make TikTok a better place? Or do you want to engage with a beautiful, sunny February day in southern Arizona instead?
Ok, maybe not all of you live in Arizona. Maybe you live somewhere quite a bit colder or less sunny. Maybe you are tired or have the winter blues. I get it. I also used to live in a harsh climate and know from experience that getting outside, even if it is below freezing, and even if it is for just 10 minutes can make a difference.
And maybe you actually get some real joy from your Smartphone. Anything is possible.
I’m not saying one way of living is right and one is wrong. But I am saying that we are straddling the line between two very different worlds. If you are up for the challenge, it is a great time to make a conscious choice. Which world you want to focus more of your energy? Do you want to continue to let one world one pull you away from the other against your will?
This Week’s Transits
So, a general disclaimer before you go jumping for joy and going to buy a lottery ticket due to the 10 star rating I gave this week: just because the energy is so uplifting Astrologically this week does not mean you are personally going to have the best week of your life.
There is a big difference between general transits, which rules how energy is affecting the world at large, and personal transits. A personal transit is when certain planetary aspects affect your natal chart. Progressions also fall into this category. So if you are being afflicted by a challenging transit right now, you may notice that while people seem a bit lighter this week as a whole, you might still be struggling with something. The only way to tell if this is the case is to get a personal transit reading.
Ok, back to your regularly scheduled forecast.
The energy this week is great. Mars is finally going direct, which alone should make us all feel more energized. The change of signs of Ceres into Pisces and Juno into Sagittarius last week should have brought us an abundance of creative energy that will further take hold. On top of all this, a new Moon in Pisces will allow us a greater sense of feeling like we can “start over” with these creative energies. That is to say that we will not be as influenced by the challenging state of the world as a whole.
Unfortunately the energy of this week is a little short-lived, kind of like being in the eye of a hurricane. However, even a short glimpse of the sun again can help put us in the kind of mood that will encourage us to keep going for the challenging times ahead. An uplifting moment, even brief, is spiritually restorative for all of us. Take advantage of it: go for a hike, be outdoors, connect with friends, go out to eat, or do something that reminds you of better times.
The only fly in the ointment is a retrograde Venus at the very end of the week, but I actually don’t mind this retrograde. It will encourage us, with a newfound burst of creative energy that is coming from our authentic selves, to not take others' opinions of us as seriously. This is something we all could use right now.
Good week ahead; enjoy it!
Words of wisdom: Despite claims to the contrary, it is not possible for our brains to actually multitask. We are all fully present beings whether we like it or not. Where is your focus right now?
