#ZodiacPlaylistsProject

Hey there!

I made a series of twelve playlists, one for each of the Zodiac signs in Western Astrology. I've used the project as a fun way to contemplate each sign as we pass through the seasons. The playlists are long enough to last you through the entire astrological month (between 4-8 hours each), and I’ve designed them so that you can listen to them straight through, in order, for an intentional, curated journey through the themes and contradictions of each sign, or on shuffle play for a fun and maybe even magical experience, using the shuffle algorithm as a kind of oracle (which I like to call “spirit shuffle”).

Each Zodiac playlist is filled with songs by artists who were born under the appropriate sign. But, of course, all of us are complex human beings who embody the themes and contradictions of all twelve signs. I think the Zodiac can only be deeply understood as a whole, as a reflection of the human condition. The driving force for me in choosing songs for these playlists was not the birthdays of the artists (although that factored in) but rather the spirit and messages of the songs in relation to the 12 signs of the Zodiac; in this way I've done my best to honor the complexity of both the artists and the symbols.

You can access all twelve playlists here, and I've created accompanying videos for each one, which you can also access below! The full videos and write-ups are available to Patrons, and shorter forms of them are out on social media (and posted here). My handle on FB, IG, and TikTok is @adamgottliebandonelove. You can find this project by using the hashtag #ZodiacPlaylistsProject.

Thank you as always to my Patrons for sustaining the work I do with my band, Adam Gottlieb and OneLove, as well as fun stuff like this. And if you are not yet a Patron and want to support my work of producing inspiring content that integrates music, poetry, spirituality, and revolutionary vision for a world beyond capitalism and oppression, I hope you will consider becoming a Patron by subscribing at any monthly amount starting at $1 (at least as long as we still live under capitalism!). You’ll gain instant access to loads of content that I’ve been creating for the last several years. 

In any case, I hope both these playlists and these videos help you appreciate the richness of the Zodiac in ways that serve your personal evolution and spiritual growth. It’s been a profound and fun project for me, and I'd love to hear your reactions, ideas and suggestions for these playlists, essays, and videos! Leave me a comment with any thoughts or feedback you may have, and thank you as always for watching, following, and supporting!

*One (R)evolving Love*

- Adam G

1) ARIES: Playlist here, Video here

2) TAURUS: Playlist here, Video here

3) GEMINI: Playlist here, Video here

4) CANCER: Playlist here, Video here

5) LEO: Playlist here, Video here

6) VIRGO: Playlist here, Video here

7) LIBRA: Playlist here, Video here

8) SCORPIO: Playlist here, Video here

9) SAGITTARIUS: Playlist here, Video here

10) CAPRICORN: Playlist here, Video here

11) AQUARIUS: Playlist here, Video here

12) PISCES: Playlist here, Video here

#ZodiacPlaylistsProject ESSAYS: (Full versions on Patreon)

1) ARIES ♈ https://spoti.fi/37Pa9vX

Happy Birthday to the world! It is Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and in Western astrology the Zodiac begins now, at the Vernal Equinox, with the sign of Aries the Ram. After a long, hard winter in the Northern parts of the world like Chicago, we feel ready to come charging out into the sunlight with a burst of energy and a sense of life renewed.

The Ram is an ancient symbol of life itself. Imagine living in a traditional lifestyle as a member of one of the nomadic peoples of the Near East, who for centuries have depended upon flocks of domesticated sheep as a primary source of sustenance. Imagine the utter unabashed joy and gratitude a community of people living in such close relationship to these animals must feel as a generation of newborn lambs begins to arrive in late winter and reaches a peak in early spring. Now, let your mind be blown for a moment as you think about how deeply this ancient lived experience has influenced our collective human consciousness into the present: contemplate all that you already know about the symbolism of sheep and shepherds in literary and spiritual traditions still honored today.

Consider the fact that so many modern forms of prayer have evolved from very old, very diverse practices of animal sacrifice. This is particularly helpful for understanding how the symbol of Aries is connected to the life force itself. Whether we are aware of it or not, in every moment we are, in a real sense, making an offering, a sacrifice, a prayer. Ultimately, our very lives are the offering, the sacrifice that we make. The ram — an animal symbolizing both springtime and ritual sacrifice — represents our inner life force, our basic will, and our sense of individuality. Aries is expressed as both the warrior and the child. The warrior defends life; the child revels in it.

The basic innocence and childlike spirit of Aries is a great source of strength for those with significant placements of this sign in their birth charts. The rams among us are natural leaders in the movements for survival and justice that are shaping our world because they are well attuned to their own personal stake in the struggle. As Aries learns to fight for her own individual rights and those of her loved ones, she emerges as a warrior of the people. Aries creates courage out of fear, meets challenges head-on. Like a wild lamb learning how to scale a mountain, it is in its nature to brave the highest peaks.

But the mountain, where the Ram is at home, is a most dangerous environment that requires not only confidence but realism, groundedness, and balance. As any mountaineer can attest, these qualities can make the difference between life and death. The warrior’s shadow comes to the fore when they lose their sense of ground, forget the inner purpose that focuses their will, and end up choosing the wrong war to fight. Stress, conflict, workaholism, addiction, or simply a continual state of crisis follows the warrior who hasn’t consciously directed their fighting spirit toward a vision, cause, or higher evolutionary purpose. The fighter will fight whether they consciously choose an enemy or not, and even if the enemy they battle with is their own self. Like a child unwilling to learn how to live more harmoniously with others, Aries can become lost in a continual cycle of selfishness, stubbornness, fear, and self-sabotage.

This playlist is meant to help you reconnect with your vital life force energy, your inner child, and your warrior spirit. It may be a great birthday music selection not just for Aries Native Suns but for anyone. These songs will also work for any situation where you need to get pumped up or energized: driving, working out, going to face an anticipated tough day at work, etc. Put this playlist on shuffle to invite your spirit guides to an existential dance party, or listen to it all the way through for a fun, super-charged burst of creative energy that will guide you into the beginning of the astrological year.

*One Renewed Love*

2) TAURUS ♉ https://spoti.fi/37zgM5Y

There’s a magnolia tree in my parent’s front yard that all my life has stood like a queen overlooking her land. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of climbing that tree with my sisters; these days, though, she could hardly support the weight of one of us, let alone all three. Our magnolia continues to droop a little lower every year and has to be propped up. It is also, did I mention, completely hollow all the way through. Yet somehow, enough life still courses through the leaves, bark, and roots to produce an explosion of bright white blossoms every May. That tree is a living miracle, one which we in my immediate family all recognize without needing to talk about it. We instinctively understand that it is a sacred reflection of the tenacity of life and a powerful metaphor for our own struggles. It is also a beautiful image for contemplating the meaning of Taurus.

After bursting forth from a seed, the immediate task of a new sprouting plant is to create a structure to support its growth; it must put down roots while building itself up cell by cell. As children grow into youth, they seek and start to discover their own ways of regulating through activities and routines, whether through sports, music, drawing, video games, finding a loyal friend or group to spend time with, etc. After experiencing the ecstatic and dramatic rebirth into embodiment represented by Aries, consciousness seeks peace, rest, contentment.

A favorite children’s book in my home was “The Story of Ferdinand the Bull.” Remember Ferdinand? “He liked to sit just quietly and smell the flowers. He had a favorite spot out in the pasture under a cork tree.” Remember what his Mother asks him? ”"Why don't you run and play with the other little bulls and skip and butt your head?" she would say. But Ferdinand would shake his head. "I like it better here where I can sit just quietly and smell the flowers.”” When Ferdinand grows up and gets taken to a bullfight, he surprises and disappoints the crowd by choosing not to fight, but rather simply to smell the flowers that have been thrown into the ring.

That’s Taurus. Capable of showing great strength and energy, but at the end of the day, seeking simplicity, peacefulness, and communion with Nature.

As we journey through the Zodiac, it is important to approach the signs not as discrete categories but rather as stages within a cyclical-revolutionary process. Each sign is a transition between the previous sign and the one following it. When we experience the Zodiac this way, it beautifully reflects the dialectical motion of consciousness in evolution. We see this especially clearly in the transitions on either side of Taurus: the Aries/Taurus cusp and the Taurus/Gemini cusp. Aries declares “I am”, and asks “What do I want?”, and then goes to discover the answer. Taurus then asks “Ok, how do I sustain this?” (After awhile, Gemini will get bored and go out exploring again, but I’m getting ahead of myself…)

So Taurus represents the impulse to seek stability, but in order to stay healthy, it must create the kind of stability that can support change and growth. The central Taurean dynamic is the tension between stability and change, tradition and innovation.

Taurus naturally leans into the stability/tradition side, and this is, of course, both its strength and its weakness. Taurus’ shadow grows when they get too comfortable, to the point of becoming immobilized, addicted, rigid, or stuck in old patterns of behavior and thought. Archetypes of Taurus include the Teacher, the Elder, the Priest (The Hierophant in the Major Arcana), the Nature-Lover, the Food-Lover, the Musician, the Silent One, the Hard Worker. If you think for a moment about each of these archetypes in both their dignified and undignified expressions, you can get a pretty good sense of how Taurus expresses in both healthy and unhealthy ways. The Teacher, Elder, and Priest must continue to learn and challenge themselves by relating authentically to a wide diversity of people and unfamiliar ideas or they will become dogmatic and closed-minded. The Nature-Lover, the Food-Lover, and the Musician must strive for balance in their quest for simple, sensual pleasures, or they could get lost in a spiral of escapism or harmful hedonism. The Silent One and the Hard Worker risk living a life devoid of meaning, unless they are willing to focus their talents toward some higher cause or evolutionary purpose.

Because of their natural patience, resilience, and readiness for the long haul, Taureans are natural movement-builders. Their loyalty and perseverance make them invaluable for organizing and revolutionary struggle. Taurus comrades can help build long-lasting and strong organizations over their lifetimes. Again, the shadow side of Taurus can lead to seasoned veterans and wise elders turning into doctrinaire “old heads” who are resistant to change and new ideas that challenge their schemas. The stubbornness of the Bull can be both its greatest asset and its Achilles’ heel.

Another important contribution that those with Taurus medicine bring to the movement is an awareness of the need for self-care along the way. Taurus knows that we can only give to others as much as we give to ourselves, and that revolutionary perseverance requires a commitment to sustainable work rhythms and constant self-nurturing. In our colonized culture in which even our very efforts to oppose the oppressive effects of capitalism so often take on a frenzied pace mimicking the industrialized model of work and producing the same dehumanizing production-obsessed mentality, this wisdom is more important than ever.

Above all, Taurus serves our revolution by offering us a grounded vision of peace, like a North Star for us to follow. Like Ferdinand, Taurus asks us to visualize what we want at the end of the day. Do we want to fight each other? Or would we rather simply enjoy the beautiful world we have been given? What would you do if you didn’t have to work for money to pay for your basic needs? What would your morning routine be like? Would you sleep in? Or wake up early to get out into nature, or your meditation/creative practice? Where would you spend your time? What would you most enjoy? 

This playlist is full of simple pleasures to evoke the peacefulness of springtime, morning, and rest. It’s good for hanging out at home, commuting or traveling, doing any kind of repetitive work, or pretty much anytime you want some relaxed, chill vibes but still want to feel creative or “in the zone.” It's also good for healing, self-care, and resilience. Listen to it on shuffle for a quick dose of earth medicine or put it on from beginning to end for a deep grounding ritual that could take you through the whole astrological season.

*One Enduring Love*

3) GEMINI ♊ https://spoti.fi/3LPEtVO

In late May, as the trees and plants are branching out, filling up, and reaching peak blossom to call in pollinators, we may still be somewhat focused on the earth and the welcome changes brought by Spring, but we also begin to turn our attention more toward each other.

My mother, a Taurus-Gemini, is as much at home by herself in Nature as she is at a packed party. She loves and appreciates both trees and people with incredible energy. She can spend whole weeks going back and forth between gardening and reading. Working in the soil roots her body and soul while reading the books expands her mind and spirit. The shift from Taurus to Gemini is essentially this: after getting grounded in stable structures and sustainable rhythms, consciousness feels the urge to expand and explore this great big universe.

The symbol of the twins is about careful observation, continual learning, and constant gathering of information and collecting diverse life experiences, especially through relationships with other people. It’s about the tension between the self and the other, the inner and outer worlds, the known and the unknown. Steven Forest writes about the symbol: “Two beings, each hell-bent on unraveling the other’s mystery yet separated by an impenetrable wall of misunderstanding.” Other archetypes that deal with this tension are the Lovers (the corresponding Tarot card to this sign in the Major Arcana), the Rivals, the Siblings, the Foils. Think Jacob and Esau, Beauty and the Beast, Glenda and Elphaba, Tupac and Biggie (both Geminis, incidentally).

Those with significant Gemini placements and strong Gemini medicine have an almost indefatigable drive to learn and grow. When this energy is focused they can accomplish great feats in any field. They are naturally curious, creative, and able to think on their feet. The ruling planet of this sign is Mercury, the winged-helmed, quick-footed messenger of the Gods who rules communication, travel, science and magic. Of the two signs ruled by this planet (the other being Virgo), Gemini especially expresses the social, adaptable, and outward-exploring aspects of Mercury’s attributes. A healthy dose of charm and wit are typical of those with strong influences from this sign, as are appreciation of aesthetics and finer tastes in all areas of life. Journalists, scholars, teachers, artists, writers, photographers, performers, and scientists are all classic Gemini roles. In the world of music, Hip Hop and Jazz stand out as particularly Geminian genres, along with Funk, Indie/Experimental Pop, and styles that emphasize lyricism and musical fusion.

Gemini’s resources are vital in times such as these when society seems to be suffering from a collective spell of willful ignorance and a shocking lack of imagination and empathy. Into these revolutionary times through which we are living Gemini can bring not only clarity by gathering facts and information, but, perhaps more importantly, can utilize the power of storytelling to show us ourselves within the other. As it reaches its fullest expression, the compassionate nature of Gemini grows stronger along with its powers of communication.

Of course, the apparent state of utter confusion and madness in the world today also reflects what happens when our Geminian qualities are not expressed with balance and dignity. A Q-anon-style conspiracy theorist is one epitome of Gemini’s shadow: always seeking clues and information to keep the mind moving toward some vague object, but without a sense of groundedness in truth, objective reality, compassion, or empathy. Other prototypical expressions of undignified Gemini include the two-faced politician, the false friend, the opportunist, the distracted genius unable to focus their talents, and the flighty lover afraid of commitment: always looking, but never truly seeing other people, nor allowing the self to be truly seen in its vulnerability. This kind of alienation is life itself cut off from its source, and it does not endure.

This playlist is upbeat, eclectic, playful, and adaptable. It is meant to help us tap into our own genius, wonder, and enthusiasm. Many of the songs are collaborations between artists or feature multiple vocalists or instrumentalists in conversation and harmony. It’s a good selection for getting the creative mind flowing while driving, doing chores, showering, or working on artistic projects. It could also work as background music for a small get-together with friends or other social event (especially when the Geminian energies are strong!). Listen on shuffle play for a fun and unpredictable ride through the minds of some great rappers, Jazz musicians, and songwriters of virtually every genre; or, listen all the way through for a guided journey that can last through the whole astrological season as we engage our imaginations and open our eyes ever wider.

*One Creative Love*

4) CANCER ♋ https://spoti.fi/3xS7x9V

This morning, to honor the summer solstice, I went out to my favorite spot at Pratt Beach overlooking Lake Michigan, and sang some songs to the waves. As I soaked in the sun rays, I felt overcome with beauty, and in me rose a happiness so deep that it brought up an equally profound sadness for all the places in my heart in need of healing, and for the great and countless pains in the world.

Solstice means “the sun stands still.” As the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, we have reached a most sacred and poignant moment in the Wheel of the Year: the light is at its fullest. For a day, the sun seems to almost stand still as it lingers in its longest passage across the sky. Heat and light and energy abound. The world is illumined. Life exults.

The crab symbolizes this sublime moment because of its sacred form that beautifully contains, protects and stewards its precious life force energy. The first water sign of the Zodiac, it represents the strength of nature to create life, nurture growth, and establish itself into powerful individual sovereign forms.

After the outward-oriented, exploratory stage of Gemini, consciousness turns inward, discovering that, like water, it can receive and unite all things into itself, and create whole worlds within — that is, as long as it can preserve its life. “The Crab’s strategy,” Steven Forest writes, “is to create the minimal defenses consistent with survival.” (The Inner Sky.)

Cancerian souls are generally loving, empathetic, and sensitive, and this is precisely their greatest strength. They can also become fierce defenders of those they love, and of the people, land, or causes that they identify with and associate with a sense of home. Some of the traditional social roles that can embody the highest qualities of this sign are parents — actually any family relation — caregivers, healers, nurses, therapists, teachers, social workers, facilitators and circle keepers, artists (especially poets and songwriters), doulas and midwives, storytellers and journalists (especially of the realities that are most painful to bear witness to).

It should be obvious, then, how urgently our movement for a more human and compassionate world needs Cancerian medicine. We need the kind of soft-but-fierce warrior quality that Cancer brings in all fields and all fronts of struggle. We need to show up for each other with empathy for the trauma that everyone is bringing. We need leaders who know how to hold clear boundaries based on principles of mutuality and love without disposing of anyone or sacrificing the essence of that mutuality and love that we claim to be about. If we ever want to create a world with no need for police, prisons, or bombs, we need to be able to witness each other, to hold space for each other, and to be vulnerable with each other.

The shadow of Cancer is what we see when we or someone we know take on more than a fair share of the burden, eventually reaching the point of not being able to take on anything at all. I think of my Grandma Maria, my abuela, who moved from central Puerto Rico to Chicago to marry my Grandpa, and patiently lived with him and loved him for 65 years, during which time he never made a serious attempt to learn her native Spanish language. In her final years, her resentment about this became clearer to those of us who loved her. I think of other loved ones in my life who see themselves so much as “givers, and not takers” that they are sometimes almost completely unable to receive, and therefore, unable to truly give.

This may be for many the most emotionally difficult of the Zodiac playlists to listen to, because Cancer is the most emotionally difficult transition of the Zodiac to pass through. But I promise you that I have curated this playlist to serve as a healing journey through the realms of love, sorrow, and empathy. (Like all of the playlists, it’s also full of sensual goodness and meditative instrumental moments along the way for integration). You can listen on shuffle play to let the Spirit guide your journey; or, if this sign/season is particularly important for you, I encourage you, as always, to listen to the whole playlist from beginning to end, in order. (At six and a half hours, I imagine this listening might last you through the whole astrological month.) Listening this way will take you into a deep dive and passage through your inner oceans.

*One Deepening Love*

5) LEO ♌ https://spoti.fi/3zoFBeX

As July turns into August, the Sun assumes its throne and reigns over the hottest time of the year, inspiring awe and fear and praise from human beings since time immemorial. The power of the burning sun — its heat, light, energy, and gravity — is the prime force that creates and sustains life on Earth. The Sun is the center of our “solar system” and clearly deserves its central place in many ancient and surviving spiritual systems of prayer, sacrifice, and worship.

Exposure to sunlight stimulates the brain’s release of serotonin, making us naturally feel happy and calm. And yet, even as we are drawn to gaze into its beauty, we cannot look directly into the sun without hurting our eyes. So the sun’s power, while life-giving, is also dangerous. Too much light and heat can burn the skin, dehydrate the body, produce draughts and fires, and make the land inhospitable. In the age of global warming, when our extractive economies have led to profound and possibly irreversible disruptions of the delicate balance of our biosphere, it is immensely urgent and painful to deeply consider and honor the power of the sun.

Ultimately, the Sun symbolizes power itself, life itself, divinity itself. It reflects to us an image of our own life-force energy — pure being — which we can imagine as the inner spiritual form within all individual living things. We can relate to the sun’s fire as a reflection of the divine spark of life within ourselves (often imagined as seated in the heart), and this allows us to perceive that, in a poetic sense, “everybody is a star.” 

Leo teaches us how to turn our true selves to face outward into the world, shine our light, and become natural leaders simply by unleashing our inner essence and talents. Consciousness, having established itself through the Cancer passage as sovereign within its own body, home, and internal world, seeks to expand its power to create an impact on the world around it. 

Through courage and sacrifice, we are all capable of and destined for something greater than we can imagine. Many of the major religions of the world have been built around these themes, as have countless remarkable works of art and fiction. Think “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”; “The Lord of the Rings”, “Harry Potter,” “The Matrix,” etc. 

 

Like many children of the 90s, one of the first movies I can clearly remember having a profound spiritual impact on me was The Lion King. With all of its countless problems (we’re talking about a Disney film, after all), who can deny the kernels of wisdom we received as kids about ancestors, courage, sacrifice, and the ultimate unity and reciprocity of Nature through its rhythms of birth, growth, death, and life feeding upon life? And who cannot relate to Simba, who has to struggle to accept that he indeed has a unique position in the world, with a certain authority and responsibility of his own, which he must face in order to put to rest the karma that brought him into a place of exile?

If you are feeling ready for Leo Season, you probably have done the hard work demanded by Cancer Season, and now it’s time to tap into your natural strengths, your power, your light. If you are a Leo, you already know this is your time to be your most special self!  Leos can often be naturally playful, magnetic, benevolent, and powerful. Leo is even traditionally considered to be something of a “lucky” sign. In any case, the lions make excellent (and incorrigible) artists, and often find themselves in leadership roles without even being aware that they are taking up this kind of space. They are more comfortable being in the spotlight than most — or perhaps they fear it because they fear their own power. 

In the struggle for the world to come — beyond capitalism, prisons, police, and borders —  we need courageous leaders who know how to wield Leonine qualities with grace and balance. Leo shares an axis with Aquarius, its opposite sign, which teaches us that authentic leadership is ultimately an exercise of humility and service. Charisma and strength are important, but can only be as effective as they are founded upon integrity and honor, which require sincere openness to feedback and willingness to change. In whatever role, field of work or front of struggle they find themselves, those who have learned how to “lead by following” have an important role to play in uniting all who can be united around a vision of what life truly is and should be.

Of course, for the Lions, their shadow is their pride. “Pride,” as Steven Forrest writes, “may prevent [Leo] from simply asking for love. He must learn to share the vulnerability he knows so well, to ask for support.”  (The Inner Sky, 68). Without this, the lions can become isolated, overbearing, desperate for love and attention, narcissistic, even abusive. But with this lesson learned, they can accomplish the alchemy that integrates Leo’s power with the humility of Aquarius, and makes the necessary transition from Cancer’s sovereignty to Virgo’s mastery. 

This playlist is a no holds barred feel-good selection for high summer vibes and unconditional self-love, but it is also more than that. Listened to all the way through from beginning to end, it is a guided journey through the cultivation of healthy ego with the ultimate goal of offering up our lives to a power yet greater than ourselves. Listened to on shuffle play, it is a good summer vibes playlist for experiencing abundance, love, courage and power. 

*One Radiant Love*

6) VIRGO ♍ https://spoti.fi/3eJxtix

As summer reaches its climax and begins to fade, we are called to be more present with every passing hour, appreciating the subtle and fleetin beauties of earth’s rhythms: the rising and falling waves of cicada song, the rich aromas of flowering trees, the tastes of freshly harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers. Our attention is called to these details of the earthly world as we are enjoying the last days of summer’s abundance while simultaneously preparing for the work that autumn will require. This poignant time of year is symbolized by the sign of Virgo, the Virgin, the most subtle and difficult of all the Western Zodiac symbols to understand.

The Virgin symbolizes the potentiality of nature to germinate and cultivate life. In the ancient contexts from which Hellenistic astrology emerged, the Virgin is a channel for Divine energy, an embodiment of the mysterious processes through which spirit materializes into earthly forms.

“In the ancient definition, a virgin was a priestess who embodied the wisdom of the earth. Virgins were whole unto themselves and lived to understand the language of nature. Virgins served as vessels of divine order, messengers of uncorrupted wisdom.” (Aeolian Heart). The medicine of Virgo, then, teaches us how to live “life… as a process of purification and refinement. This is why those born under the sign have a reputation for being so picky and critical. But the real archetypal purpose of Virgo is to create health and wellbeing, weaving human needs and natural forces together with grace and elegance. Only Virgo will do the meticulous work of sorting good seeds from bad seeds to ensure the health of next year’s harvest.” 

Anyone who has ever felt the effectiveness of a regular asana yoga practice (what has become known in the Western world simplistically as “yoga”), or dedicated themselves to learning an instrument, or singing, or a particular sport, or style of dance, or cooking, or any art form, has likely shared the profound embodied experience of working patiently toward an unreachable ideal. The point is not to achieve perfection — that is impossible — the point is rather to strive for perfection through consistent and earnest practice, getting a little closer to the ideal every day. This requires humility, honest self-assessment, and earnest commitment to growth.

Too much exacting self-reflection and self-assessment can become toxic if not tempered with all-encompassing acceptance. “She must love herself for what she is, not for what she could be,” writes Steven Forrest. “Only then will she avoid the trap of feeling she must make up for some inner deficiency through continuous self-sacrifice.”

The Virgo playlist offers an eclectic mix of chill, late-summer vibes. Good for self-reflection and evolution, with lots of space for meditation. Works for shuffle play, but best for listening from beginning to end for a curated journey through the work of healing, repairing, and refining the self and the world, day by day.

*One Ever Evolving Love*

7) LIBRA ♎ https://spoti.fi/3C9I0fV

“Equinox” means “equal night,” the night that is equal to the day. In the Northern hemisphere, the autumn equinox is a portal that takes us from the light half of the year into the dark. The plants and animals are preparing for a long season of dormancy and rest. As we observe the end of summer and contemplate the coming challenges of winter, we are faced with the reality of our mortality, as well as our interdependence with one another for survival. 

When light and darkness are equal, we are challenged to hold the fundamental dialectics of Nature: death and life, good and bad, yin and yang. This kind of paradoxical truth is at the heart of what the sign of Libra is all about.

The symbol of Libra, the scales, symbolize the exactness of Nature’s laws: for every action, an equal and opposite reaction. 

Libra is the sign in which consciousness unfolds from striving for internal perfection to striving for balance with others, and with Nature itself. Having reached maturity through Virgo, the soul now turns toward the contemplation of its place in the Universe. The cardinal sign of Libra ushers us into the second half of the Zodiac, below the horizon, into a spiritual journey through the “underworld” of the psyche, in which each following sign will expand the limitations of consciousness in the previous one as the soul evolves toward reunion with Oneness. 

Libra season corresponds to the stage of evolution in which the soul is beginning to understand what the Hindu sages called karma, which is really just another word for the law of cause and effect, but acknowledges this law in the spiritual realm as well as the physical. In Libra, the concepts of Time, Justice, and Love are brought into unity. Love, expressed as Justice, will make all things equal. Or, as someone once told me: “In the end, everything will be alright. And if it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.”

I happened to start working on this project a year ago, beginning with the sign of Scorpio, which as a kid I always thought was my sign, since newspaper horoscopes etc begin the month of Scorpio on my birthday, October 23rd. But I was born at 3:43am in Chicago, with the Sun at 29.56 degrees Libra. Four minutes later and I would’ve been a Scorpio. This has always been for me one of the most compelling facts that made it impossible for me to escape being fascinated with astrology. While I very much identify with both sides of my Libra-Scorpio cusp, I recognize the fact that Libra is closer to the essence of who I am. 

In addition to being a Libra Sun (on the cusp of Scorpio, with Mercury and Mars also in Libra), I’m also a middle child (a boy between two girls), a person of interfaith and mixed cultural upbringing (Ashkenazi Jewish and Puerto Rican Catholic), and a teaching-artist who has made a living and a way of life out of creating spaces for multiple voices: facilitating group processes, leading workshops, hosting open mics, etc. I have always had an ability to enter into dialogue, consider multiple perspectives, and synthesize divergent viewpoints. I have also always had a sense of justice that has guided me. In general, my strengths reflect the typical ones acknowledged for Libra by astrologers.

Here’s a very Libra thing to say: Every Zodiac sign is one that people love to hate — that’s part of the fun and an aspect of the basic truth of astrology. Libras are no different, and we certainly earn our share of jokes at our expense. Indecisive, placating, conflict-avoidant, we Libras can cause more trouble than any other sign in our need to seek balance with others, if we are not able to first find balance within ourselves. At worst, we can be co-dependent, manipulative, cowardly, amoral. 

But Libra, being always on a quest for balance, is indispensable to the movement for social justice, equity, peace, and sustainability. Libran medicine is what we need in order to come together and organize around our common struggles, without overlooking our different positions and identities. Libra teaches us what we owe to each other, what our responsibility is to our fellow human beings: love. And Libra can help all of us to find equanimity through the storms of chaos and revolution, because she trusts, she knows, that Love, and its human expression, Justice, wins in the end.

The songs on this playlist, almost entirely by Libra artists, are arranged in an arc of anthems for love and justice “as in the beginning, so in the end.” Through the journey in between, we struggle through the contradictions of life and death, love and heartbreak, class war and revolution. I heartily invite you to listen to it for the first time in order, from beginning to end, no matter how many days or weeks it takes you (the playlist is 7 hours long), to experience the karmic twists and turns of the passages as I intended. But if you listen on shuffle, I trust that the algorithm of causality itself will guide your journey perfectly. May these songs help you to adjust what is imbalanced in your mind, body, and soul, so that you may find peace and wholeness, and in the process help to bring the whole universe into balance.

*One Equalizing Love*

8) SCORPIO ♏ https://spoti.fi/3RfmKK4

Scorpio season is all about change. The Tarot card associated with the sign is Death. The natural world is transforming, heading into darkness, and going through the dying part of its death-rebirth cycle. We humans in colder regions are preparing for winter. And, sadly, even in 2021, many of us are still in positions of needing to think about who will survive the coldest, harshest season, and who will not. Scorpio season takes us through the cross-quarter between the Autumn equinox and the Winter Solstice, observed in British Isle pagan tradition as the festival of Samhein, which became Christianized as All Souls Day, syncretized with Indigenous Mexican/Mesoamerican tradition as Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead), secularized and commercialized as Halloween, and even combined with Guy Fawkes Night / Bonfire Night in England. Within all of these rich themes and traditions, the essence of the Scorpion’s medicine is its close proximity to death (the time when the veil is thinnest), and the ability to tap into the power of raw life force energy, often expressed as sexuality (which is what gives us the popular astrology knowledge that “Scorpio is sexy”).

In fact, Scorpio is all about embracing the dark side, and doing the work of internal transformation that allows us to ascend to the higher philosophical planes represented by all of the Zodiac signs that follow it. It is the 8th sign, corresponding to the time of life just past halfway on the journey. It is existential and deep. 

The musical journey I have compiled here can be experienced on shuffle for a quick listen and a more general divinatory experience; or you can brave it from beginning to end for the full mind-body-soul journey through the Valley of the Shadow of Scorpio. It is over four hours long, so that should be enough to last you through the rest of the astrological month. May this music help you break down the barriers between light and shadow in yourself, and serve as good, strong medicine to help you transform the world within and around you!

*One Transformative Love*

9) SAGITARRIUS ♐ https://spoti.fi/3CfNrtU

“Not the archer but the arrow… It flies faster than sight… If that arrow were suddenly given a mind, what thoughts would occupy it? … Who fired me into this luminous sky and for what purpose? What is my place here? Where am I going? What is the reason for my existence?” - Steven Forrest (“The Inner Sky”)

Diving into the depths and shadows of the subconscious during Scorpio season, facing the fact of our mortality — this has launched the soul into an epic quest for meaning and truth. We are heading into the darkest part of the year now, and there is no time for fear, hesitation, or falsehood. We must accomplish our aims; we must make the most of the time and resources we have now. Even hunkering down for winter, which seems on the surface to be motivated by a sense of survival and safety rather than adventure and truth-seeking, still raises an existential question that keeps our souls restless: why are we putting all this energy into survival? To what end? What is the purpose of it all? We can see our whole lives behind us and ahead of us, the way the arrow might see the whole landscape over which it flies, if it had eyes. What are we flying toward?

This is an upbeat philosophical playlist to listen to in your car, on the treadmill, on your morning walk, when you are cleaning your apartment, or when you are physically still but traveling through the landscapes of the soul. And whether or not you are paying attention to the astral transits, it will serve as a soundtrack for you as you integrate the lessons of Sagittarius season. As with all the playlists, it will take you on a journey through the struggles, lessons, and breakthroughs that this symbol’s part of the Zodiac represents. (It’s ideal to listen to the whole playlist in order, but it’s also good for shuffle play). And it features plenty of songs by prominent artists who are native to this Sun Sign. The Archer is bold; she leaves her mark.

May these songs help you break free of limitations within and without, and follow your spirit’s instinct as you fly toward your destiny.

*One Liberating Love*

10) CAPRICORN ♑ https://spoti.fi/3rdcVSn

The word “solstice” literally means “sun stands still.” In a real sense, the Winter Solstice is the most existential and powerful time of the year, because where the Summer Solstice brings us the fullness of light and life, the Winter Solstice brings us deepest into Life’s Shadow: the smallest point of light, the longest night, the darkness at its full flowering. And in the colder parts of the earth, Midwinter is a time when humans both ancient and modern have felt most potently the presence of death: living things have faded and retreated into stillness, even the water has frozen (albeit less so with global warming…) and life itself is at is most fragile and vulnerable.

Here, we discover our most sacred truth: life continues. The survivors go on, and the dead survive in new forms. We touch back to our deepest inner source of hope. The light begins to return; the world is reborn.

For many, it is the saddest and happiest time of year; the time of our greatest fears and greatest hopes; the brightest and darkest Season. This is the subtle and poignant paradox of the Winter Solstice and so many of the holidays and rituals that have been tied to it across the world and throughout time (Yule, Saturnalia, Touji, Hanukkah, Christmas…). It is also the secret to the sign of Capricorn. 

No other sign in the Zodiac is physically inconceivable as the sea-goat Capricornus. Half goat, half fish. As Steven Forrest points out in “The Inner Sky,” it is “an impossible creature… except in the world of symbolism.”  It is important to remember how profoundly mystical and subtle this symbol is, especially amid the cliché negative stereotypes of Capricorn as materialistic, rigid, even dogmatic. Yes, Capricorn can be those things, but its essence is much greater. Only the sea-goat can plunge to the deepest depths and also ascend to the highest peaks, embodying the intuitive wisdom of the ocean diver combined with the courage and exploratory drive of the mountain climber. The master of the physical plane; the Cardinal Earth sign; the light that is birthed in the deepest darkness; that’s Capricorn.

This playlist is not only filled with great Capricorn artists of all genres, but with songs that reflect the struggle to attain maturity in the most profound sense: the epic responsibility that comes with living in a real world. The second half of the Zodiac began with the Autumn Equinox, and through the passages of Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, the Soul emerges with a new level of self-awareness, intensity, and realism. Capricorn corresponds not only to the Winter Solstice, when rituals honoring mythologies of saviors and salvation abound (think Jesus, and consider the fish part of Capricorn), but also to the figure of the Devil (the goat part). These songs openly revel in the ecstasies of life while also openly wrestling with its most painful realities. Ultimately, by accepting and facing the harsh truths of Nature head-on, we can find (or make) a home in this universe. This home is a process, a responsibility. It is within us and without us. It moves us closer to each other even as we come to appreciate how profoundly alone we each are. Capricorn David Bowie sums it up: “Love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night.” 

Merry Christmas, Blessed Yule, and Happy Birthday to all my Capricorns out there! This playlist is for you, and for all of us. May it help us to stay grounded and chill while doing the hard work of saving the world.  

*One Rooted Love*

11) AQUARIUS ♒ https://spoti.fi/3BRYh82

The last two signs of the Zodiac, Aquarius and Pisces, are the easiest ones for me to build huge playlists around. So much of the music I listen to helps me to transcend the stress of living in the real world and trying to serve a Higher Purpose. This music helps me integrate, and see myself in the context of the bigger picture. The Aquarius playlist, in particular, is very close to my heart. 

As part of my research for this project, I’ve been referencing the databases of singers organized by Sun Sign on thefamouspeople.com. “Aquarius Singers” yields results of over 300 names that I couldn’t stop scrolling through. I found Regina Spektor at 106, Questlove at 120, Lead Belly at 155, Anderson Paak at 166, Lucinda Williams at 173, Antônio Carlos Jobim at 232, Dennis Brown at 303, and Alan Lomax (the great folklorist) at 308. It’s funny and fitting to me that these great artists somehow ranked so low on this list — but such is the fate of misunderstood Aquarius, forever in exile in this world!

My north node is in Aquarius, so I have always identified with the higher calling of the sign: its liberating, prophetic and visionary nature. (And yes, the revolutionary vision of the “Age of Aquarius”). 

Aquarius is the water bearer, and yet it is an air sign; it holds tight to the vision/ideal (air) of the abundance and joy of the world to come (water). (Put another way: if Pisces is Christ, then Aquarius is John the Baptist.) The “world to come” is not an abstract idea; it is an intensely personal desire and drive. Aquarius is first of all an individualist seeking personal freedom. It is through this struggle to achieve freedom for herself that she must become a servant to her Higher Purpose and therefore a servant to all, even unto death. This what makes it possible for Aquarius to embody both the greatest humility and the greatest arrogance, depending on dignity. 

As you may know, I celebrate Bob Marley Day, February 6th, every year (check out #SoulRebels). Marley is a quintessential Aquarian artist who helped shape an entire cultural movement — Reggae — that continues to give musical expression to a revolutionary vision and transcendent way of life that guides millions toward the world to come like a star. (In the Tarot, “The Star” is ruled by Aquarius). The opening song on our first album is called “Integrity,” and begins with a paraphrase of the opening line from Marley’s classic anthem “Exodus”: “Men and people will fight you down / when you see Jah Light / Let me tell you, if you’re not wrong / Everything is alright.” 

May this music help you to hold close to the Light within yourself and trust wherever it may take you on your way to the world of freedom, justice, peace, and abundance that we know is possible and in sight.

*One Visionary Love*

12) PISCES ♓ https://spoti.fi/3SEzvyJ

The ocean receives the entire world and gives birth to it again. Just as the waters of the earth are One Water, so all Life is One Life, from One Eternal Source, One Love. If Aquarius is the herald of this Universal Love, Pisces is that Universal Love itself. Pisces is the water that Aquarius bears. Pisces baptizes the soul and prepares the world for rebirth.

This Mutable Water Sign brings us to the end of the Zodiac from which creation is reborn. In Pisces we find all the symbolism of the ocean, indeed of the element of water itself. The sign is represented by two fishes swimming in opposite directions, connected by a cord. This symbol signifies the reconciliation of all opposites, the fundamental unity of all interpenetrating tides, the opposing polarities of Nature constantly giving rise to each other: light and darkness; life and death; water’s natural cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation; the sunset giving birth to tomorrow; the end of one world ushering in a new aeon. 

Pisces symbolizes the ultimate destiny of all souls: the ego dissolving into realization of God-consciousness. Great holy people, mystics, and saints of all spiritual traditions have embodied this divine state of Oneness. It is worth noting that mystical Christian tradition, possibly from its earliest stages, has associated the messianic message of Jesus Christ with the sign of Pisces. (The Gospels tell a simple story of Jesus calling four fisherman by saying: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”)

Humans with strong Piscean influences are dropped into the ocean of existence with a natural openness to experiences of all kinds and a keen awareness of their own consciousness. Like the fishes, their evolutionary strategy is to learn to live in a constant state of awareness, surrendering to the rhythms and flow of Nature, even if that sometimes means diving to great depths or swimming against the stream. 

Because Pisces intuitively seeks higher levels of consciousness by diving deep into the ocean of its own inner imaginations, it can easily become lost in dangerous addictions that so often ensnare sensitive souls: alcohol, drugs, sex, fantasy worlds, even just daydreaming — anything to escape, numb and limit the overwhelming nature of existence. But if it can direct its fascination with its own consciousness toward creative or idealistic ends, Pisces can develop its power into that of an ocean.

Some of the Pisces artists on this playlist include: Erykah Badu, Sly Stone, George Harrison, Rihanna, Jhené Aiko, Harry Belafonte, Abida Parveen, Hozier, and Regina Spektor (an Aquarius on the cusp of Pisces). But of course, the playlist is meant to be much more than a collection of songs by singers according to their Native Sun Sign. Put this playlist on shuffle for a deep dive into the mystic waters of the self. If listened to from beginning to end, this 7-hour experience could last you through the whole astrological month, taking you on a guided journey through the rebirth of the soul.

*One All-Encompassing Love*