Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] You're listening to the Wild Woman with Sarah Diop. Remembering your wild One episode at a time.
[00:00:08] This is the Wild Woman with Sarah Diop. A space for unlearning expectations, honoring intuition, and reclaiming the parts of ourselves that were never meant to be tamed.
[00:00:19] I'm your host, Sarah, and this is our June touchstone. Before we dive in, just a quick note. This podcast is brought to you by my workbook, Awaken youn Wild Woman, a guided journey to reclaim your intuition, creativity, and sovereign soul. You can find it in the link in the show notes below.
[00:00:37] All right, let's begin. A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lise Gibson for the Wild Women's Spotlight episode. We talked all about astrology, your sun sign, your moon sign, your ascendant, and how the planets shape your energy. And somewhere after the conversation, I fell down a rabbit hole.
[00:00:55] I came across that Instagram post from Love by Luna. I'll link that in the show notes as well.
[00:01:02] And it was all about Celtic tree astrology. It's a system that traces its roots back to the spiritual traditions of the ancient Druids, who believed that trees held deep wisdom and reflected on the cycles of the universe. The system is built around the lunar calendar.
[00:01:21] Each of the 13 moon cycles in a year is paired with a specific sacred tree like Birch, Willow, Oak, etc. And that was it. I was hooked. I started reading about the birch, which in many Celtic and Nordic traditions is the first tree to grow after winter. The pioneer, the one that moves into barren land and says, I'll go first. I'll prepare the soil for what comes after.
[00:01:46] And here's something beautiful that I also came across, the Lithuanian word for June.
[00:01:52] Hopefully I don't butcher this too much. I'm going to try this episode to say words in different languages, but it is not my strength. So bear with me, Brzalgis, which is actually derived from the word birch in Lithuanian. And then also birch represents new beginnings. So for this June touchstone, the month where the world is fully green, fully alive, I wanted to carry that energy with us. The energy of the pioneer, the energy of the gentle, steady growth.
[00:02:24] One thing I really liked about the Celtic tree astrology, it starts with birch.
[00:02:30] So it starts actually on the December 24th with the birch tree. And my birthday is on December 22nd. In the astrology that Lise was walking through, us Capricorns actually start on the 22nd. The astrology is a little bit different date wise, so I actually fall under the last tree of the Celtic astrology, which is elder. Take a look at that post and see where you fall. And if you relate to the tree, the elder tree is the seeker. And I completely related to that description a hundred percent.
[00:03:04] Yeah, why don't you take a look at that post and you can go down that rabbit hole yourself.
[00:03:10] Now let's talk about the traditional astrology of June, because the cosmos is really supporting this theme of new beginnings and emotionally grounding in a big way.
[00:03:21] So the major transits for June, if you want to get your pencil or pen out now, June 1st, Mercury enters cancer. So this will be emotional communication, heartfelt conversations.
[00:03:35] Then on June 2nd, Jupiter enters Cancer. So the energy of that is growth through family, home, emotional security.
[00:03:46] One of Jupiter's strongest placements is cancer.
[00:03:50] June 8, Venus enters cancer as well.
[00:03:54] So that's warmth, affection seeking, emotional connection in relationships. June 13, Venus enters Leo. So love and romance heat up. It's fun, it's joyful, it's playful. On June 14th is when we have our Gemini New Moon. With Gemini, it's new ideas, new ways of thinking, opportunities to make an idea a reality. Then June 15, the sun enters Gemini.
[00:04:23] So this is curiosity, learning, networking, social connections.
[00:04:29] You know, Geminis are very social.
[00:04:31] On June 21, the sun then enters Cancer. So cancer season begins. So that's comfort, home, family, emotional foundations.
[00:04:41] On the same day, Mars enters Taurus. So that's steady progress, patience, practical decision making. So both those energies happen on the 21st. And then the very next day, Mercury enters Cancer. So this is blending logic with emotional, deeper, more intuitive conversations. Then on June 28, Mars enters Gemini, taking action with ideas, plans and communication.
[00:05:10] Then June 29, Mercury retrograde begins in Cancer. So review, reflect, patience, always patience. With Mercury retrograde. This has the energy of like, revisiting family matters, emotional patterns, that kind of thing. On June 29, it's a Capricorn Full Moon. So that's reaping what you've sowed, seeing results or anchoring yourself. Remember, Capricorn is all about karma, right? And then June 30, Jupiter enters Leo, a whole new Jupiter cycle. So love, creativity, fun, joy for the next year, which is amazing.
[00:05:50] Let's get a little bit more into that, the big picture.
[00:05:54] June begins with Jupiter entering Cancer, one of the strongest placements. This is about growth through family, emotional healing and creating security.
[00:06:03] Then on June 30, Jupiter enters Leo, starting a whole new cycle. The year begins with love, creativity, fun and joyful expansion.
[00:06:13] So June asks us to go inward first to tend to our emotional Foundations. Then by the end of the month, it asks us to step outward, to play, to create, to shine.
[00:06:26] And I wanted to talk a little bit about Mercury retrograde. As we all know, we all end up feeling this, so let's get into a little bit more about that. As I mentioned, Mercury goes retrograde in cancer on June 29th. It ends on July 23rd. So if you need an end date, like I mentioned in our interview with Lise, how I love an end date. July 23rd.
[00:06:49] It is time to review, reflect, and be patient.
[00:06:53] Communication issues and delays may arise, as they do with most Mercury retrogrades, especially regarding family and emotional matters. That's the cancer on it.
[00:07:05] Unresolved family and personal issues may return for another look. But here's the reframe. Retrograde isn't a punishment. It's a review. It's the universe saying, slow down, look back. Don't tie up those loose ends. Before you move forward with the theme of a tree, think of it as sending your roots down deeper before sending up new shoots. That's the energy of it. Okay, so let's talk about the moons in June, because they really anchor in the energy of this month.
[00:07:38] So the Gemini full moon on June 14th. Gemini is curious. It's social.
[00:07:44] It's the part of us that wants to learn something new, start a conversation or finally begin that project that we've been thinking about for months. And new moons are about planting seeds.
[00:07:55] And this one is asking, what idea is ready to be born? What have I been thinking about that's ready to become real? Birch energy meets Gemini energy here, the first tree to grow, the first idea to take root.
[00:08:10] And then we have the Capricorn full moon on June 29. On the exactly same day, Mercury goes retrograde.
[00:08:18] So Capricorn is the mountain climber. It's about structure, responsibility, and the long game. The Capricorn full moon is the ultimate reaping. What you sow, moon, you get to see the results of your hard work. Or if you've been avoiding something, the universe might show you where you've been cutting corners. Capricorn's all about the karma. This is an anchoring moon, a grounding moon, a moon that asks, what have I built? Rut's ready to be celebrated.
[00:08:47] What needs to be released so I can climb higher?
[00:08:51] So here's the arc of June. I suppose we start with the Gemini new moon asking us to plant seeds of curiosity and new ideas.
[00:09:01] And then we end with Capricorn's full moon, asking us to harvest what we've built and anchor into our truth.
[00:09:08] And in between, Jupiter moves into cancer, emotional growth, then into Leo, joy and creativity. Mercury goes retrograde. Time to review.
[00:09:19] And the trees stand quietly, witnessing it all, rooting deeper with each passing day.
[00:09:27] So this month's ritual is a personal one for me. Years ago, I went to a shaman for healing.
[00:09:34] And while I was there, she taught me how to make a sweat lodge, which became part of my treatment. We used birch trees to build the lodge.
[00:09:43] Before we cut a single tree, she taught me something that I've never forgotten.
[00:09:49] We would take some of our saliva, a part of ourselves, and put it at the base of the tree, below where we were going to cut, so it remained. And then we would thank the tree for its offering to us.
[00:10:02] It was not an afterthought. It wasn't a quick thanks, but a genuine, reverent acknowledgment that this living being was giving something to us and we were receiving it with gratitude.
[00:10:16] That moment changed how I related to trees. They're not just scenery. They're not just resources. They're living, breathing beings who have been here long before us and will be here long after. So this month, I wanted to offer you a simple ritual to honor the trees in your life.
[00:10:35] Okay, so what you'll need is a tree that calls to you, a few quiet minutes, and an open heart. So here's the ritual. Step one, Find your tree. So go outside, find a tree that you're drawn to. This could be in a forest, a park, your own backyard. Just trust your instincts. Stand or sit beside the tree.
[00:10:56] Take three deep breaths.
[00:10:59] Let yourself slow down to tree time, to forest time. Offer a part of yourself.
[00:11:06] Take a small part of saliva on your finger, a part of you, and place it at the base of the tree.
[00:11:12] This is an offering, a recognition that you and the tree are connected.
[00:11:17] If this doesn't resonate with you, you can have another offering and whatever feels good for you. Then give thanks to this tree. Speak gratitude out loud. It could be, thank you for your shade. Thank you for your oxygen. Thank you for being here. Thank you for your wisdom. Any form of gratitude that feels right for you. Then release what you're carrying, place your hands on the bark, and speak what you're ready to let go of. The tree can hold it. I release what is not mine. I. I release this fear. I release this emotional weight. I release whatever it is that you need to let go of. Give it to the tree.
[00:11:59] This next part is rooting in your truth.
[00:12:02] So then, speak what you Want to root into such as I root into my truth. I root into rest. I root into the woman I'm becoming.
[00:12:11] And then once again, thank your tree again, place your hand on your heart and another one on the bark and whisper, thank you. Walk away slowly.
[00:12:21] As you leave, notice how you feel the tree has received what you offered.
[00:12:27] I learned many things when I went on that healing journey.
[00:12:31] Not just about building sweat lodges, but she also had me meditate in the forest. I was staying in her home and she lived on one of the islands in beautiful British Columbia. The forests there, they're just gorgeous. And she was surrounded by forests and she'd have me go into the forest and meditate. And for me, she had me hold my heart and hold my womb, one hand on my heart, one hand on my womb to connect them. And she had me sit in the forest for hours, hours and hours.
[00:13:04] This is where this health tip is coming from for this month because I felt like a whole new person after I came back from this healing trip with her.
[00:13:14] So this health tip really naturally flows from the ritual we just talked about.
[00:13:20] What I just described. Going to a tree, slowing down, engaging your senses is actually recognized as a medical therapy. It's called forest bathing. And in Japan it's known as. And I'm going to try to say it in Japanese. I listened to it over and over, but it's going to be so I apologize, apologize to anyone who speaks Japanese. Si ni yagut, which literally translates to taking in the forest atmosphere. It's not hiking, it's not exercise. It's a slow sensory immersion in a forest environment to bathe in its atmosphere. And here's what's remarkable.
[00:14:01] Doctors prescribe it. There's been medical research done on forest bathing. This research provides measurable psychological benefits, so it reduces stress. So it lowers your cortisol levels, which is your stress hormone. It improves cardiovascular health. Studies show a reduction in blood pressure after forest exposure. It boosts immunity. Trees release organic compounds called phytoncides, which can increase the activity of natural killer cells that can help the body fight infections and cancer and then mental well being. It's been used as a treatment for anxiety, depression and burnout. So it's not just Japan doctors that are prescribing forest bathing. They've been prescribing it though, since 1982. However, Canada has a program called Prescription for Nature, and doctors have been prescribing time and n future. In the United States, medical institutions like the Cleveland Clinic and the Harvard Medical School promote forest therapy as Evidence based practices. If you're not sure how to forest bathe, I'm going to go through kind of step by step what they say you need to do to reap the benefits of forest bathing or what the prescription might be. So you find a spot, any wooded area, just somewhere that has a dense amount of trees.
[00:15:32] Disconnect, leave your phone behind. If you're, you're able to, if not completely turn it off, slow down. So this is what I was saying before when we did the ritual. You need to kind of go to tree or forest time. So start walking slowly. The goal is presence, not distance.
[00:15:50] Engage your senses. This is very important. So you want to listen to the birds, touch the tree bark, breathe deeply, be in the forest.
[00:16:01] With the studies they've done, 20 minutes does help, but doctors often recommend two hours for maximum benefit.
[00:16:10] So this June, I invite you to take yourself into the woods or to the park or to a single tree in your backyard. Even let the trees hold you. Let them remind you that growth takes time and let yourself receive the medicine they've been offering all along.
[00:16:28] Okay, so now is the time for our collective reading. I'll pull some cards for us and see our collective message for June. So once again, if you're new to the show, I'll pull three cards, three tarot cards and three ancestor cards and we'll see what the energy of June has for us.
[00:16:55] All right, so our current situation is the three of wands. So threes are normally like initial completion. The three of wands is the initial completion of a creative project or a creative idea or work. Good foundations have been laid. Enthusiasm is high. There is a feeling of satisfaction, optimism about the future potential of your project or idea. But there's also hard work ahead and the new plans must be put into action before the full promise can be realized. And for the ancestor card we've got for the current situation is Drum, Dream and Journey, which I find very interesting because when I was at the shamans for healing, one of the things that she did was a drum journey. So the message is journey inwards to uncover insights and information that will be important for your path. Then follow the guidance. You are very connected to the other worlds at this time. The wisdom and intelligence of the earth and her magic surround you. The drum which echoes the soul of the Mother Earth's heartbeat has cleared the cobwebs and dust from your inner vision. What you have seen in your dreams and inner vision is not imagination, but guidance, particularly if it has been coming to you repeatedly and has the potential to become reality.
[00:18:24] Dreams come true.
[00:18:26] Know it and live it. Action in the tarot is the death card. So ending a cycle, something must come to an end.
[00:18:36] Whether or not this experience is painful depends upon the person's capacity to accept and recognize the necessity of endings. So the death card isn't necessarily a bad card. It's just about endings. And it really depends on how each of you accept the ending, depending on how positive or negative this card might feel for you. The card of death is an opportunity for a new life, if one can let go of the old one. So the action is letting go.
[00:19:10] So maybe that's something we can give the tree.
[00:19:13] What are you letting go of? What needs to end? Speak it to the tree, let it, absorb it and bring it to the earth. And for the ancestor card of action, we have the sun, which is perfect for June. The sun enjoy success and happiness, which I think the sun is a perfect action card for June.
[00:19:34] Know that doors are opening for you. Follow up on new projects, ventures and ideas.
[00:19:41] Connect with the inner fire that is driving you forward. You're being surrounded by the brightness of the sun at this time.
[00:19:49] Opportunities to feel and be successful are swirling and dancing around you. Relationships and friendships progress with joy and you will feel happy and uplifted. If you're not somewhere bright and sunny right now, there will be other ways in which you can enjoy warmth and joy.
[00:20:06] Solar energy brings health and vitality and can energize and warm. It also encourages everything to grow.
[00:20:13] The energy of expansion is within you, and you're being offered the perfect opportunity to move forward. If you want to bring something to life or ready to take a new step in a relationship, the sun will bring the right energy to you. If you are asking a question, the answer is most definitely yes.
[00:20:34] Final outcome for the Tarot we got the Hanged Man.
[00:20:41] So if you don't know about the hangman, the hangman is Prometheus. His story is that he brought fire to man, which angered Zeus, so he punished him.
[00:20:54] So it's about voluntary sacrifice for the greater good. This might be the sacrifice of an external thing which has previously provided security in the hope that some potential can be given room to develop. It can be a sacrifice of a cherished attitude, such as intellectual superiority or unforgiving hatred, or a stubborn pursuit of some unobtainable fantasy. So this is once again about letting go, right? A willingness to put your trust in the unseen workings of the unconscious and wait, often with some fear and anxiety.
[00:21:31] Right? That where. That's where the Death card comes in letting things go, allowing the new in the hope of a new and better life. So the also the hangman, it's waiting. You're waiting. So you're doing what you need to do, but you're still having to be patient. When it comes to the hangman, I can't remember. But Prometheus, eventually Zeus forgave him, but his liver was eaten for many, many, many. I can't remember how long anyway.
[00:21:57] And then the Ancestor card that we got for our final card is Stargazer. Set your sights higher. Go beyond your limitations and believe that the impossible is possible.
[00:22:10] You're on the verge of a miracle. All of your dreams and aspirations are within your grasp and you're being guided to focus on your vision. Your ancestors and angels are with you and encouraging you. There is nothing that you cannot have or achieve. There's an opportunity at this time to heal an old wound or pattern of lack or not feeling good enough. In the past, you've often found it impossible to recognize your worth and to believe that you were deserving of blessings. Ancestor wisdom is reminding you that you are an incredible and infinite spark in the universe. The universe is not only within you, it absolutely adores you. You are talented and filled with strength and have the abilities you need to turn your wildest dreams into into reality.
[00:23:02] So that brings us to the close of our June Touchstone.
[00:23:06] Remember the birch, the first tree to grow, the one that moves into barren land and says, I'll go first. But really, remember all the trees. They are the elders, the witnesses, and our quiet companions this month. Find a tree, offer your gratitude. Release what you're carrying and root into your truth. And let the Force remind you you don't have to do it all alone. Take your hands to the bark. Take your body to the woods. And whatever you do, don't shrink. Take gentle care of yourself this June. I'll meet you back here soon. Thank you for listening to the Wild Woman with Sarah Diop. Remembering your wild one episode at a time.
[00:23:47] Don't forget to like, subscribe and review. Every little bit helps and I'll see you next time.
