I Lived My Life According to Astrology For 1 Week, and It Brought My Spouse and Me Closer

I suffer from what I lovingly refer to as "moon swings." Daily, my energy is swayed by this or that, and half the time I don't even know why. Having been a bit of an astrology fangirl since the '90s – when it was cool to dial on to the internet and wait 17 minutes for the page to load so you can read your daily horoscope to see if you and your crush were soul mates – choosing to live my life according to astrology to see how my life (and moon swings) would improve, wasn't that far-fetched.

But, unlike during the '90s, I wasn't going to rely on the astro-guidance of the worldwide web for my daily decisions — I needed an expert. I reached out to my biggest Instagram crush and LA-based astrologer, Spirit Daughter aka Jill Wintersteen for guidance. Jill provides weekly forecasts, helpful videos, blogs, and journals to help common astro-folks like you and I prepare for and lean into the moon's energy throughout all of her glorious phases.

As luck would have it, I chose to begin my experiment the same week as the new moon in Cancer, along with a partial solar eclipse. According to Jill, the new moon in Cancer is a "power-packed day, most certain to bring feelings to the surface, so they can be felt, transmuted, and cleared away, allowing our intuitions to be heard." Also, "when a new moon is partnered with an eclipse, it starts a six-month cycle where we have the opportunity to shift into the next version of ourselves." To say that my moon swings and I were scared for feeling even more feels than usual would be an understatement.

The new moon also happened to land on my wedding anniversary, which didn't seem like the optimal time to get emotional. Jill reassured me that this is the perfect time to transform energy and use it to build a new foundation. "All of the elements present in this new moon are very powerful; harness them to create the next version of yourself. Become someone detached from the past, ready for a future you are in love with, while allowing yourself to believe it is all possible – because it is." Now that was something I, and my husband, could get behind.

Jill's advice for the week was to process my feelings by asking, "What am I feeling?" and "What are these feelings helping me understand about myself?" She suggested finding their origins and triggers and decide for myself if it was time to let them go. She also emphasized utilizing the healing component of water to help release what no longer served me and transmute that energy into what does.

On the morning of the new moon, I woke up feeling excited, almost elated for the day to unfold. Since it was our wedding anniversary, my husband and I set out for a picnic at our wedding venue, on the water. We talked about our wedding and how magical it was to dance under the full moon in that very spot four years earlier. As we reminisced and bounced from one topic to another, our conversation grew deeper and our emotions intensified. Suddenly, it felt like we were uncovering, exploring, and expressing feelings that we've never even felt before, let alone processed.

Rather than feeling swayed by our personal realizations and accompanying intense emotions, I felt freedom in acknowledging them and giving them a voice. There was a calming energy that seemed to guide this metaphysical and intimate experience. I felt safe to feel and almost indulge in what I was experiencing. I was reminded of my moonscope in the "new moon journal" that read, "Instead of marching through your feelings like a fearless warrior, experience them, maybe cry, indulge in them, and understand them at an even deeper level."

As the evening came, I was looking forward to transmuting the afternoon's feelings into new energy. I set up my altar, lit candles, displayed my crystals, saged myself (and hubby), and stepped into the shower ready to release. As the water hit my face, I read aloud the feelings that were preventing me from expanding into who I want to be and called in the energy that I wanted to harness in its place. Afterward, my husband and I lay in our bed and completed Jill's yoga sequence, meditations, and workbook questions, and set our new moon intentions. And I have to say, this whole experience was the best anniversary gift we ever received.

As we welcomed in the new moon that night and expressed our intentions to one another, we were kindly reminded that our relationship, like the moon, would continue to experience its many phases. By aligning with the moon's energy over the past week, we were able to shed light on the feelings we've kept in the dark, clear our path, solidify our foundation, and light the way for our bright future (moon swings still included).