Welcome to your 2022 wellness horoscopes!
I’m djenneba drammeh, an essay writer, editor, and second-generation astrologer based in NYC.
Since it goes without saying that these past two years have taken a toll on our mental health — it’s imperative now more than ever to take care of ourselves the best way we can with what we have.
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And although astrology will never be able to replace medical advice or psychotherapy, it can raise questions that prompt us to pursue certain paths or examine our mental health more closely, especially since astrology should be used as a predictive art or practice and not as a belief system.
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For instance, natal astrology, which is the study of planetary arrangements and their influence at the exact moment of one’s birth, allows us to determine the areas in our lives that require closer attention and care, including aspects of our mental health and overall wellness.
The way you can determine which areas you should focus on is by looking at your birth chart, which is made up of 12 houses, each governing different themes of your life (i.e., finances, career, family, etc.). By examining the quality of a natal chart’s 6th and 12th houses — which can indicate bodily and mental health respectively — we can gain insight on potential afflictions and appropriate courses of action to address them.
Current and future transits (think: Mercury retrograde) that affect these and other houses add context to the changing nature of those areas of our lives, forming the basis of horoscopes optimized for personal wellness.
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So to get the most out of these wellness horoscopes for 2022, read for your rising sign first if you know it, followed by your sun sign if you were born during the day or moon sign if you were born at night. (Hellenistic astrology would call this your “sect light.”)
Aries (March 21–April 19):
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This year calls for you to give attention to your chosen family and why you chose them in the first place (i.e., do you see yourself in them? Can they see themselves in you?).
Becoming re-acquainted with your people and all the reasons that bring you together may help remind you who you are when you begin to feel off track.
Taurus (April 20–May 20):
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This year asks you to re-evaluate your personal value system, in the metaphysical and tangible senses. It’s time to take stock of what truly fills you up and purge the rest to lighten your load, which will free up space for you to focus on what truly matters. Creature comforts are way more satisfying when they’re not encumbered by dead weight.
Gemini (May 21–June 21):
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It’s imperative to give attention to your physical body and how it sustains under pressure this year. “Health is wealth” is the theme here, as addressing the body addresses the mind.
As you experience a hunger to explore your deepest internal depths, the tangible parts of you still require tending in order to best support your mental excavations.
Cancer (June 22–July 22):
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This is an incredible year for creative pursuits that you can dive into on your own time and terms!
Also, know that digging into devotional practices can take you just as far in much-needed enlightenment as physical travel — though taking off to a new environment entirely isn’t a bad idea either. The key to wellness this year lies in stimulating your itch to transcend anything stale.
Leo (July 23–Aug. 22):
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If you’ve been waiting for the right time to step into (or re-enter) therapy, there’s no time like the present! You might start to feel suffocated if you keep your intimate thoughts and world views trapped within yourself this year.
Having this kind of conversation not just with mental health professionals but also with friends and peers who could also benefit from exploring cerebral terrain together will feel like a massive relief.
Virgo (Aug. 23–Sept. 22):
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Make room in your life for future building. When can you travel? Where will you go? Who gets to come with you? You deserve the immersive mind-body stimulation that becomes too easy to forfeit when the world feels chaotic.
Journaling emerges as a sacred art, and writing can be the gateway that re-orients your relationship with grief and loss — with it you build your own shelter in the storm.
Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 23):
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If you learn (or re-learn) anything this year, it’s the critical importance of intimacy with yourself.
Though you may find relationships emphasized now with the intensity of a thousand suns, the key is to remember that you have your own refuge to crawl back into. Take yourself, your art, and your pleasure seriously.
Scorpio (Oct. 24–Nov. 21):
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It’s imperative that you allow yourself every opportunity to change and become something new this year.
Everyone else is constantly doing it, so you deserve the same liberation — and life is forcing you toward it. You don’t owe anyone consistency with a person you don’t recognize!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22–Dec. 21):
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“Sanctuary” is your keyword for the year. All those home improvement projects you’ve been sitting on are begging to be acknowledged now.
That’s why you should give beauty a chance in your home and private spaces so you can let that creative freak flag fly. Peace and cerebral liberation come when you tailor your personal environment to your needs, whims, and desires.
Capricorn (Dec. 22–Jan. 19):
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Nothing is more important than every little thing that is holding you together right now. The year opens with an emphasis on pleasure and where to find it (i.e., in your body, around your neighborhood, and with loved ones).
Your relationship with the world around you reigns supreme now, so engage more with loved ones, nature, pets, and beyond. Doing this will help you feel more grounded and connected with the world.
Aquarius (Jan. 20–Feb. 18):
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This is the year to start actualizing the world-building that is constantly running within your head. You get to be louder and more resourced about the person you want and know yourself to be — so go all out and find peace in an even deeper sense of authenticity than you’ve ever known.
No one needs to tell you to be yourself, but this year, it feels like there is more of you to become. Move through it.
Pisces (Feb. 19–March 20):
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Intentional solitude proves especially rewarding for you this year as your home life and sense of spirituality catch a spotlight only you can perceive. Carefully investing in your home — like creating nooks and crannies for rest or dedicating altars for veneration — should prove to be satisfying and grounding for you.
These are the private spaces worth protecting to aid with your mental health this year.
