Spiritual practices like astrology, manifestation, and tarot cards have become increasingly popular, specifically among women. Sofia Vizcarra explores how women are using these practices to connect with one another and cope during troubling times.
According to Google Trends, searches for “birth chart” and “astrology” hit five-year peaks during 2020. People who offer spiritual services have become celebrities on social media, like the astrologer Maren Altman who has amassed a following of over 1 million on TikTok. According to The Guardian, in 2017 there was a 13.3% increase in sales of spiritual assistance related books. However, women seem to be much more inclined than men to have an interest in these activates; in 2005 Gallup UK conducted a poll and concluded that double the number of women compared to men believe in astrology.
Here, two women who aren’t religious explain what drew them to spiritual practices.
Shakera Miah, a 21-year-old student from London, shares her experiences with using Tarot cards, learning about astrology, meditation, and manifestation rituals.
“I have a lot of friends who are spiritual in different ways, so I learned a lot from them just by observing and having conversations” she explains. “Although I have not always been spiritual, a few years ago I felt like being surrounded by spiritual people was a sign for me to start adopting some of the things that they were doing”. She has always been interested in learning about Zodiac signs and understanding her birth chart. “I guess sometimes I feel like I’m a bit lost and it helps me understand myself better”, she says.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought stress and anxiety to Shakera, as it has been a time of isolation and uncertainty. However, by practicing manifestation rituals she has been able to stay grounded. “I think now that I’ve got so much time to think and be in tune with myself, I understand what I want better. I like to transform my room into a space where i feel calm by lighting incense and candles, close my eyes, and say the things I want to accomplish out loud while writing them down. I feel like doing this is a way to promise myself and the Universe that I’m going to work for my goals”.
“When me and my girlfriends get together to do Tarot, it’s like we’re transported into a safe space where we can talk about anything. They are very intimate moments which have allowed us to connect deeply”
She has recently become more interested in Tarot card readings, which she practices with friends. “The readings work as a form of therapy, an opportunity to reflect on my experiences and emotions. When me and my girlfriends get together to do Tarot, it’s like we’re transported into a safe space where we can talk about anything. They are very intimate moments which have allowed us to connect deeply”
Lorenza Vizcarra is a 19-year-old student from Mexico City who sees her dreams as a door into her subconscious.
“We usually we forget our dreams around 5 minutes after we wake up. So, what I started doing is recording a voice memo of everything I remember from my dream as soon as I wake up and write it down later. With time, I have improved my ability to remember my dreams with more detail”. She explains that she learned to do this from a friend who is now able to lucid dream: “she has been practicing dream-work for a while and now has achieved to be aware while dreaming and even change her surroundings or the actions of the dream’s characters!” She committed to practicing this every day when quarantine started, “I could not see other people, so I found ways to stay entertained on my own, which incited me to want to get to know myself better”.
Controlling your own dreams sounds fun, but Lorenza clarifies that she is not doing this only for entrainment purposes: “achieving a high level of consciousness while dreaming will bring me closer to understanding what my subconscious is telling me. Understanding the meaning of our dreams is not as easy as looking them up online; the only way to decipher them is by looking at our recurring dreams, identifying repeating elements, and making connections. Dreams are the language of the subconscious, so analysing them is like listening to our deeper self”.
“I believe that by simply believing in something, it becomes real. We often think of magic as something we need to stop believing in when we grow up, but magic is all around us, it is just a matter of how we perceive our surroundings”
“I also keep crystals in my bedside table, which is a way to feel closer to the spiritual realm. I have an amethyst, which is known to trigger lucid dreaming. I am not so interested in knowing if dreams actually mean something, or whether using crystals makes a difference or not. I believe that by simply believing in something, it becomes real. We often think of magic as something we need to stop believing in when we grow up, but magic is all around us, it is just a matter of how we perceive our surroundings. Doing this practice has helped me feel more connected to myself and conjure magic in my everyday life. It lets me have a moment of the day where I can escape from the hard times that we’re going through and have some control over my emotions”.
