Sagittarius Season
Calling all archers and intellectual adventurers!
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Today, we’re entering Sagittarius season (November 22 — December 21), that time of the year when we celebrate the adventurous, brutally honest, intellectually striving sign of the archer.
Sagittarius is a mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system by orders of magnitude. This rulership means that everything this sign does tends to be on a large scale.
Take up a new sport? Devote themselves to a punishing schedule of higher learning? Champion an unpopular cause with missionary zeal? Throw themselves into (or out of) a relationship with reckless abandon? Sell all their possessions to travel the world? None of these options are off the table.
It can be jarring, as we leave the intense, investigative, deeply feeling, self-protective sign of Scorpio, to suddenly find ourselves in the brave new world of fire and big ideas, but as any true Sagittarian will tell you, change is good!
Ayao, Goddess of the Air
The artwork at the top of this post is Ayao, a Yoruba goddess in the Santería pantheon and an Orisha, or spirit of the air. In the Yoruba cosmology, Orishas represent various aspects of nature, and each one has specific attributes, responsibilities, and associations.
Ayao resides in the forest and commands the elements, especially tornados and cyclones. She is a fierce warrior who wields many weapons, including a crossbow, a serpent, a quill and nine stones.
Appropriately enough, Sagittarius is not only an archer, but the ninth sign of the zodiac. This sign is associated with the ninth house, which rules long distance travel, higher learning, the law, spirituality, philosophy, and teaching.
Yes, And…
Sagittarius lives by the improv principle “yes, and!” Meaning that in an improvisational acting exercise, one person starts a scene and the other must react by building on, no matter how outrageous. If the first person starts by miming they’re swinging a shovel, you jump into the scene by picking up your shovel too.
Maybe you’re coal miners, or gold prospectors, or gangsters digging a shallow grave in the desert, or damned souls shovelling a mountain of excrement in hell… What did you do to deserve such a fate? Let’s dig into it! That’s the Sagittarian spirit.
Boundless Optimism
As a Virgo, I love my Sagittarians. They share the mutable energy of my sign, but their placement in fire makes a square to my Virgo planets, creating friction and excitement. They motivate and challenge me.
My mother and grandmother, two of the most influential women in my life, were born on the same day in the sign of Sagittarius. The three of us lived together more often than not for the first 18 years of my life, which were years filled with long distance moves (read about the year we lived in a school bus), artistic enterprises and intellectual pursuits.
These days, a statistically significant number of my close friends are Sagittarians… I’m practically surrounded! They’re always there to support my creative endeavors and share what they’ve been learning, happy to celebrate wins and discuss big ideas. My Sag friends are always curious about the latest books I’m reading, and eager to offer their own recommendations.
The Long View
I’m not usually the type to plan my activities a year in advance, but I’ve got two trips planned for 2026 and they both revolve around important Sagittarians in my life. One is a trip to Columbia for the wedding of a dear friend (they live here, but his fiance’s family is from Santa Marta, a gloriously picturesque city on the Columbian coast).
The other is a trip to Toronto with my mother, who is getting her PhD in Leadership and Change, with a focus on environmental activism and the power of dance to create positive change both neurologically and culturally. (See? “Yes, and…!”)
Famous Sagittarians
Winston Churchill is widely regarded as the greatest British Prime Minister of all time. He led the nation to victory in World War II, published more than 40 full-length books, and was the first honorary US citizen.
Ada Lovelace, the daughter of Lord Byron, was an English mathematician and writer, considered the world’s first computer programmer, for her extensive notes on Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which contained the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine.
Arthur C. Clarke, one of the most prolific and celebrated science fiction writers of all time, co-writer of the screenplay for “2001: A Space Odyssey,” futurist and popularizer of space travel and far-future speculative fiction.
Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest musical composers to ever live, his music from the Classical and Romantic eras continues to resonate to this day. He started to lose his hearing in his 20s but continued writing music long after going deaf, including some of his greatest masterpieces.
Tina Turner, American R&B and rock singer with a 50-year career and a triumphant story of overcoming adversity and domestic abuse. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, and continued performing well into her 70s.
Honorable Mentions
There are far too many to list but several deserve at least a mention, including Jim Morrison, Bruce Lee, Emily Dickinson, Eduard Munch, Taylor Swift, Frank Sinatra, Ben Stiller, Joseph Conrad, Grace Hopper, Jimi Hendrix, Noam Chomsky, and Dame Judi Dench.
The Archer
The sign of Sagittarius is of course symbolized by the archer, traditionally a centaur wielding a crossbow, firing flaming arrows of truth into the heart of darkness. The archer is a warrior, but most of all, a strategist.
They slowly take aim, becoming one with their target, taking in all the environmental factors; distance, wind speed and direction, humidity, and quality of light before releasing their arrow.
This is where they differ from the other fire signs, like headstrong, impulsive Aries and bold, dramatic Leo. Sagittarius is the last of the fire sign triad, and the most outward-oriented of the three. Not the infantryman or the general, but the long-range sniper. Not the daredevil stuntman or the megaphone-wielding director, but the big picture documentarian.
Sagittarius Season
This is the perfect time of year to take stock of everything you’ve learned over the last 12 months. What has changed in your life since last November? What have you read, watched or accomplished that influenced you for the better? And what will you do in the next 12 months to extend yourself, or contribute to the world?
It’s a great time to dive into some exciting new venture, pick up a new and challenging skill, devote time and energy to helping others, and figure our how to share your unique combination of knowledge and expertise on a grander scale. Be bold, be wise, and think big. Spread your wings and your wealth, in whatever ways you can.
Thanks for reading, everyone!
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