Friday the 13th is only scary because of the patriarchy
Whether you celebrate Friday the 13th or not, chances are you notice it. Maybe you go out of your way to avoid sidewalk cracks, or perhaps you’re conscious to not spill the salt. Regardless, most of us have grown up with some sort of superstition that recognizes Friday the 13th as an unlucky day. But the truth is, Friday the 13th only has a bad rep because of the patriarchy (what a shocker!). So instead of fearing today as the day that anything and everything could go wrong, we invite you to see it as a day to remember your power and divine essence.
First off, the number 13 isn’t actually unlucky. The number itself is pretty magical, actually.
A woman or person who bleeds has 13 cycles in a year. And the Moon, which in neo-pagan religions and earth-based spiritualities represents the feminine, is full 13 times a year as well. Both periods and the full moon were reasons to celebrate back in the day; there's a power in periods, and the shedding and renewing of life. Our ancestors worshipped and embraced this. The Full Moon, meanwhile, was seen as a celebration of life and power. Add to that that the 13th day of the month was considered a sacred day to worship the goddess, and you get a day worth celebrating.
It was only after society became more patriarchal and we were taught to be ashamed of our periods that we started to see the shift in how Friday the 13th was perceived.
Since Fridays are associated with the planet and goddess Venus — who rules over love, sex, beauty, and pleasure — it makes sense that the patriarchy was threatened by this powerful day and decided to make us at least a little scared of it.
This has been my Friday the 13th message for the last 5 years✨🔮 pic.twitter.com/QF7jjP91SO
— BRI LUNA (@YungKundalini) October 13, 2017
Add this to the Christian mythology surrounding Fridays and you get the perfect concoction for a day full of superstitions. In an interview with Broadly, Gina Spriggs, a futurist and holistic intuitive, describes the Christian view of Friday, saying, “…that is the day of the week that Eve [allegedly] offered ‘forbidden fruit’ to Adam. Friday was also the day that Adam was kicked out of Paradise, the day he repented, the day he died, and the day he was cremated. And it was on a Friday — ‘Good Friday’ — that Jesus was killed.”
But the truth is that we shouldn’t fear Friday the 13th, especially not today. Not only do we have a blessing from Venus to wear pink, buy ourselves flowers, and do something that makes us feel beautiful. But we also have an invitation from the cosmos to let go of whatever’s holding us back from expressing our desires.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaMqXCFB1Xq
The Moon, which is in its waning phase, is losing light as we move toward the new moon next week.
As the Moon sheds her light, we’re asked to shed whatever is holding us back. And there’s more. Astrologer and founder of Midheaven astrology, Amelia Quint, explains a little bit about today’s astrological components. She says,
" The Moon in Leo would be square to Jupiter in Scorpio today. Both are fixed signs, which means they're stubborn and butt heads a lot. Leo wants to be the center of attention, but Scorpio loves secrets. So today would be about cultivating a sense of mystery around yourself."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaMXy5dHgHG
While you can still watch out for a black cat crossing your path, and maybe make sure to not step on any cracks, today’s about pleasure, finding mystery, and recognizing the power in yourself. Don’t feed into any fear tactics. Instead, enjoy one of the spookiest days of the year — no worries necessary.
