The slingshot metaphor is one of my favorites when talking about personal development.
It's based on the idea that right before major growth, evolution, or abundance — our spirits, minds, bodies, and lives are seemingly pulled back in preparation.
That downward pull is what allows for the powerful release and momentum that follows. 🏹
(It’s also an invitation to pour some time & energy into our foundations so we don’t wobble at liftoff— but more on that later).
I’ve always said that each of us has annual slingshot seasons, which are stretches of time when we experience this rapid growth, rebirth, creative expression, or positive change.
We feel that little pull beforehand—but then something releases, and now we’re flying with max velocity and upward trajectory!
And I bet even saying that ^^, you’re remembering your own slingshot season like “ohhhhh, so that’s what that was!”
Sometimes an entire year can feel like one big slingshot. Most of the time, though, it’s just a 1–3 month window where you’re being absolutely rocketed forward.
I used to be of the mind that we each definitely had multiple slingshot seasons in a year, depending on what’s happening in your life or birth chart.
I used to think that slingshot seasons could really happen anytime –and it was simply a matter of getting to know your rhythms to determine when that would be. It could be during the 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, or 11th houses.
(It didn’t have to be those houses, it’s just common for those houses to generally bring good vibes into your life that are also easier to work with.)
However…the key word here is used to. Because I’ve had an epiphany that has had me pacing around like a paranoid crackhead for days!
The epiphany: you may only have one true slingshot season in your year.
And that realization is coming from something deeper I’m learning about how we experience our birth chart in rhythm with the wheel of the year.
Practical Astro Tip
I’ve always felt like Aries season (my 5th house) was a slingshot moment too—my energy comes rushing back, my creativity starts bubbling again, and I feel like I’m finally feeling awake after a long winter.
It’s passion. It’s movement. It’s liftoff.
But now I realize… that moment isn’t the full slingshot.
It’s the release.
So naturally I have to ask myself: If Aries season is when I’m launched… when do I get pulled back?
And that’s when it hit me.
Pisces season.
Every single year, Pisces season wrecks me in a very specific, deeply felt kind of way.
It’s emotional. Tender. Foggy. Raw. I’m in my dreams, in my feelings, in my journal, in my blankets.
It’s not just tiredness—it’s like I’ve exhaled everything I’ve got, and I’m sitting in that moment after the breath is gone but before the next one begins. That tiny pause between breaths? That’s what Pisces season feels like in my body.
It feels like emptiness.
And, not be dramatic…but also? Kinda like a spiritual rock bottom. Not in an everything-is-collapsing way, but in a quiet, subterranean sense of emotional stillness.
But (after having this epiphany), I now amend my statement: it’s not rock bottom at all.
It’s my foundation.
The 4th House rules security, ancestry, roots, and the place where our soul feels safe enough to come undone. This is the house of sacred rest and deep restoration—and if we don’t honor this season, we don't get to access the fuel that propels us forward.
So now I see Pisces season as my spiritual root system.
The seafloor of my human experience.
The very bottom of my birth chart—the foundation.
The rest stop. The root cellar. The nest.
And when I honor that…when I allow myself to actually rest there…I emerge from Pisces season with the tension and power of a fully drawn slingshot.
So now here’s how I see it:
- Your 4th house = the pullback
- Your 5th house = the release
- Your 10th house = the peak of visibility and culmination
That’s the real slingshot arc. 👆👆
Your “slingshot season” starts all the way in your 4th house, gets velocity from your 5th house, and is shaped by the wisdom and experiences of your astrology until you hit max elevation during your 10th house season.
So yeah, the 10th house is your ONE slingshot season.
But it’s not just one fluke moment of momentum—it’s a sacred rhythm.
You don’t randomly go viral. You don’t randomly feel ready.
You get pulled back. You load that launch, that message, that moment for months.
And then you let it fly.
Pull back, take aim, shoot. 🎯
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From Ash's Corner
Let’s hear it for unsexy reflection! 👏👏
This whole email was sparked by an epiphany I had during my full moon ritual this weekend.
And when I say “ritual,” I do not mean anything glamorous. Sure, I had a candle lit but I was in sweatpants with my hair in a towel, hunched over an open 750words.com tab taking nips of chocolate every few minutes.
It was giving raccoon in a spiritual crisis aesthetic.
But hot damn the reflection time delivered and the muse showed up for me.
And to be clear: it’s not always like that. Not every journaling session leads to thunderbolt clarity. Sometimes, the most you get is a chance to sweep out the cobwebs and release the brain noise that’s been fogging up your inner vision—and honestly? That counts.
But here’s what I am learning: those big creative downloads, those breakthroughs that feel like gifts from the universe? They don’t just happen by chance.
They show up when you’re prepared for them.
They show up when you’ve created the space.
They show up when you’ve been paying attention, and listening—even if you weren’t sure what you were listening for.
Reflection isn’t just for processing the past—it’s for pattern recognition. It sharpens your lens so you can see where you are, where you’ve been, and where the hell you’re actually going.
That whole slingshot arc I just walked you through? I only saw it because I took the time to look back.
And if I hadn’t carved out that messy little moon moment for myself, I wouldn’t have caught it all.
Update Incoming...!!
Rhythm Almanac 2.0 is Loading
So here’s the thing…
That full moon reflection hit so hard that it completely changed the way I use my Rhythm Almanac. Like… the version I’m working with now? Barely recognizable from the template I originally created.
I’ve rewritten prompts. I’ve deepened the questions. I’ve added clarity around the patterns and planetary cycles that actually show up in my life—not just what astrology says should happen.
Basically, I upgraded my practice—and now it’s time the product caught up.
🌀 A new version of the Rhythm Almanac is officially in the works.
And here’s the best part:
If you already own the Almanac, you’ll get the updated version automatically.
No extra cost. No special hoops. Just a fresh download in your inbox when the new one’s ready.
If you don’t have it yet? Now’s a damn good time to grab it.
Because the sooner you start tracking, the more clarity you’ll have when your next slingshot season rolls around. Reflection compounds. Rhythms reveal things. And honestly? Your future self will thank you.
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🔮 Wanna Go Deeper?
BOOK A RHYTHM READING
If you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, I love this slingshot arc thing, but how do I actually figure out where mine is?”—that’s exactly what we do in a Rhythm Reading.
In this 60-minute 1:1 session, we’ll zoom in on your chart and explore:
- The season you just came out of (and what it taught you)
- The season you’re currently in (and how to work with it)
- The season that’s coming next (so you’re not blindsided by it)
✨ And YES—we’ll totally identify your personal slingshot arc.
Where the pullback happens. Where the liftoff hits. And where you’re headed if you let that momentum carry you.
This is for you if you want help seeing the patterns, confirming the gut hunches, and syncing up with your natural rhythm in a way that’s actually useful and grounded.
In cosmic camaraderie,
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One Last Sip
for May 1-14, 2025
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WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW 🪐
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WHAT’S COMING NEXT 🌛
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The Sun enters Taurus on Saturday, April 19th, sending us into the Season of the Bull. Fear not, if you're needing rest after the cleansing burn and fiery breakthroughs of Aries season —Taurus season promises steady (sustainable!) growth that leaves plenty of time to rest and smell the flowers, too. Prepare for more grounded, stabilizing energy this next season!
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Pluto will be going retrograde in Aquarius starting May 4th, 2025 and lasting until October 13th. We’ll have an entire issue of The Stir coming out regarding this however, be prepared to review, revisit, and reflect on themes of power and transformation – both on a personal and collective level over this period of time. Additionally, we have a Full Moon in Scorpio happening Monday, May 12th that will be a review, release, and harvesting of whatever has been growing (or festering) since November.
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WHAT I’M WORKING ON 🤓
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK 📚
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If you’ve ever wondered what your sun, moon, and rising signs actually mean (or what the heck a “Big 3” even is), I've got the perfect starting line for you. No fluff, no overwhelm — just a super clear, down-to-earth walkthrough of your Big 3 so you can start understanding your natural strengths, emotional needs, and identity through the lens of astrology. Because knowing thyself is the root of all wisdom.
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If it’s your calling, it will keep calling.
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