You’ve heard of the whole “Barbenheimer” thing, right?
My partner and I saw a movie last week, and the back-to-back trailers for “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” caught my attention due to their shared release date: July 21.
It’s the day before Venus stations retrograde in Leo, which means that Venus will appear motionless from our perspective here on Earth.
In astrology, planets tend to have more significance when they are stationing.
(Incidentally: the film we saw was Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” which itself features an almost Barbie-esque, artificially heightened color palette, and a mushroom cloud in the desert reminiscent of Oppenheimer’s first atomic bomb test, which was named “Trinity.” Superficial coincidence or meaningful synchronicity of these three films? Curious… but I digress.)
I don’t expect that the studios for either film consulted astrology when they chose their release date. Yet I do think it’s worth paying attention to whether these two films, audience responses to them, and the wave of cultural buzz that’s been building leading up to their release has something to tell us — namely about ourselves, including what we value, what we are (and are not) receptive to, and how we choose to be seen (and whether others actually see us that way).
Mainstream media and the battle of the memes would seem to suggest that these two films divide viewers into two camps: those who desire only frivolous fun and distraction at the movies, and those who seek a “serious” reflection of humanity’s best and worst qualities as displayed during a seminal moment in history. I’m not sure it’s that simple, nor the distinctions so clean-cut, though there’s likely some validity there.
After all, from what I’ve read, “Barbie” seems to carry a deeper message beneath the pink, plastic veneer. And “Oppenheimer,” simply by virtue of being a dramatized snapshot of a complex man during drastic times, is intended to be entertaining.
Neither film is “purely” one thing or another. Which is one reason why I think it could be very insightful to keep our brains and hearts keenly tuned over the next couple of weeks.
I’m also aware that Venus stationing retrograde on July 22 is part of a larger series of astrological events that all feed into one another, and which therefore become part of a bigger picture. I hope to come back to this astrology soon for more in-depth musings, because this is a rich, busy month that looks like it will be pushing us to really notice things in our lives like power dynamics, opportunities for soul- or cellular-level change, dramatic new ideas, and some serious introspection that could manifest through personality-level revamping of one’s image — or deeply compassionate, heart-level reevaluations. Probably both.
Getting back to “Barbenheimer,” here are some questions for you to ponder, regardless of whether you see only one of the movies, both, or neither:
What happens when your actions are driven by pride and ego? What about when you lead with heart and the willingness to help others thrive? How do they feel different?
Is it fundamentally possible to preserve life with inventions designed to obliterate it? The same physics that powers nuclear weapons also powers the Sun, and our Sun makes life on Earth possible. Is it all just a matter of degrees in the cyclical continuum of life and death, creation and destruction? Or can we collectively make better, more life-affirming choices even with the nuclear genie out of the bottle?
What’s really driving the need to “see and be seen” on social media? Has that changed since the advent of these platforms? Has that need changed within yourself?
What’s hidden beneath the surface of your social persona, both online and offline?
Are your heart and soul in agreement with what your actions say you value, or does something feel “off”?
What happens when you “get real”? Are you comfortable with what that can look like? (A certain beloved quote from “The Velveteen Rabbit” comes to mind…comment/email me if you don’t know it and I’ll add it as a PS.)
Finally, if I told you that this upcoming Venus retrograde in Leo has the potential to take you on a journey to meet your own true worth — the full solar-power of your heart — would you be willing to walk down that path?
I guarantee you what’s in there is pure gold.
With love,
Amanda
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