Side Notes
by BB Soto
The thoughts that don’t make the main text—but matter anyway ♥️
Astrological Symbols & Glyphs Gloassary
Coming to astrology from a background in tarot, I remember looking at my first charts and thinking I might as well be trying to read Greek. I was accustomed to pictorial representations that resonated with archetypal experiences in the human condition and were more directly related to the symbolism I had studied in my art history courses. Still, learning the tarot involved a degree of memorization—the order of the first 22 major arcana cards, which suits corresponded to which element, etc. And so, with learning to read a system that uses a language of glyphs, memorization, at first, is key. After all, that’s what we do in Kindergarten and 1st grade. We memorize the letters of the alphabet, their shapes, and their sounds. Then we learn to put them together and form words. Then we learn to put those words together and build sentences.
Cosmic Currents & Your Natal Birth Chart
Hey y'all, in this video, I dive into the significant astrological shifts happening this year, particularly with the outer planets and their collective energy. I emphasize the importance of understanding how these transits can impact our personal lives by looking at our natal charts, and I guide you on how to use Astro.com and Astro-Seek to pull up your charts. I specifically discuss the influence of Pisces energy and how it relates to our personal lives depending on which house is in Pisces. I encourage you to explore your own charts to see where these energies are manifesting in your life. So, take a moment to check your chart and reflect on how these transits might be affecting you.
2026 Astrology Correspondence Timeline
This year, I’m keeping a living timeline—a kind of cosmic, digital field journal—that tracks the major astrological movements and aspects as they unfold. Sometimes I feel like reading ahead feels ambiguous and foreign, whereas reflecting in hindsight opens understanding. Think of taking a bird’s-eye view rather than nose pressed to the glass—a way to look backward and forward at once. Along the way, I’ll be layering in correspondences from mythology, folklore, tarot, literature, and art—not as decorative vibes, but as symbolic translators—so the movements in the sky start speaking a language that actually relates to daily life.
Exploring Divination Practices: Tarot and Symbolism
In this post, I share some of my favorite resources that I either have on my shelves or have used. I've checked out some from the library; others are web references or tarot readers and astrologers. These resources explore the many ways the universe can communicate with us and what people across cultures have often said these symbols mean.
Understanding Chiron: The Wounded Healer in Astrology (& Tarot)
In Greek mythology, Chiron was a centaur known for his wisdom, healing abilities, and mentorship. Unlike other centaurs, often depicted as wild and unruly, Chiron was revered for his knowledge and compassion. He was the son of the Titan Cronus and the nymph Philyra, making him half-god and half-horse.
Chiron's early life was marked by rejection and abandonment. His father, Cronus, was disgusted by Chiron's half-horse appearance and rejected him at birth. His mother, Philyra, was so ashamed of giving birth to such a creature that she begged the gods to transform her into a linden tree to escape her misery. This early experience of parental rejection became a fundamental wound for Chiron, shaping his compassionate nature and his ability to nurture others despite his own pain.
Chiron’s story is one of both pain and healing. Despite his divine heritage and immense knowledge, he suffered an incurable wound from a poisoned arrow. The injury occurred by accident when Heracles, battling angry centaurs, unintentionally struck Chiron with an arrow dipped in Hydra’s blood.
Tarot Symbolism: The Star Crown & Astrology
“ A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head."
—Revelations 12:1