Chill out bro.
In honor of National Self-care Day on April 5, we’re reviewing the best self-care practices for each zodiac sign.
In the land of opportunity, Americans are constantly working overtime, while often maintaining a side hustle, all in pursuit of the American dream.
We do not, however, fare as well when it comes to taking care of ourselves.
According to research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Sensodyne, the average American only feels relaxed 40 minutes a day and a staggering 47% said they feel relaxed even less than that.
Yikes.
You have to feel good to do the most good folks but on the upswing, it seems we as a nation are taking a turn towards betterment. The same study reported, more than half of respondents said self-care is a priority for them and 72% report that over the last two years, they’ve taken a greater interest in their self-care routines.
As in life and AA, awareness is the first step. The control group was polled on the activities they engaged in with self-care in mind. While all of these healthy habits, from walking in nature, meditating, reading a book, taking a long shower, and listening to music are worthwhile pursuits for all people across the zodiac wheel, there are some rituals more in line with certain signs. Read on to open your mind and unwind.
ARIES (March 21 – April 19)
Exercise
As a cardinal fire sign, Aries is easily triggered and tends towards explosive behavior. Intense cardio and athletic bouts of hate sex are wonderful ways for them to burn out some of their energy and tamper their tempers in a way that improves circulation and interpersonal relationships.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)
Going on a walk
As the most hedonistic of the earth signs, Taurus intrinsically understands the importance of feeling good. No stranger to indulgence they don’t need reminded to exfoliate, masturbate, or eat antioxidant chocolate. Ruled by Venus and soothed by beauty, a daily walk in a serene natural environment, a park if they can or a luxury grocery store if they must, will be grounding for the body and restorative for the mind.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)
Meditation
Gemini is ruled by messenger planet Mercury and natives are constantly finding, absorbing and rebroadcasting information to a dizzying degree. What they need and so rarely give themselves is absolute quiet and the gift of emptying the eclectic neon dumpster that is their mind. A mediation practice helps them apply their prodigious mental energy toward regulation, release, and relaxation.
CANCER (June 21 – July 22)
Taking a long shower
As a cardinal water sign, Cancer is highly intuitive and often the recipient or receptacle of other peoples vibes, moods, traumas, and juju. The influence of others’ emotional variances is so strong, that at times, crabs can’t separate who they are from how others around them feel. The answer lies in the element they are born from; a long shower provides a necessary reset.
LEO (July 23 – August 22)
Doing a skincare routine
For Leo, looking good is feeling good. Lions are second to none in their dedication to grooming and second only to Taurus when it comes to prioritizing indulgence. A multi-step skincare routine allows them to direct their passions towards their pores and revel in the results. Natural cheerleaders, it’s a boon for skincare companies to have a Leo repping them, they’ll wear the evidence and spread the good word.
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)
Listening to a podcast
Virgos prize efficiency, obsess over research, and live for the exchange of useful information. In kind, this mutable earth sign will find much to mine in the realm of podcasts. Podcasts are catnip to Virgo because they are easily organized, provide educational benefits, and, perhaps most importantly for a sign that finds sexual gratification in crossing items off of a to-do list, can be absorbed while attending to other chores.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)
Listening to music
Libra is ruled by Venus, a planet associated with love, beauty, aesthetics, and music. As such, Libras are soothed by sound and exceptionally capable of curating a vibe. Attuned to the needs of others often at their own expense, choosing a soundtrack empowers Libras to establish energy and own a tone. Listening to music remedies and readies them for whatever situation they are moving towards or recovering from.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)
Watching a movie or television series
Scorpios are natural detectives, just ask this one, who identified her cheating partner based on a sliver of his thumbnail and his breakfast order. Watching a fictional story unfold onscreen gives Scorpio a healthy outlet for their suspicious minds, a powerful sense of perception, and the ability to deconstruct the character of any character.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)
Reading a book
Sagittarians are driven towards and fed by, their sacred pursuit of knowledge. Seduced by storytelling, reading a book offers a reprieve from reality and may even inspire their next overland journey, ill-fated affair, or unsolicited barstool soliloquy.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)
Flossing/brushing teeth
Capricorns aim to invest in behaviors, stocks, and relationships with tangible returns and lasting value and nothing ensures overall health or wealth like proper oral care. In terms of the body, Capricorn rules the skeletal system, and specifically the teeth, making flossing, brushing, and whitening an apropos avenue for sea goats seeking serenity.
AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)
Journaling
Aquarians are renowned for their brilliant, oft-bat***t ideas about politics, power, AI, social structures, and space travel. Their insights need an outlet and journaling provides just that. Putting pen to paper will provide water bearers with the opportunity to sift through their psyches, extracting the gold and leaving behind the dangerous, destructive, or not yet possible on this planet.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20)
Take a bath
It’s really hard to care and even harder for a Pisces who cares not just for people but for the poems that will never be written, the doomed mud puddle in their front yard, and the animals who can’t consent to wearing sweaters. These folks need to retreat from reality in order to restore themselves to wholeness and the bathtub is their sacred portal, providing them with feelings of spiritual communion with their water mother, weightlessness, and the gift of being outside of time.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses?
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
