Rooting into Relaxation with the IC

by Briana Saussy

It is August. The days are hot, and the land is dry, and school is about to begin. Last year, I remember ordering everything — backpacks, lunch boxes, pencils, and erasers — as we prepared for school to start, not knowing whether it would be online, face to face, or a combination of both. This year, as school begins, I am grateful that we have access to vaccines and don’t mind the need to get to the grocery store a little earlier than usual to make all of the needed purchases. I delight in the feel of those rubbery pink erasers and the careful selection of pencils (Blackwing only, thank you very much) driven by my ten-year-old. As I am preparing back-to-school backpacks and planning out lunches, there is one more critical piece of information that I am re-acquainting myself with: each of my children’s IC and its surrounding territory.

The beginning of the academic year has always been met by a combination of excitement, nervousness, expectation, and anxiety. This is even more true now that many of us across the country are returning to school in a post–COVID landscape. For some, this autumn will mark the first return to face-to-face learning in more than 18 months. For all of us, the return to school now holds all of the usual questions: Will my children like their teachers? Will they have friends in their classes? Will they be OK? Plus the less usual questions: What are current infection rates? What does community transmission look like in my area? What are the school’s vaccine policies? This is Back to School 2021, so the need to be familiar with what can bring rest, relaxation, nourishment, and ease into our children’s lives (and our own!) is now felt more keenly than ever. And so, I look to the IC.

IC is an abbreviation for the Imum Coeli, also sometimes referred to as the Nadir, a Latin term that means “bottom of the sky,” and marks the point where the Sun was lowest under the horizon during the time of an individual’s birth. Different kinds of astrology emphasize different aspects of the natal chart, and this has certainly been the case with the IC. In Hellenistic astrology, the IC was considered to be associated with the Underworld for a particular individual and sometimes understood to predict circumstances or themes around that person’s death. Other astrological traditions associate the IC with several different themes, including parents (mothers or fathers), lineage, ancestors, the past, roots, or the external conditions of one’s childhood. In the Placidus house system (and other systems as well), the IC forms the cusp between the 3rd and 4th house and is often conflated with the qualities we tend to associate with the 4th house. In the Whole Sign house system, the IC can wind up in the 3rd, 4th, or even 5th or 6th houses — depending on conditions — and this is, in fact, one of the reasons that some prefer using Placidus houses rather than Whole Sign houses.

My personal approach to astrology has always been: trial and error and see what works. So, when I first discovered the IC, I was interested in testing out the various possibilities on myself. What I have found to be true, for me and for the large majority of clients that I work with, is that the IC is first and foremost a place in the chart that holds medicine for the individual, specifically the kind of medicine that best allows the person to unwind, relax, and revitalize themselves. Viewing the IC in this manner creates one immediate condition that I think is very useful, both within and outside of astrology, which is the recognition and affirmation that people relax and recharge in very different ways. Personally, recognizing that my IC is in Gemini affirmed for me why reading, thinking, discussing ideas, and doing work with my hands are my preferred ways to relax and unwind. Being a couch potato in front of the television doesn’t do it for me, but hand me a book — especially one that makes me think — and I am in heaven.

This is how I view the IC — as a medicine point that speaks specifically to what type of self-care is most supportive to each of us. When we use terms like self-care, it is easy to assume that we all mean the same thing. Look up stock photos of self-care or “relaxation,” and you’ll see what I mean: You’ll find pictures of day spas and hot stone massages and salt scrubs. Those things might be great examples of self-care for some people … but for others, the very thought of someone else putting hands on your body to give you a massage might make you break out in a cold sweat. We are all unique, so why shouldn’t the ways we de-stress and relax reflect that?

As important as this knowledge is for adults, I find that it is even more important for children — and for parents and caregivers of children — to be aware of. So often, especially when we look at a younger person’s chart, the focus is on their activities: What are they meant to do in the world? What abilities would be best for them to utilize? What do they need to know to be successful academically, socially, athletically, and/or artistically? It is rare for us to pause amid all of the action and excitement and ask ourselves: Yes, but what do you do to relax? How do you best replenish yourself? What medicines allow you to rest?

If the IC is a new concept for you, or if you haven’t paid much attention to it in the past, then I invite you to get acquainted with it now. And what better way to do that than through the zodiac signs! Below is a list of how the IC works in each sign, for both adults and children, as well as a few tips on what to watch out for with each placement.

Aries

Adults: High-octane situations allow these folks to feel grounded and calm. Movies and books with action-packed, inspirational, or military themes can spark the imagination and be a source of replenishment, as can engagement in activism on behalf of a specific cause or ideal. Those with the IC in Aries may also find that they really enjoy learning about and practicing New Thought philosophies and approaches to life. Head and facial massages for both adults and children with an Aries IC can be especially soothing.

Children: Children with their IC in Aries find that they relax best by being active! It might sound a bit paradoxical, but exercising, adventures — especially adventures that include a physical component — and competitive endeavors are all sources of fun, relaxation, and even unwinding for these kids. Sports and athletic activities are a great place for children with their IC in Aries to “get out of their heads” and into their bodies.

What to watch out for: Can we have too much of a good thing? In the case of the IC, we can, and it usually manifests as a move from feeling relaxed or replenished by an activity to feeling compelled or addicted to repeat the activity again and again. In the case of the Aries IC, one of the things to beware of is a Mars-inspired desire to optimize everything all of the time. This is not necessary, possible, or needed, so do remember to let it go and not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

Taurus

Adults: Those who have Taurus at the IC find good food, pleasure, chilling out on the sofa with Netflix, gardening, and making art relaxing. These folks tend to be experts at releasing stress and replenishing themselves, but they may also be extremely picky about what their practices are. Massage, physical affection of all kinds, and plenty of time outdoors are essential ingredients for those who have Taurus at the IC. Sensual experiences and plenty of time for sex and lovemaking are also important medicines for replenishment for those born with the IC in Taurus.

Children: Gardening, growing houseplants, and collecting rocks or crystals so that they may be arranged and displayed around the home will bring deeper calmness and rejuvenation for children with Taurus at the IC. Sculpture, pottery, and singing are also great activities to relax and replenish these little ones!

What to watch out for: Taurus IC individuals can get really sedentary and overly self-indulgent when they are out of balance. Chilling out and resting replenishes us, but a lack of movement or activity can actually become even more exhausting. Exercising discernment between relaxation and complete inactivity is always a good idea for those with this placement in their charts.

Gemini

Adults: If your IC is in Gemini, then reading, writing, thinking, learning, and discussing ideas are all relaxing to you, and school probably felt like a safe haven! These individuals are the ones with huge piles of books on their bedside tables, as well as journals and pens for writing. Gemini at the IC encourages us to replenish ourselves through verbally connecting with others, and if we can think about something or learn something new while doing so, all the better.

Children: Children with Gemini at the IC find relaxation in social settings. You will want to take other points of the child’s chart into consideration (as always) to determine what kind of social setting will leave them feeling replenished (a big group vs. a one-on-one playdate, for instance), but being with a friend will leave them feeling relaxed and energized. Those with this placement often find themselves to be at ease at school, so if you notice that your child loves being at school, this might well be why! Handicrafts like sewing, weaving, embroidery, or playing a musical instrument are also especially reinvigorating for these children.

What to watch out for: Those with this placement in their chart tend to be comfortable with being perpetual students, so it is likely they will be surrounded by half-finished books and not-yet-started courses, culminating in a feeling of being scattered and lacking discipline. Committing to one project at a time and engaging with it thoroughly before picking up something new is the solution to this conundrum.

Cancer

Adults: Cancer’s natural home is in the territory of the IC, so this is native ground for the celestial Crab. Adults with this placement find that tending to hearth and home relax and replenish them. For these adults, their homes (and especially their bedrooms) are very important. Cooking is a great way to unwind, as is creating new ways to beautify the home and make it more of a sanctuary. Spending time under the Moon and reading, writing, or listening to poetry are also part of the medicine that these individuals crave.

Children: Children with this placement like to be home, and they like to sleep and rest. They take the rest and de-stress part of the IC quite literally! They enjoy low-key experiences and often like to experiment in the kitchen, so making sure that they have access to the kitchen and the kitchen supplies is a good idea. Reading and reciting poems is a delightful activity for these children — also talking, thinking, and learning about their dreams and nighttime visions. These children also respond well to home-honoring rituals like house blessings.

What to watch out for: If you have Cancer at the IC, you might notice that there is another, sometimes more sinister way that you find relaxation, which is figuring out all of the ways that you can make yourself, your home, your family, and the world more secure. Privacy and security are big Cancerian values, but we always need to be just as aware of what we are locking in as we are of what we are locking out.

Leo

Adults: I sometimes think that celebrity gossip magazines were made for those with this placement! Learning about celebrities, Hollywood, fame, or any about-to-happen trend is the happy place for adults with Leo at the IC. Making art (the messier the better), trying out different hairstyles (Lions love their manes!), and shopping are also ways that Leo IC folks can find ease, replenishment, and relaxation. Heart massages and attending plays, performances, and concerts are also all good with the IC in Leo.

Children: These children find their relaxation in being social with other children, socializing both online and off, watching movies, and relishing in their personal sense of style and luxury. Making art with bright, vivid colors; trying on makeup; covering themselves with jewelry (because children love talismans); and practicing their performance chops are also ways that these children replenish themselves.

What to watch out for: Those with Leo at the IC love to shop and they are usually quite good at it. However, if individuals with this placement are experiencing challenges, they may try to shop (or perform) their way out of it, instead of doing the tough work of dealing with the feelings. If you have Leo at the IC and notice that the things that used to bring you joy no longer do so, you might want to ask yourself what is really going on.

Virgo

Adults: Ah, the Virgo IC placement. This gives us the individual who truly enjoys working – their work relaxes and revitalizes them, and they mean it when they say that! IC in Virgo folks also love to garden, tend the hearth and home, and build altars … everywhere and out of everything. These individuals can stress about their physical health, so having regular visits to the doctor is a good way to keep them feeling relaxed and secure. Writing is a creative act that those with IC in Virgo often find to be relaxing and reinvigorating. Also, it is very important that those with this placement have access to clean and uncluttered spaces, since a messy space will leave them feeling deeply drained.

Children: Just as with their adult counterparts, children with their IC in Virgo need clean spaces. These little ones love calendars and planners, and (when younger) verbally going over their daily schedules is something they find relaxing, since it makes them feel certain about what is coming and what to expect. These children often like to unwind by studying, writing, and cleaning. They often need a more quiet space in order to feel truly refreshed. Like adults with their IC in Virgo, these little ones will often busy themselves with altar building — even if they do not consciously realize that is what they are doing — and their arrangements, once made, will be sacred to them. In other words, do not touch!

What to watch out for: Those with IC in Virgo can suffer from a fixation on purity and cleanliness, so that a home or room (or even themselves) is seen to be never as clean as it could or should be. Cleanliness and purity are part of the sacred medicine for IC in Virgo, but going overboard will lead to the opposite of rest and relaxation.

Libra

Adults: I think of this as the snuggle placement. Adults with their IC in Libra like to be with their people, especially their romantic partners. They like to snuggle up and then talk … about art, politics, or culture. People with this placement are comfortable with getting into an intellectual debate or argument and actually find political discussions fun and enlivening. Libra at the IC can also indicate a strong comfort with (and preference for) law and order — and obeying the rules. Those with this placement find social engagements and parties relaxing and are fed by beauty and culture. Like those with Leo at the IC, they can also unwind by shopping. Both children and adults with Libra at the IC are often comfortable with gender fluidity and may experiment or enjoy being around others who do so.

Children: Children with the IC in Libra will be fed by being in social situations with other children who can keep up with them intellectually and talk to them about interesting topics. They unwind by being in places where beauty and knowledge are emphasized, such as museums of art or natural history. These children often have a “best friend,” someone who they have a strong preference for, and feel most relaxed and nourished when they are with that particular individual. As these children grow up and begin dating, that friend will often be replaced by a significant other.

What to watch out for: Libra at the IC can get comfortable with arguing, just for the sake of arguing, and can hold important issues around justice and equity at an intellectual distance without having any skin in the game. They may start impassioned discussions as a way to relieve tension and then be confused when their sparring partners remain angry or upset by the dialogue. Those with Libra at the IC need to remember that vigorous discussion is not equally soothing to all people.

Scorpio

Adults: Magic, ritual, and the sacred arts are all places where adults with this placement feel at home. These individuals are nourished by whatever is erotic, alluring, and powerful. They de-stress by investigating, reading true crime novels (or watching shows in a similar vein), investing money (allocating resources), and diving deep into both psychology and parapsychology. They are often at home and are especially comfortable with themes around death, dying, sex, magic, and religion, so they feel replenished by these subject areas. Often they are also very nourished by being in the dark and can be quite affected by artificial lighting.

Children: Attending a church, temple, mosque, or another religious center is a nourishing experience for children with Scorpio at the IC. These little ones like to investigate and learn secrets (and are usually pretty good about keeping them); they are drawn to paranormal stories and often have an interest in magic and the occult. Children with this placement relax best in quiet and dark settings.

What to watch out for: Fixating on specific people/situations is something that Scorpio energy feeds on, so those with this placement need to stand strong in a moderate approach to life and especially avoid fixating on getting revenge for real (or imagined) wrongs.

Sagittarius

Adults: Wanderlust is the key to relaxation when the IC is in Sagittarius. Those with that placement find that discovering new places, ideas, cultures, people, and ways of life is one of the most soothing and replenishing activities. When travel is not possible (looking at you, 2020), then smaller day trips away from home and plenty of time spent outside can do the trick. These individuals also often feel quite at home at colleges, universities, non-profit or religious institutions and can relax with ease into teaching or learning.

Children: Children with this placement like to explore and learn about new places and things, just as their adult counterparts do. They often have an affinity for horseback-riding and/or archery and may be interested in lessons for either (or both) as a way to unwind. These little ones love spirituality and mythology, so an afternoon spent learning about those topics that turns into an evening where they are then teaching their parents or friends is an ideal way for them to replenish. Another activity that relaxes them is listening to stories.

What to watch out for: The individual who finds rest in activity, travel, and discovery can easily become stretched too thin. When that happens for those with Sagittarius at the IC, they tend to shed that inner filter that we all have, and their words can be especially blunt and painful.

Capricorn

Adults: When the IC is in Capricorn, there is a similar vibe as with the IC in Virgo — these people love to work, and it actually relaxes them. But with Capricorn, it is more specific: These individuals love the competition around work and life in general. Competing and being the best is where they locate ease and enjoyment. They embrace the idea of the rat race. Capricorn at the IC means that these individuals are most comfortable when they are taking on difficult tasks and mastering them through will and discipline. They make room for what is hard and uncomfortable because those things replenish their souls. Those with the IC in Capricorn also often find that mountains and high elevations soothe and inspire them.

Children: Children with their IC in Capricorn like “playing grownup” best of all. These children are refreshed and relaxed when they get to pretend that they are going to work, getting married, or buying a car. Playing the boss allows them to cope with stress and be reinvigorated. They also appreciate and have an affinity for shiny objects like medals and trophies, and developing skills with an eye to outer success and triumph is an essential medicine for them. These little ones also need to be outside quite a bit and, like their adult counterparts, often thrive in mountainous places.

What to watch out for: I have noticed that, when people have Capricorn at the IC, they have a unique challenge. The things that these folks find relaxing, in many cases, go against the conventional wisdom about relaxation and releasing stress. So, it’s not uncommon to see a person with Capricorn at the IC trying to enjoy a day off from work … and failing miserably and being stressed out to boot. Leaning in is exactly how those with this placement relax; know this, and stand firm in that knowledge.

Aquarius

Adults: Adults with this placement find that they relax in groups and communities, venues with loud music, alternative art scenes, and by reading science fiction stories. These individuals are comfortable making other people uncomfortable, and they are often found at the forefront of marches and picket lines, since activism in the name of social justice is something that makes them feel refreshed and inspired. Technology is also a great source of medicine for those with this placement, and they are often at the forefront of what is happening in the world of technology and happy to fiddle with various gadgets for hours on end.

Children: Children with their IC in Aquarius find that they are comfortable in groups of people — and the more different people there are, the better. These little ones love to read and especially focus on stories that have a fantasy or sci-fi element. They are often gifted writers as well, and writing can be a way for them to process their feelings and ideas. These kiddos are comfortable being rebellious for a cause; they typically find medicine in loud noises and rock or punk music and are interested and soothed by alternative culture and futurism.

What to watch out for: The natural affinity toward groups and communities can carry children and adults with an Aquarian IC into some interesting places. That, paired with the fixed qualities of that sign, can lead those with this placement to stay longer in a group than they need to or refuse to see the problems that have developed in a group. Objectivity and a good friend or family member who can point out any issues that arise can be a boon in situations like this.

Pisces

Adults: Adults with their IC in Pisces find relaxation in the arts. Playing an instrument, dancing, or engaging in the visual arts can soothe the souls of these individuals. Attending regular religious or spiritual services is also a source of powerful medicine for those with this placement. Tending their dreams, developing their psychic abilities, engaging in bathing rituals, and being around water can all be activities that promote the reduction of stress and anxiety.

Children: Children with this placement love to lose themselves in the world of make believe, and “playing pretend” is one of the most enjoyable things they can do to relax and unwind. Like the adult version of this placement, these little ones love to play musical instruments, dance, or otherwise engage in creative and visual arts. They often love telling stories and hearing stories told to them.

What to watch out for: Those with Pisces at the IC can be excellent escape artists, doing their best to swim away from anything that is not easy, comfortable, or compelling. They are comfortable quitting jobs on the spot, leaving relationships without ever formally breaking up, and even relocating on the fly. However, detachment and unattachment are two different things, and those with this placement should always discern between them.

In conclusion, my hope for all of you, grownups and children alike, is that this autumn be full of fun and perhaps just a bit less stressful, now that you have gotten to know the root of your chart, the source of sweet medicine and replenishment, the incredible Imum Coeli.

Images:
Tree: Image by FelixMittermeier from Pixabay
Active children: Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay
Gardening: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

First published in: The Mountain Astrologer, Aug/Sep 2021.

Author:
Briana Saussy is a teacher, spiritual counselor, storyteller, and founder of the Sacred Arts Academy, where she teaches magic, divination, ceremony and other Sacred Arts for everyday life. She is the author of Making Magic: Weaving Together the Everyday and the Extraordinary, and Star Child: Joyful Parenting Through Astrology. She lives in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas with her husband, two sons, and a variety of furred and feathered friends. Learn more about her work at www.brianasaussy.com

© 2021 - Briana Saussy

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