Embrace What Defines You?
Saw this the other day and at first thought it was really cool.
Yes, of course. But is it for real? What if the thing or person defining you is not really you? Should anything define you? If only self-definition is appropriate, then what?
And then i thought the “you should” is a bit dictatorial.
I’m thinking i’m not profound enough to get this.
Any of you philosophical peeps out there have a better clue on this than me?
Yes, cite your astro-deets; it will prove illuminating, as always.
You should embrace that which defines you…….
Usually people are defined by negative circumstances; a failure, an injury, an unfortunate event….
Overcoming that perhaps means that you must fully accept/embrace the circumstances….
Be comfortable with it, turning negative into neutral, maybe even something positive…..
And if all that defines you is only positive, well all the more reason to embrace/be grateful for it.
I think its profound because it can be applied to any circumstance.
moon in sag.
Those were my thoughts too. I thought it was more about self-acceptance. Like you have to love and embrace yourself before you can make positive changes.
Sagg Asc.
Oh yes, no self-loathing, more self understanding and that includes the bad stuff you are bound to keep within you all bundled up and hiding.
I see it as being about self-acceptance and about reframing our negative traits and experiences and turning them into positive, life-affirming moments. Kind of like how modern astrology talks about Saturn in terms of growth and awareness instead of just obstacles out to thwart us.
But then again a bucket load of Scorpio in my chart says that it’s crap to think that way. To embrace what defines me simply means that I know who I am and I’m content with that. Yes, I am resilient and strong, but that is only one part of me. Shit happens, but overcoming shit does not define who I am as a whole person.
Scorpio Sun, Sag Rising, Virgo Moon
“You hear words long enough,
you start to believe,
the seeds people sow,
the tapestries weaved.
The fear that they’re right haunts your soul,
never leaves.”
It is part of a verse from lyrics I wrote long ago called “The Mirror”. Interesting synchronicity finding this blog while I am currently trying to disengage and detangle myself from an emotionally and spiritually abusive situation in which others attempt to impose their definition of me, upon me. It is a situation that is but another chapter of a life long psychodrama. What I have learned from it all, many of the qualities in myself that I do take pride in surfaced or came into being as a result of all those many, many struggles. So in embracing what defines me, I have redefined myself and taken my power back. As always, it is a work in progress, but hopefully now the work is moving forward instead of circles.
Pisces Sun, Cancer Rising, Taurus Moon
I’m not feeling it; I think the initial appeal is all aesthetic and maybe “define” is one of those words that resonates these days, but the message is actually kind of restrictive in my opinion. To the cynical extreme, it’s saying that you don’t have the agency to define yourself… instead, it’s about the stuff youve accumulated. “dress the part” maybe. It actually might be good advice for job interviews.
It sounds like a prelude to an advertisement for some sort of wanky item like a watch or a car or I dunno aftershave. It has a male feel about it and of course it’s ridiculous to me. Aqua, Sag Rising, Aries Moon. Defined? As what? By whom?
I think I get it. Embrace that which defines you today, for tomorrow that definition may not fit. Embrace it and allow it to define you only for as long as it needs to because, like any embrace, it must end, and you must respect that. Embrace it today so you may let it go tomorrow and continue growing.
(Sun conjunct Neptune and Uranus in Cap, first house. Pluto is about to start crossing all three, starting with Neptune. Can you tell?? Oh, and Sagg rising.)
Brilliant interpretation.
Hmmmm that sounds like a shopping credo to me, and a recipe for adding clutter to my life! Feels wrong.
I share what defines me… not the other way round.
Maybe it’s awkwardly trying to say “Love thyself” ???
Aqua Sun, Venus/Moon conjunct in Sagg
I like that….
I share what defines me.
Way I see it is you would be in denial if you didn’t acknowledge what defines you. And why merely acknowledge when you could embrace instead?
If you don’t like it then don’t let it define you.
Anytime a person begins, “You should” – STOP. Right there.
I hate unsolicited advice. Mottos sound rather like it, too. I get angry when i hear people telling others what to do, especially the vulnerable. Freedom to make your mistakes, change your mind and discover life for yourself is the greatest gift… Uranus in Libra 11th trine Venus in Aqua 3rd
I’m a mutable (all angular houses) – tell me what defines me and you’re simply starting an argument, oh er discussion. If i tell you what defines me, hearing my own words makes me change my mind (Piscean Sun, multiplanet Sag, Sag rising, Lilith Pluto Virgo)
Plus, i remember reading about walking wounds – people who define themselves by their wounding experiences. It’s a stage of healing, naming the pain, that many people never grow out of. After i learned to name the wound, this resonated with me as a caution not to allow it to dominate my definition of self (Chiron conjunct Mercury in Aries). Naming your happiness could be like that: if you name it you limit yourself to it (Saturn in Taurus). Embracing it is all very well but be prepared to let go. Hopefully for something bigger and better (Sag Moon, Jupiter in Sag, Neptune in Sag).
Woundology, I believe it’s called. The systematic study of your Wounds.
“people who define themselves by their wounding experiences”….Hate to admit it but I think I have done this at many stages of my life. Time to get rid of this bad habit once and for all. Thanks.
Walking wounds – I think someone termed that being a “Dry Drunk” in that at times we can actually be addicted to our wounds and can’t foster an identity beyond that.
That was definitely one of my concerns post Sewerage, like would I hold on to that as righteousness? Even if at times, it’s a great reminder I can survive other things – after all we can’t help but compare to prior difficulties in an effort to navigate new ones, I like to think that it’s both embracing the wound and the healing.
In any case, we’re not all just defined by large, profound and cosmic events, sometimes the seemingly tiny things can have that effect.
To me, it means Own your Freak
I like your take on it.
I think mutables will have trouble identifying what defines them. Earth and fixed signs have a better idea.
Let your freak flag unfurl!
Unfurl…Such a great word.
What i was going to say except it wouldve taken me 3 paragraphs!
I really enjoyed enneagrams for a while. The different personality types can function in lo and haute ways, but their essence is the point. So ‘own your essence’ is what I see here.
And how about the more difficult embrace of someone you don’t really understand? Or something you fear or resist? Far more important.
Hmmm. I resonated at first glance and then felt like something was ‘off’ with this little ‘should-which’.
We could look at it like a Zen koan…noticing what de-fines us, or where we’ve been confined by someone else’s definition of us (or of life), etc.
If we embrace what we find, we release our resistance to it (and in so doing reclaim our power … very Mars Rx). Very martial arty.
Aqua Sun, Gemini Moon, Taurus Rising & Venus in Saj in the 8th.
now that’s far more comfortable! embrace to release… i’m a former martial artist or does it ever fade
really flimsy badly designed graphic mumbo jumbo junk. I automatically also eliminate any advice with the word embrace in it. The world would be a better place without all this wordy flotsam and jetsam, its like bad babelfish translation of the once earnest now redundant. beeekkkkkkk!!!!!!! aqua sun virgo rising venus in pisces moon in taurus.
I’m thinking… There are things that increase your “definition” or “tone” as a person. Eg. things you do that refine you, make you a shinier, more “you” version of you – embrace those things (for me it’s physical/spiritual pursuits, travel etc). Could also be.. The definitions others impose – sometimes you need to observe those definitions to know what/who you’re NOT. Embrace those things too – they are valuable in gaining self knowledge. Reminds me of the quote “Some people are molded by their admirations, others by their hostilities”
Lost me at ‘you should’…
Taurus/Aries rising
I am beyond definition. – Aqua/Leo/Sag.
What makes the word “triumphant” different from “celebratory?” Their definitions. Defining characteristics are those that make you different. It’s simply saying embrace those things that make you different from the rest. Which is totally true. As soon as you start “normalizing,” you begin to remove the best parts of you.I don’t think it’s meant to mean anything ore than that.
That being said, I am the shallow wordsmith of the zodiac and a marketer.
– Gem Sun, Gem/Canc Rising Scorp Moon.
To me it feels negative. Like you should embrace the things that are wrong with you or the things you aren’t happy with because this makes you the whole person that you are. But that just feels like giving in to me.
Plus define is a very narrow word, I don’t think we deserve to be defined into some sort of square or within limitations. We can be so many things with multiple meanings and purposes and (hopefully) we are always growing.
Skeptical of all that sweetly fading and blurry light in the background too. Way to staged.
Leo sun, mercury, mars/ aqua rising/ cancer moon
“The water in a vessel is sparkling; the water in the sea is dark. The small truth has words which are clear; the great truth has great silence.”
dont mistake the semblance of poingnancy with actual poignancy. Ever since this passage in catch 22, where nately is telling an old man(the shameful opurtunist) who owns a brothel that it is better to die on ones feet then to live on ones knees, then the old man told him he had it backword, its better to live on your feet then die on your knees, at that point I realized that nothing means anything as far as popular sayings go, if you look you can find good quotes that justify anything
It is all too ambiguous to put a finger on what this means.
you mean… what I mean?
I don’t know what it’s supposed to mean — if anything. It’s actually annoying come t think of it. (Multiple conjunct Scorp, Cappy Asc and Moon)
Zen Koan to be meditated upon.
Embrace what makes you different. Love and accept yourself including anything that you others may find as negative.
It makes you an individual.
Let your freak flag unfurl.
Virgo Sun
Scorpio Rising
Pisces Moon
It’s pretty straight forward, not sure how it could confuse anyone.
Yeah I agree. I think mutables & air signs just like to debate and complicate things just for the hell of it.
ha ha! maybe!
embracing – i.e. taking a hold of something that is there, and not only being okay with it, but full-on taking it in. But what to identify yourself as? Definitive things can include everything from what has happened to you to whom you have had in your life up to the now… basically a big Thank You to the universe for all that you have become. The author is making a supportive statement toward celebrating individuality, and possibly to tell the person to not fight what qualities you may not love about yourself, but to instead be appreciative of the entire being of yourself and how you contribute to the world. I bet the author wouldn’t take a liking to the Gita’s teachings because this is telling us to divide ourselves from everyone and rejoice in what is “us”. Is being “us” really the best choice after all? Why not strive to be better or love others for our connections? Supporting ego-centrism a lil maybe… nonetheless, if it helps people to be less upset about how important you are then whateva, go with it.
Sun- Aqua Rising- Sag Moon- Cap
Apart from being dictatorial, the ‘you should’ is effectively redundant and the statement would have more ‘punch’ without it. (Gem Sun + Mercury, Leo Moon, Cap Asc).
Why let anything define you, just be. The rest is an ego trip.
If this is some other way of encouraging self acceptance, sure I get that. But like some of the others, I am learning to steer clear of ‘shoulds’. I don’t like being pressured into anything even if it is in self acceptance…
Back off should!
Gem Sun, Moon & Venus + Pisces Rising
Defines you? We are immense, nothing in that little ad campaigner’s mind could define us. Trotting around imagining you are so very different is pure ego. Many delightful individuals are way beyond that.
Virgo sun/Aries rising/Gemini moon
My feeling is that the active part of this statement is the embrace, not so much the define. So long as we are embracing the self, then the manner in which we self-define flows from that… eg, we are more likely to be accepting (of ourself and others), loving, generous, etc. Similarly, if we struggle against ourselves, in turn that approach manifests a different self-definition. Yes, I do find the imperative ‘should’ somewhat repulsive (Sun and Mars/Mercury conjunct in Sagg, Moon in Gemini), I still feel as though the message is ultimately a positive one.
I’m thinking this is not the sort of art to be picked apart by Virgo, as spirited by Mars. A few months ago I may have seen this, given a vague nod, and saved it to some loosely inspirational image folder. Today, I write it off a lazy hipster art; uninvestigated copy by the creator, and as ephemeral as the content streamed on a tumblr dashboard.
That sounds a bit harsher than I intend it. Maybe.
Virgo Sun · Aquarius Moon · Aries Rising
I dunno, it seems a bit meaningless to me, like its wanting to sound profound and interesting and important, but actually says nothing, and I don’t think its even that beautiful a sentence, its kind of clumsy. “You should embrace that which defines you”. The words and meaning are awkward. “you should” – says who? the graphic designer? And embracing that which defines you… like others have said, isn’t this a bit ambiguous, given that many things you want to ditch can define your current existence, or define how others perceive you? Nah it’s crap
Sag Sun/Asc, Aqua moon
My response:
http://i.imgur.com/9LeCE.jpg
Warning: Persons sensitive to ugly graphics should probably not look at this. It was painful for me as a Taurus to even look at this, let alone create it.
Charles, can you create a more ‘aesthetically pleasing’ response for those of us who are sensitive to ugly graphics?! Something a ‘luxury loving libran would love’…
I’ve had quite a taxing day & after your warning, i cant bare to look. Soz.
Oh it’s not that bad, at least, not much worse than the original I’m parodying.
Yours, Charles, would go on my wall, if i ever put a poster up. At least it cracks me up. In fact, my erudite colleagues would prob have a good giggle. Would you mind if i printed it?
no way
we are infinite, limitless beings and nothing can define us since we’re pure Spirit 
“embrace what defines you” sounds very limiting…or is it just my Saggitarian Moon talkin’? 
Ok, I’ll go hug myself.
ALWAYS COME FROM THE HEART. THAT IS MY DEFINITION FOR ALL THAT I AM, SO IN HONOR OF WHAT IT TELLS ME, I CONCUR.
‘SHOULD’, ‘OUGHT TO’, OR ‘MUST’, … IT ALL MEANS THE SAME TO A PERSON OF HEARTFELT ACTIONS. I LOVE IT ALL!
Invite into and maintain in your life that which strengthens your sense of self.
In other words: love the things that strengthen your feeling of identity and being. People are often into self-denial; they bear the judgments of others and refuse to face their hidden feelings, fears, dreams, etc. Very often we invest in negative things which destroy our sense of self, and we forget who we are and our purpose.
The point is not just to embrace the things that shape you from the outside through experience. The point is to love your traits/qualities/etc and nurture them.
Give yourself a hug? It sounds like one of those self love mantras to me…..either that or a marketing ploy. :p
This discussion reminds me of a conversation I had with my 8 year old recently. He came up to me with a problem. Dad, what would be harder to create from scratch, a human body or a time machine ? After my initial ‘surprise’ at the question, I was about to respond to him , when he said. Don’t worry Dad, a human body is a time machine…..
I swear my brain synapses tingled and I understood something (not sure what) that I didn’t see clearly before. (I still processing it actually).
So I suppose a statement like the one above could be like a neat 8 shaped code that unlocks something but in itself is meaningless. ??
Love this.
So you have spawned a genius – i love that
Beautiful.
Embrace the things that press on you so hard, you think your head is going to crack open like a cantaloupe.
Tell your husband/wife/mother/father/brother/sister/lover/boss, whatever they’re lobbing at you with the speed of a slingshot to the solar plexus must be karmic, and you’ll deal with it yourself with a call to the master therapist.
(Don’t actually tell them that because it will just empower them to continue but deal with it yourself on your day off.)
To the chick who said her stress is caused 100% by her husband, honestly, ” Is your ponytail too tight ?”
Don’t blame the weather, just dress for it.
Transcend is one of my favourite words. Easy to spell, hard to do but worth the effort.
The following interpretation should be read bearing in mind my natal Pluto/Sun conjunction in Libra. That which defines you is literally your ‘de-finis’ – that which marks the end of you; that is, your death, or what Martin Heidegger refers to more poetically as your “own-most possibilty”. Accordingly, accepting (embracing) death (or change?) is the only way for you to be authentically you. Whilst no one can legitimately demand this of another (that is, say to another ‘you should…’), when we are able to demand it of ourselves, we will find ourselves in a position to be the ‘you’ that is at once the subject and the object of this demand.
Oops, I didn’t mean make this post anonymously.
Agree with many perspectives here.
But literally had to tell someone one time, “you are trying to define me”.
Funny what the shaky ego will do when insecure.
Cappo Moon and Veenie-Neptune were patient and compassionate for years.
Then Aries had to lower the boom.
it’s funny to think about this quote in relation to astrology– the idea that we all identify our sun signs, moons, venuses, etc. and then try to define ourselves by analyzing each of these signs and planets and their relationships to each other, the houses they’re in, etc. And then in many of our posts on this blog, we attribute the basis of our comments to our signs– like “oh i said this or i like this because my sun is in virgo”… you know? or “i am like this because my venus is in leo”… it’s like we embrace our birth charts and the definitions of ourselves that the signs in our charts denote… or maybe we don’t always embrace them, but plenty of the time it seems like we think about these definitions with some sort of emotion.
You bring up a good point, Anon, as I retreat at times when I feel I’ve been defined (by self or otherwise) by too may archetypes (when I’m pissed I consider then stereotypes…lol)..
But in my near 53 years, I’ve found them to ring true and so I’m gonna own it…for now. x
Yes, an interesting point.
Overall I don’t see anything wrong with anyone defining (or not) in astro or any regard. The trick is to know when the definition has become an excuse or justification.
Still in the humaness of things I daresay we are all vulnerable to experiencing this. The positive aspect is it provides insight, greater learning and unravelling of the intricate multi-layered selves we all are. Defined to an extent but never absolutely.
I guess the only caution I consider is the more one defines something the more rigid and absolute the definition becomes..by default possibly making change or adjustment difficult even if it’s based on positive definition. Always easy to see this idea when we’re talking about negative definitions.. less so when the definition is percieved as positive, helpful or necessary etc…
Yes, wonderfully put SE.
Afterall, there comes a point in our evolution where we will feel like we are dying (only to be reborn) and in that Light, there can be no definiton.
This is known as the crucifixion (of the ego).
For those who might want to venture further, this is symbolized by Christ on the cross of the four directions as at that time, when his Soul decended more fully into his body, his consciousness was expanded in all directions of creation.
And then He was reborn without the editing voice of the ego.
There are no thoughts unless one wants to think them.
oh and ironically i have no idea which planets and signs i should add to the bottom of my post above to give some reference or explanation as to why i typed what i did… but virgo sun, scorpio moon, aqua 29 degrees rising (so pisces rising? love-hate having an ambiguous rising sign)
“(so pisces rising? love-hate having an ambiguous rising sign)”
Haha Anon!!!… that is hilarious considering Neptune is on your Asc.
Aint no defining going on there for a bit!
being undefinable defines me. I embrace being changable (Sagittarian Moon 5th to IC, Virgo 1st).
Errrrr… with only a matter of days until Neptune is out of Aqua AND with the ruler of my chart (Cap Rising ie: Saturn) having gone retro on my Mercury (sabian symbol: a 3rd wing on the left side of a butterfly), I’m lucky if i can get any kind of ‘defining’ going on here, at all.
This is the least ‘Defined’ (despite the Saturn/Merc transit) I’ve been in a long time. If i were any more ‘vague’ than i am today, I’d float right off the planet.
My progressed Sun now within a degree of my natal Neptune possibly isnt helping matters…
But regardless, I’m with Millie… Cant stand being told anything!!… especially “You should…”.
(Natal Sun, Merc & Uranus all conj in Lib & 10th H, trine Mars & Nth Node in Aqua).
The second i hear “You should…” It makes me think of the quote: “If you meet the Buddha on the path, kill him”. (Although being a Libran i dont condone violence)
I tend to equate ‘should’ with people who like to see themselves as ‘Guru’s'… AND quite frankly i dont believe in either.
Individuate.
What you let define you…integrating your fragmented parts of yourself from your emotional experiences, a soul integration. Bring all the denied parts home, embrace them, heal them to become whole and integrate your soul…
fuq em all and define yourself i say, depending on how you’re feeling on the day, of course, never be too fixed or whatever, and only embrace any external definitions of you that: ‘yes’ make you feel your awesomest self…it’s all invented by someone, so you might as well be your own creation lol
I would have thought it was like ying and yang i.e. embrace all of yourself, even the characteristics least favourable as they still serve a purpose (within reason of course).
this has turned into a really sagacious set of thoughts -
Definition is distiction. What makes us/me distinct? What do others see? If someone were to draw me with words, what picture would emerge? Are we being distinct in our lives?
“Embrace what defines me” is unnecessary to someone clearly defined (knows who they are and expresses it well) and maybe more helpful to someone choosing/learning what defines them. So the saying is helpful or eyerolling depending.
Embrace that which defines you… well, it’s simiply a reminder to hold and cherish those unique aspects of you and not shun or ignore them.
The word that was poorly chosen and not even necessary.
The higher mind aspect behind it denotes that you’d identify your gifts, dig them our of the graves you might have buried them in and ressurect them, be brave enough to hold them when other’s reject them, be caring enough of yourself to encourage yourself to seek them if unidentified amid what you consider to be the ordinaryiness of you etcs…
‘Should’ was the redundant word
It sounds a bit like a wanky sound-bite from a slightly new age NGO that is concerned with alinging your ‘true self’ with ‘core business values’ that really ‘unleash your passon’. Embrace whatever you want, whenever you want – ultimately all experience defines a particular point or feeling of the person we are or were … but saying that one ‘should’ seems to create this unecessary pressure to categorise onself .
Perhaps unsurprisingly, I’m Pisces Sun, Libra Asc, Gemini Moon. All about fluidity of self and identity.
why? why “should” i embrace that which “defines” me? what is it in you (the creator of this image) that needs to tell me what i should do? does it define YOU to tell me what i “should” do…satisfy a need for control in you?
furthermore, the “definition” of “myself” denotes having to delineate me/not me…which i find problematic.
^virgo sun, capricorn rising, gemini moon.