Brilliant news! I’ve found the impending hottest New Age trend for Neptune in Aries. Have you heard of the ‘Toilet Concubine Spirit‘?
I’ve been into Feng-Shui-ish and Housewitchery things for ages without hearing about this Shinto/Taoist/Chinese folk religion phenom so I’m stunned.
It’s even weirder that Marie Kondo, who bought Shinto philosophy to mainstream ‘western’ consumers en mass, hasn’t rolled out a product range themed around placating/connecting with the Toilet Concubine Spirit yet.
I’m only being a little bit facetious – I can see that it wouldn’t play so well as ‘Spark Joy’ and the more aesthetic/minimalist vibes of the Kon-Mari method. Kondo is authentic and a clever businesswoman (Sun conjunct Mercury in Libra with Mars conjunct Jupiter in Capricorn) – so she has no doubt sagely gauged the limits of the Kon-Mari offering.
Keep only what sparks joy or utilitarian, don’t let your bathroom containers become petri dish experiments and set up your surroundings for your current self are all easy sells, especially with a bonus designer rock for burning Japanese equilibrium incense.
But bonding with the apparently always angry-at-first Toilet Concubine Spirit? It’s a tricky franchise offering and Hekate help us all if council inspectors get involved.
Even so, if Neptune in Aries materializes as full-scale astral-tourism and metaphysical one-upmanship, someone is going to have to up the ante and go there with this. I can see various Real Housewives & perhaps the more out-there celebs getting into it big-time – consider the following factors:
*The Toilet Concubine Spirit is a kind of Lilith-like spirit called the Purple Lady aka Zigu Shen. She has many other names and story variations but essentially this deity repesents a scapegoated female who another woman blamed for her husband’s infidelities – this is not exactly unheard of. In fact, it is one of the most enduring societal themes, unfortunately.
As Joseph Campbell said, “a myth is not something that never happened – it is happening all the time.” In this case, the wife was an Empress who murdered the poor girl – yes, in the toilet, even though she hadn’t even wanted to be appointed the Emperor’s umpteenth mistress. Long story short, she became deified and a patron to concubines, amongst others.
*Zigu (aka Zhi Gou) – aka the Purple Lady – evidently materializes swathed in soft lilac clouds and responds to violet bouquets or scent – this is not a massive aesthetic stretch. How many toilet cleaners are already this color or close to it?
*Although the Toilet Concubine Spirit is big in Japan and also China, the concept of lavatory gods runs through the backstory of many cultures. For example, the Ancient Romans had a Toilet Goddess called Cloacina – it means the purifier – and their sewer system was named after her.
*Over time the Toilet Concubine Spirit became more of an oracle, inspiring profound realizations to people who approached her correctly and even automatic writing! Her specific ceremony takes place on the 15th day of the first lunar month which I believe is February – this would put an entirely new spin on Valentine’s Day, right? “Give me all the gypsophila and chocolate, I’ll be worshipping in the toilet shine today.”
*Keeping this room pretty to honor the dishonored ones is a kind of plutonic concept and interestingly, Pluto and Scorpio (the sign it rules) are both traditionally associated with the organs of elimination.
We certainly visit the loo more often than anyone goes to a temple or church so why not take a moment to appease or honor this archetype then? It’s such a thrillingly strange and subversive concept.
I’m emailing Marie Kondo to ask when this more advanced form of Shinto is coming out or…should we just wing it according to our own cultural background? Have any of you ever sensed the presence of a rightfully wrathful concubine in your toilet?
Or more seriously, found a measure of contemplation in your ‘process’?
Image: Le Sorelle
I find that my most vivid time travel feelings happen in the bathroom at the house where I’m staying. It was my childhood home so my memory of myself alone in the bathroom at a very young age is ridiculously powerful.
The last of 8 children with multiple others around all the time, the loo was the only personal sanctuary I had. Individuation and self sufficiency happened and I find that seeing myself in the mirror wrapping myself in a towel after a shower is the difference, now I’m taller, self aware.
After getting the report whose name I can’t currently remember, the bathroom is on the second floor, exactly east putting it on my virgo ascendant with pluto hanging out in my first house.
Having recently had a full mastectomy I moved myself to the first floor which has the same placement of bathroom but a stand-up shower. not as pretty a bathroom, a medical shower chair, very cold and dark.
There’s so much about seeking solace in bathrooms in my memory bank I could depend the whole day …
And bathroom dreams, holy crap so many. Those are all communal baths though…
The kaleidoscope keeps moving so I can’t think on this for long but it’s brilliant.
1000 Shinto deities? 10,000? 1,000,000?
To heal all these relationships WOULD take eternity.
The other woman trope… le sigh.
Astral magic.
I did a lot of shifting after I got this report and I might have accidentally opened a wormhole, soz.
An 8th house aries person will definitely be the go to for a loo-lore cult.
I think I should be thanking my Jupiter in Scorpio every day, lol, for blessing me with amazing bathroom juju 😀 It’s the only room in our house we’ve renovated (Pisces husband), and I love to daydream while showering (Neptune in Sag). Have come up with some amazing ideas in the loo!
On October 1st, I cleaned the drains in my shower room and toilet rooms with vinegar, baking soda and pine oil soft soap, and I spent about 4 hours doing it. I like keeping the drains clear and clean. I can’t help but think that this delightful post is also related to the recent Virgo Full Moon (which transited my 6th house). It was like a delayed Full Moon Meditation.
The idea that there’s an angry Goddess related to the toilet reminds me of “Mourning Myrle” in Harry Potter. Still, it makes perfect sense that the toilet could/should/would be a Shrine. A clean toilet/wash basin/shower/bathroom/floor is a wonderful thing. I don’t know about “a humbling experience”; the end result is actually a pleasure. Essential oils and scented candles are a must! Lavender is great but I also use other scents, too!
With new awareness of the importance of this place (like the kitchen and the importance of a clean oven and fridge, for example), going to see what my “toilet goddess” would like to have in there! There are important rituals going on in these spaces, so why not?
‘Mourning Myrtle’! I had almost forgotten 😄
I would even go so far as to say Vogue Beauty Secrets could be considered a digital shrine to her
Most certainly youv”e entered fuckdipperey of mythical invention…#givemebackmysub , and we can do myth together (art)
i learned on tiktok that many successful Japanese people will start their day cleaning the toilet. The explanation is that it’s a more humbling version of making your bed every morning but this adds another layer for sure.
celestial toilet bowl! well if there are gods of doorways and crossroads and hearths… why not the bathroom. places of worship should include not just where we renew our souls but also our mortal bodies, right?
would you believe that I make a point of having a nice bathroom space. it’s not showroom resort style, but I spent the last weekend arranging the useful things, checking exactly where to place the hooks for things… put a little bumper pad where the door hits the plaster wall. I would hope that if a young lady was wrongfully assaulted by an enraged first wife(?), she would feel safe there.
I like to have plants in the bathroom (until I get my oceanside waterfall outdoor shower, it is the best we can do), goes without saying that there are candles, I have an array of fragrance options like lavender oil, incense, and clinically efficient industrially manufactured cleaning products.
so, as far as I can tell, no wrath. unless I am taking out some frustration on the bathtub with cleaning spray, a scrubbing brush and some rubber gloves.
Your bathroom sounds like a lovely sanctuary, Sam! 🐳
Considering how old my apartment building is and how awful the bathroom is built out, I’m willing to try invoking some divine intervention in beating back the mold and lousy ventilation.
dip a scrubbing-broom in sugar soap and attack the walls/ceiling? ignite a small cauldron (heat insulated oven dish) in the shower/bathtub with cleansing frankincense smoke / your preferred aroma? a cigar while having a bubble bath? first checking location of any smoke alarms 🙂
I just looked up ‘god of fresh air breeze’ and found this info on a museum website, The Anemoi, or winds gods of Greek mythology; the four main anemoi are Boreas (North), Zephyrus (West), Notus (South) and Eurus (East); their Roman equivalents (Venti) are, respectively, Aquilo (or Aquilon), Favonius, Auster and Vulturnus. maybe one of them might assist..
Boreas and Zephyrus are partying in Forster, NSW at the moment. A real shindig!
Good idea, Sam – along the same vein there’s also Shu – the aptly named Ancient Egyptian god of Air & Wind. He was also known as the God of Peace because of his cool & calming influence. And god knows how important peace is whilst we are on our thrones, eh – ask Zigu.
Nope never sensed it … but did notice lots of those nylon crochet toilet dolls to hide the loo roll in mauve and purple in the 70s.
I do have those expensive Aesop merde drops – which is quite Virgoan and yes it does bug me label also says poo drops again so uptight Virgo
As usual on point mystic. As I have a small bathroom that includes my dunny, I chose a white ceramic back to wall model with a soft close lid when I renovated my apartment bathroom! Along with a lovely spa bath that is my private refuge. If nothing else is cleaned in my house, the porcelain throne is first on the list. I have plants – recently my dark purple African violet which was flowering! Plus devil’s ivy (neglect tolerant hardly plant you can train up your wall or let cascade in a hanging basket! I also have a phaleonpis (sp) orchid that are known for being difficult to make them repeat flower. After 2 years it is covered with buds after misting it weekly and talking to it. I’m proud of myself for nurturing it 💕 also I often light candles or incense while wallowing in my spa with bubbles and essential oils. Cup of tea/ water/wine on my bath table thingy. It’s heavenly. If my toilet gets smelly I often chuck in a pinch of bicarbonate soda and a drop of lavender oil. Plus squirt my lemon myrtle room freshener to make things nice (of course keeping the window permanently open a crack for ventilation. Always keep the lid closed! I think I’ve already been working with the toilet concubine goddess 💜💜💜
Much prefer a separate toilet! But luckily I live alone so I don’t have to take turns 😂 if guests are coming over and I cbf cleaning I do a 10 min sweep of timber floors and clean the toilet. Plus throw clutter etc. into a cupboard. I sage smudged today because I’m working up to a top to toe spring clean and declutter
Appeasing a spirit? probably getting people off their phones (hygienic reasons alone) I did a quick search on Hygeia on my chart. Sun, Hygeia and Neptune on my natal Saturn on March 17 2023-ish. Clean and pretty smelling toilets are always a bonus especially when you have visitors and a little posy doesn’t hurt either.
*17.3.2024
Heads off to buy violet scented toilet freshener
Omg this is huge information. I’ve long felt my trauma becomes intensified in certain public bathrooms.
I had one of the worst flashbacks in northern NSW and was assessed by the ambulance that was called.
Could I be sensing my own trauma wounds and that of this long gone girl too? It would make so much sense with my lived experiences.
My Mum years ago used a steak to get the dog that was responsible for biting my friend’s ear as a little girl, into our long toilet. Then called the pound so the owners of the dog were then required to erect a 6 ft high fence.
The confined spaces and the amplification of timelines through water, have always bought me to this bizarre sensation of truth telling and a hypersensitivity to hearing others wounds also.
Also see Kahlo’s self portrait of her bare feet in the tub. 😍 “what the water gave me” is the title. Cleaning rituals are very therapeutic as is a good soak in a bath or a swim in a river, pond or the sea!
Thank you lovely Gemyogi.
I adore to soak in a tub, the one here is massive and I feel it’s too big for me. Doesn’t really have a safe way to get in and out of either. I’m 6ft and it’s so impractical and kinda hurts my back more too.
I like the smaller tabs were you can put your legs up the wall and chill. I’ll be sure to look for this self portrait.
I really want to go for a swim too. My nerves and general low self esteem about my appearance make me uncomfortable.
Please do go for a swim if you can, S!
It is so healing to feel the water around you. Speaking from experience here. I was on a holiday at the seaside for the first time in a long time, last year. I only had a very ill fitting bikini with me. Also my figure is a bit less than ideal these days. But I went swimming every day anyway, because I loved it! It was for me and for me only… Took me a few decades to get to this attitude ⭐️ 🌊 ⭐️
Yes I’m hoping to find a nice location. So many people around at the moment. Needing the stillness of a night swim to get my peace within again. Decades in my skin and I feel so much shame and I’m tired of the weight and responsibilities of that. Trying to let it go and find my happiness again.
Thank you for your reply Calcifer “ill fitting bikini” now that would be a great punk rock tribute band 🤘
Oh S let go of the shame. You have no reason to feel it or carry it! Wishing you gentle healing and the cleansing ritual of water whether it be a bath, spa, ocean swim or river/creek.
Isak Dinesen: “The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.”
Sooo beautiful the Isak Dinesen quote, Gemyogi! 🙏
Let’s hear it for Ill Fitting Bikini! 👏 👏 👏
Yes 💕
The bikini body is marketing bullshit. I hate and despise the fact that are pressured to lose weight to get an acceptable (i.e. thin, waxed, fake tanned) beach ready body every summer. It’s misogyny and gaslighting to sell fucking diet and “beauty” products and oppress women. Fuck that!
You are so right, Gemyogi!
It should be about what feels good for us, instead of what looks good to others!