A reflection upon antiquities, spiritualities and deities all dwindle down into one commonality - that even 2,400 years ago, we were trying to understand just as much as we are now. Interestingly as the world reckons not only with a health crisis and the myriad of initiatives that dim the light of hope in regaining a ‘normal life’, change, however bleak it may be continues to be physically enforced in our lives and no longer in our subconscious’s wishful thinking.

Photographer Ciáran Christopher presents a parallel-timed story to the present moment, ‘Ritual Planes’, where we surrender the ‘ego’ before it is inevitably eclipsed by the pull of the ‘soul’ residing in Pluto. Pluto, the last planet of the solar-system is said to have the most reach representing our darkest desires and needs. Ciáran’s ‘planetary chess’ has Pluto (soul), in white, not domineering, yet silkily engulfing and persuading Mercury (ego), in red, to relinquish bad habits, negative behaviours, materialism and instead challenge views on power, corporations and governments. These are the life-time paradigms we’ve been forced to battle with more so now. Ciáran’s meditative story is across still waters, a river bank, which sets the calm calabash for this ritual procession. This hopefully sparks a rebirth where in order to preserve the good and the light we have to dig into our shadow sides—But this is a continuous journey of discovery by denouncing our unhealthy lust for power, but maintaining the tango of balance.

Start

Mars in Aries, Pluto in Capricorn, the encounter of the ego and the soul, the ethereal body’s expressions of truth and the physical body - wants and desires.

Surrender

Navigating a balance between these two bodies. Surrendering oneself to the call of the expression, ushered on by the gentle, sway and swirl of the waves lead to shed antiquated expressions that no longer tell your truth; cleansed and pacified by each passing of waves.

Transformation

Some waves crash, others you remember more intensely whilst you attempt to recover your breathe in between each cycle. This does become easier, one begins to understand the ebbs and flows of the dance. The movement of themselves and their partner to the rhythm.

End - Rebirth

One emerges a period of time later, the drowning feeling diminishes, clarity re-emerges. Ones sense of self is renewed, reassured, reborn. You are a beacon, guiding light, carrying your truth, in an expression of your power.

Follow Ciaran on Instagram @ciaran.christopher

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Edited by: Funmi Olagunju