Do You Have a “Sacred Crew”? Why Psychological Astrologer Jennifer Freed Says We'll Need Each Other More than Ever in 2023

In 2023, we will all be called to be more active participants in the healing of this country and this planet. Divisiveness and despair have given rise to massive anxiety, despair, hate, and deep divides in our union. For the well-being of all life, we need to join in a unified purpose of stewardship for all existence, human and non-human. For each of us to be more effective in delivering our specific talents, gifts, and energy towards this purpose, we will all need to be surrounded by a sacred crew.

Our sacred crew is more than just the folks we count on and the ideas about closeness that we cherish. A sacred crew involves another layer: clarity about the spoken and unspoken agreements between us. What do we mean when we say we are connected? What does it mean to be close? What does support look like? It has become crystal clear in this sped-up and ever-complex world that many of us have different and unspoken narratives around these questions.

Every day I am told stories of cutoffs in families, feuds among friends, and conflicts between co-workers. People call and text me on a regular basis about what I consider avoidable misunderstandings and blow ups that arise from people’s fundamental differences in the expectations they hold around relationships. Most or all of these stories have to do with unmet and unspoken values and needs. When we are in accord with others, we are better and do better, and this coming year will require us all to upgrade.

We can see that the antecedents to today’s combustible frustrations have been fomenting for some time. Economic and cultural disparities are growing daily; the haves and the have-nots have grown further apart, and this is reflected in cultural divisions. In societies where the bulge of the wealthiest wallets become ever bigger as the ditch of poverty deepens and widens, certain things are bound to happen, including increases in mental and physical health problems, suicides, and violence.

2023 will be the year that Pluto moves into Aquarius. The last time Pluto was in Aquarius was 1778-1798. Major events in that period included the American and French Revolutions and James Cook's arrival to Hawaii, in which foreigners brought diseases that killed about 75-80 percent of the pure Hawaiian population by 1819 and outlawed their native language.

History will repeat itself in new iterations of war, hatred, injustice, and disregard of others’ humanity—unless we heed the call to gather with our sacred crews to foster positive change. To transform the primitive fight-or-flight instinct based on the fuel of rhetoric divisiveness, the lack of meaningful health and economic resources for many, and the promulgation of enemy-speak, we need to regularly meet with kindred souls to work toward creative solutions, strategies of unification, and philosophies emphasizing empathy and commonalities.

The solution to our vast problems will never be achieved by pundits and politicians alone. We need to gather our communities together based on the core values of contribution, compassion, and understanding, which are inherent in any faith tradition or moral system. This is a cosmic cycle in which we can make phenomenal leaps in societal progress and planetary wellbeing—as long as we meet it by gathering more consistently with caring, committed others around noble and life-affirming themes and goals. “We the People” can lift our moral oars towards a horizon of sustainable and equitable life on earth.

First, however, we must eliminate the “drama tax” that comes from being consumed with avoidable conflicts and misunderstandings in our personal lives.  Many of us are either glued to screens watching cinematic dramas or creating real-life dramas, which consume considerable amounts of attention and energy. If we are to be effective planetary changemakers, we need to make more time and space for the healing of the planet instead of going down rabbit holes of obsessive melodrama.

With Pluto entering Aquarius, the sign of the humanitarian, the invitation is to become part of a conscious community. This sacred crew has to be big enough to not overburden any one person, but small enough to build a true sense of commitment and accountability. Eight to 12 people is a strong group size for real connection and distribution of need. The crew can include family, friends, co-workers, health professionals, clergy, or any other folks with whom you feel connected, and who are willing to decide on agreements around being part of your sacred crew instead of just ambling along with the assumption that you are close.

Creating your sacred crew list of agreements is a deep dive into values clarification. It will reveal how you have—and have not—been showing up for others. It took me quite a while to compose my sacred crew agreements because I had to tease out not only what really matters to me, but also ways I had failed others, or they had failed me.

The following are my Sacred Crew Agreements. As you read my list you may be evaluating whether these could work for you.

·  Our sacred crew is bonded to one another in service of love, kindness, generosity, wellbeing, and empathy.

·  We contact each other regularly to check in.

·  We track each other’s main interests and activities and have an ongoing sense of what is in focus in each other’s lives.

·  We prioritize very important events in each other’s lives.

·  We share our true joy and true suffering with each other.

·  We admit our mistakes openly and make time to repair them with each other.

·  We do not talk smack behind each other's backs, nor do we engage in smack talk with others in our crew; we speak highly of each other when we are together or apart and ask others to do the same.

·  When we are upset with each other, we talk directly to one another and get help to work it out if needed.

·  We agree to keep our word with one another; if we need to break our word we will give advance notice and renegotiate.

·  We help each other by laughing easily about our flaws and imperfections.

·  We tell each other our needs, limits, and boundaries, and we work hard to respect those requests.

·  We help each other out when we are sick or in trouble to the best of our ability.

·  We let each other know if we have let each other down so we can do better next time.

·  We don’t expect to get all we need from one person because we have a robust sacred crew of others to rely on.

·  When we are off track, we welcome honest and caring feedback. We ask permission before giving that feedback.

·  We actively celebrate each other's accomplishments and talents, and we delight in each other's joy.

·  We support each other's healthy habits and wellbeing.

·  We encourage ongoing personal growth and all higher vibrations of LOVE.

Feel free to use what I’ve created and adapt to suit your own needs. Once the parameters are identified, it becomes an incredible tool to see if you are in or out of alignment with your values.

We are all a thousand times more alive and effective when we have a solid group of high-functioning people supporting us. How fabulous would it be to know that 8-12 people would sign on with you to make your life, their life, and the world a better place?

Each of us will have profound choices to make in the coming decade. Are we AGAINST each other? Or are we FOR each other? Do we want violent revolution or peaceful resolutions? Creating a sacred crew, even if it starts slowly and with just one other person, is one tangible way you can build the future you would like to be part of. Imagine, for a moment, millions crewing for the betterment of humanity.

We can do this.

Jennifer Freed Ph.D. is the bestselling author of USE YOUR PLANETS WISELY and her most recent book A MAP TO YOUR SOUL. You can reach her @drjenniferfreed on Instagram or www.jenniferfreed.com.

Question from the Editor: Who would you choose to be in your Sacred Crew? We'd love to know in the comment below!