HDxLiberation: A Human Design Podcast

Episode 17: Cosmos & Currents Part 2: July 2024 Edition and Season Finale

• Courtney Napier, Andrea Ward Berg • Season 1 • Episode 17

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In the season finale of HDxLiberation Podcast, we get into the second part of Cosmos & Currents, July 2024, and the recent cosmic events, highlighting the Mars-Uranus conjunction and its significance. They explore the intense energy surrounding the U.S. political scene and discuss Kendrick Lamar’s impactful presence in the music industry. The hosts offer practical guidance for resourcing oneself amid chaotic times, sharing reflections on the importance of quality information and engagement strategies.

Key themes: 

  • Exploration of the Mars-Uranus conjunction and its effects on global events. 
  • Analysis of the U.S. political landscape and its impact on societal dynamics. 
  • Discussion of Kendrick Lamar’s music and cultural significance. 
  • Insights on maintaining personal peace and engagement during turbulent times. 
  • Preview of upcoming cosmic events and guidance for navigating challenges effectively.

Key Takeaways:

• Mars Uranus conjunction signifies intense energy and unexpected events globally.

• Quality information sources are crucial for understanding complex political dynamics.

• Kendrick Lamar’s artistry highlights themes of community, accountability, and personal growth.

• Maintaining personal peace and engaging in meaningful actions can make a significant impact.

• Navigating turbulent times requires reflection, critical thinking, and strategic engagement.


Notable Quotes:

• “We’re not going to get the sense of safety from the outside. We get that sense of safety from the inside.” - Andrea

• “Anti-Blackness is a global issue, and we must reckon with inequities to progress as a community.” - Courtney

• “The power for healing and communion is immeasurable when sacred response aligns with true self.” - Andrea

• “Macklemore’s genuine engagement in social issues and community work sets a meaningful example.” - Courtney

• “Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s artistic differences reflect deeper cultural and personal narratives.” - Andrea


Resources:

• Under The Desk News with V Spehar

• Sharon McMahon’s social media platforms

• Heather Richardson’s Substack newsletter

• Our lastest blog post on Patreon, Cutting Through the Noise: Strategies for Vetting News and Finding Accurate Sources

Don’t miss out on the full episode to explore more intriguing insights, and stay tuned for future episodes of the Human Design and Liberation podcast. Listen for engaging discussions on astrology, liberation theology, and navigating complex societal issues.

Contact and Support:

For more insights and to join the conversation, follow the HDxLiberation podcast on social media at @hdxliberation on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and join the Liberation Lab on Substack for exclusive content and community benefits.

Andrea:

Hi, everyone. It's Andrea here. And I just wanted to come on as we bring you into this latest episode of our cosmic currents, um, to talk a little bit about what has happened in the last few days, literally while the podcast was in production. We had some major events happen, and it just didn't feel complete to put this podcast out into the world without acknowledging them. Um, so within this episode, we talk quite a bit about the Mars Uranus conjunction that happened on July 15th. Um, we were recording a day or two after that conjunction. And, um, literally within a couple of days of that recording, there was a major tech outage with all of the Microsoft issues, um, that grounded three or 4, 000 flights and just breaked major havoc in hospitals and across, across the Globe really primarily the U. S. and in Europe. Um, but then within two days of that happening, the presidential ticket changed here in the U. S. And, um, Biden decided to step down from the the race. So, um, a lot of Uranus activity, Uranus is associated with technology and also, um, with just shocking news. Um, and then all of that, the presidential stuff was happening on the Capricorn full moon, which, um, for those of you who don't know, was the second full moon we had in Capricorn. Um, it's the first time we've had two full moons and a sign in several years. It doesn't happen very often. And it was conjunct Pluto. So there were many things about this full moon that really had the signature of endings of things needing to come to an end. And so for Biden to end his run for the president on that day was pretty uncanny. Um, and, you know, for Courtney and I. This. It's such a pivotal moment and seeing the reception that Kamala has had by the constituents and, um, those who support the democratic party has just been really incredible. Um, seeing the momentum that the democratic party is getting from the shift and her being able to secure. The delegates needed for the nomination within 48 hours. There was so much hanging in the balance in this change. And, um, we were both just really reminded that Joe Biden has our best interests at heart and. That he would not have made this change if he hadn't done all the groundwork to ensure that Kamala would have the support that she needed. So all of that was happening. And then the same day that Biden stepped down, the letter is released and, uh, we find out he's out of the race and that he is endorsing Kamala, a black woman. We find out that Another black woman was brutally murdered, senselessly murdered by those who are supposedly there to protect her. Um, and I'm talking about the murder of Sonia Massey. And so, um, I just, I want to draw attention to the paradox that we have in this country and that while I know Kamala is the most qualified person to run and I'm so excited about her campaign and the possibility of her being our next president. We exist in a time where there is a huge conflict for black women. And if the rest of us cannot step up to the inequities and the brutal reality of what it means to be a black woman today, if, if all of us can't reckon with that and make amends and repairs, then uh, We are really setting Kamala up for failure the fact that we could find out about this horrific murder the same day that Kamala is being endorsed it just really highlights the the challenge and the disparities in our country today And for those of you who are not in the US I really encourage you to look at what are the inequities that exist within your country because anti Blackness is something that exists worldwide. Um, and it's something we talk about a lot in our liberation theology episode. If you haven't listened to that, I believe it is episode three. Um, and I just really want us to be doing our work in this time so that we. Can get the most out of this momentous moment, and we can ensure that this really takes us towards the progress that we're hoping to have as a global community, as, as a community within the United States. Um, there's just so much that, you Is at stake here. Um, so all of this is really important context for the episode that you're about to hear. Uh, we talk a lot about, um, this Mars Uranus energy. We talk a lot about, um, you know, the This moment, what it means, we unpack the events, obviously leading up to the events that I just described. Um, we also talk about what to look forward to for the next two months and, and this event really gives us a flavor of what we're going to be facing. I mean, we're, we're going to be facing incredibly momentous and meaningful moments, but we are also going to be facing. Very dark shadows and really ugly truths underneath. And so we need to be soothing our nervous systems. We need to be continuing our internal work, taking time for reflection so that we can each show up to the moment and play the part that we are meant to play, because we all have a part to play. The biggest to the smallest in this moment in history, and it's exciting. And I really, I believe in us. I believe we can do this. So I'm excited for you to hear the episode. I'm going to take you into that now, and we look forward to hearing how this resonates for you and what support you need. Okay. Enjoy the episode. Hi, I'm Andrea.

Courtney:

Hey y'all, this is Courtney and welcome to the Human Design and Liberation podcast.

Andrea:

This is a space where we explore how human design and liberation theology intersect with the past, present, and future.

Courtney:

With the intent of sharing the beauty and pain of the human experience to encourage you in your liberation journey.

Andrea:

How are you?

Courtney:

Really good. Happy to see you.

Andrea:

I'm happy to see you too. Summer has been just really interesting. been so good, but so summer

Courtney:

Yes. Yes. So completely different from the school year and all of our Hi, listeners! All of our parent caregiver listeners know that it's like, or or seasonal people, right? or seasonal people. Yeah.

Andrea:

you work in, maybe you work with parents or maybe you work with kids.

Courtney:

Yes, yeah. Uh,

Andrea:

is seasonality

Courtney:

It's a whole ball game.

Andrea:

Yeah. Yeah. And even if you don't like, you're definitely feeling the energy because it is a like common experience, you know?

Courtney:

Yeah, for sure.

Andrea:

yeah, for sure. Love it. Well, we are back today with part two of our cosmic currents and man. You know, we've been wanting to record this for a while, but it just, life is lifing. And at the same time, I'm kind of glad because the things that are up now are very different from what was up, you know, three weeks ago when we thought we were going to record this,

Courtney:

yes, definitely. It's funny that some things are like different and then some things are still, still present that we thought were just going to be like kind of fly by night situations.

Andrea:

Right.

Courtney:

That's exciting.

Andrea:

It's like they're still, they're still present, but actually they're even deeper. They're even like more meaningful. So I'm glad we, you know, we would have had to do another round for it anyway.

Courtney:

Anyway. yes, exactly. Okay, let's not

Andrea:

keep them in suspense. So, um, this is kind of, this is what we have in mind for today. Like we want to talk about how intense the energy is right now. We are recording this on July 12th. We just had the Cancer New Moon last Friday. Um, and, um, obviously like, In the U S the political scene is like pretty crazy right now. So we're going to talk a little bit about that. Um, we also want to talk about Kendrick Lamar and, um, just some amazing stuff that has been happening all summer, all spring and summer with him. Um, and then at the end of the episode, we are going to get into, okay, like we're in, you know, early July. What does. What does the rest of the year look like? And just some practical guidance for everybody listening on some ways that you can um, really resource yourself and just some reminders. Um, yeah. And we'll talk about some fun things that are coming soon this fall, because we have all kinds of, um, ways to support you that are coming.

Courtney:

Yes, and this is the last episode of season one.

Andrea:

Oh my God. Yes. I almost forgot forgot to say that. that.

Courtney:

so that's crazy. Every time I look at the notes, I'm like, oh my gosh. We have a whole season under our belts.

Andrea:

it's so crazy and this is episode 17, which is You know, is like my magic number. It's been my magic number for like the last eight eight years, ones and sevens. I see ones in sevens always. And we didn't even plan that.

Courtney:

This didn't plan that. That's wild. So it is wild. July 12th. So seven, sevens and ones. And then episode

Andrea:

17. Yeah.

Courtney:

Yeah. So,

Andrea:

So cool. Yes. So, um, I love, so right before we got on, um, we were talking a little bit about just the wildness of the energy right now. So, um, for those of you who are curious about the actual astrology, um, Mars and Uranus are having a conjunction on Monday and Uranus is kind of the planet of surprises and kind of just fucking shit up basically. Um, and Mars is the planet of action and the planet of war and the planet of like a lot of aggressive energy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And, um, I was sharing with Courtney, some wildly personal experiences with these surprises and, know, all the feelings. Um, but it led us to just reflect on the chaos that it is to navigate this energy and then the added pressure of the, you know, presidential race in the U S and, you know, not just that, but also like it's, it's impacting the UK. It's impacting France. Like there's a lot of, um, global impact and all of these things impact us globally. We just happen to live them locally. Like that's kind of the way it plays out.

Courtney:

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. No, totally. Kenya is another one. They just had a massive protest, um, bringing down some very oppressive, uh, tax laws that were supposed to go into, it, which actually Kendrick Lamar ties into that, which is crazy. I just read that yesterday. his song inspired them to rise up and, you know, power back. So chilling. Yeah. So it's this really cool, interesting, um, energy of, it's very confrontational. It's a very, it's very confrontational energy. It's, it's about, and especially with, um, Venus and Leo and Mercury and Leo right now, it's about not letting shit slide. You know what I mean?

Andrea:

Yeah.

Courtney:

It's about being confident enough in who you are to speak up about the things that matter to you and making that more important than any type of pushback or questioning or whatever that can come out. Like really about being true to yourself. Um,

Andrea:

And always following your strategy and authority, right? I mean, I think that is, that is the main, the main through line. Like we all know that things are, um, unstable, right? Like we all know that there's a lot at stake. There's, um, a lot of pressure. So just reminding ourselves like, We're not going to get the sense of safety from the outside. We're going to get that sense of safety from the inside.

Courtney:

Exactly.

Andrea:

And you had mentioned like your intuition, which to me is like, trust your authority.

Courtney:

right?

Andrea:

Like, um, so. I loved your take, and I would love for you to share it with our listeners on news. Cause I have my take and I'm happy to share my take, but you're the journalist. So please,

Courtney:

Yeah, Yes. So, um, I'm sure our listeners have to some capacity been watching really started before the presidential debate. But the presidential debate has been going on

Andrea:

since Hillary. Okay. I stopped watching the mainstream media in 2016. I was like, I'm done. And I literally, I literally like

Courtney:

I feel the same way. I feel the same way. And, and, i, and Um, really this conversation around, um, Biden, Trump, all of these things, it's not exactly what I want to get into. It's not really about the subject matter. What I really wanted to exactly what you said, what we, what I really want to point out is something that, um, Heather Richardson actually is an incredible journalist, has a Substack. Um, Almost daily email that she sends out that is heavily cited and just beautiful. There's also an audio version of it too. And she was pointing to how, like the, the, the quality of the coverage of politics in the United States and it, and how poor it is, it is extremely flawed and some, and this is something exactly like Andrea said, I've noticed since 2016, um, And it's just gotten worse and worse and worse. Um, and what Andrea out, which I look forward to you reading this, this tweet is you got to follow the money. You have to go back and look at who is behind our major, um, media sources here in this country. And it's like this in any country, you know, like, and, and I, and I know that, um, We talk about like state sponsored news or whatever. When you think of Russia, you think of China, or you think of these other that are, that are admittedly authoritarian or um, that kind thing. But I don't think people think about the fact that we're an oligarchy, essentially. In the United States. And the businessmen who own, because they're all men, so

Andrea:

These these news outlets. Yeah.

Courtney:

They own these news outlets. They all, they have a vested interest. Yes, they hold incredible amounts of power, and they are using that power in the newsroom, choosing the stories and choosing the angle that they cover stories, and so when you look at, for instance, the coverage of it, Of Biden struggling and stumbling over words and and as mixing up names and that kind of thing on one end, but not seeing equal amount of coverage on the complete incoherence of Trump during his rallies. This is. A, just an example of the quality of news that we're dealing with. And so I wanted to, when we talk about resourcing yourself, resourcing yourself with like quality information is a very, very important thing for two reasons. One, so you know what's going on, but the other thing is that it just keeps you grounded. Like these outlets are trying to keep you in a state of perpetual nervous system

Andrea:

crisis. And we'll we'll talk about why we'll talk about why because it's very strategic. So, um, the, the, it's actually a thread that you mentioned that I sent you. Um, I'm just going to read it for everybody. So this is from Michelle Stillman and it says, just so you know, CNN, CEO is a Trump donor. ABC CEO, Trump donor, CBS CEO, Trump donor, NBC CEO, Trump donor, MSNBC CEO, Trump donor, Washington Post owner, Jeff Bezos, who we know is a huge Trump supporter. Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, also a huge Trump supporter. New York Post, Rupert Murdoch, also a huge Trump supporter. New York Times CEO, Trump donor. Capisce, tune out the noise. And it has this really, for those watching on, um, it has amazing meme of one of the, oh gosh, I can't remember the name of One of the golden girls with her hands over her ears. Um, and I just felt like that thread kind of, kind of encapsulated everything that I was already sensing, You know, like I, I don't read any of those publications. Um, I haven't, like I said, for a while, um, New York times is actually more recent. I, I unsubscribed and blocked the New York times last fall when I found out how anti trans they are. Um, And then, you know, just getting into like, um, so many other stories that they were covering, um, very politically minded. Um, for me, uh, like independent journalism is where I feel like I can get the most accurate. Again, I'm a six line. You're a six line. We're looking for the capital T truth in the situation. Um, and you're not going to get the capital T truth from any of these people who have a vested motive in who they're supporting. Right. Um, And so I. look for headlines from Vee Spear who does Under The Desk news and Sharon says So. Sharon McMahon, who is a big, who is a dear friend of Heather Cox Richardson so I need to out Heather Richardson's sub stack. Because I do feel like I would enjoy it she takes a little different angle than Sharon. They've done a couple interviews together. got to pull Sharon's human design because I swear she's got to be a six line. But, um,

Courtney:

I believe that I totally believe that

Andrea:

just her take on things is, is so, um, helpful and refreshing. Um, but what I love about those three people is they are giving us tools for engagement. They're helping us understand what's happening, but also understand like, what can we do to influence it? So in the case of like, The Supreme court immunity ruling that came down, right? And just like the sense of dread and doom that we were all feeling of like, Holy shit, they're letting the president go unchecked. And all of these forces are trying to get Trump into the presidency. Like you get to a point where you feel like there's nothing you can do. And that, my friends, is the intent of all of these vested interests, right? They want us to feel like we can't do anything. And that is a lie.

Courtney:

Yeah,

Andrea:

We choose what we consume. We choose who we vote for.

Courtney:

Yeah.

Andrea:

And we actually do decide

Courtney:

Yeah.

Andrea:

that might not be the case forever. And I think we all understand the stakes of this election, but that is the case right now. And so we really have to remember that and we have to protect our peace. We have to have strategies to make sure that we have enough energy to engage locally.

Courtney:

Mm-Hmm.

Andrea:

That we have enough energy to engage with the people that we interact with on a day to day basis. So I'm going to give you just an example, like Tuesday of this week, I'm at the pool and a couple of friends are there. And one of them is clearly shut down, right? Like she is clearly overwhelmed. Like, I can't believe this is happening. Project 2025, like all the things, right. Probably has an undefined crown, like definitely flooded. And, um, You know, very frustrated. I can't listen to anything. I can't, it, it freezes me up. I feel, I feel so terrified. Right. And so my response to her was that's actually how they want you to feel. And that's actually like not an abnormal response. Like that's actually a healthy response.

Courtney:

Yes.

Andrea:

all you can do is vote. And when you are in conversations with the people that you know, and you hear them saying lies. Correct them. That's all you can do. Right? Like literally, those are the only two things that we can do and trust that as you bring the truth forward, you're planting seeds that are then going to have them question these assumptions that they've made and with enough genuinely true self people showing up, we will, we will make an, we will make an impact.

Courtney:

We will, we will. We have before and we will continue. And I think that what you said is exactly the case. I, um, I was, I just thought of this incredible educator, um, YK Hong. Um, their, uh, IG handle is YK Reborn. They do such great, um, work around like AI, facial recognition, like privacy, that type of thing. But they used a term recently, that I thought was really important. And they said, Imperial, Imperial core, this idea of being in the center of the empire. So we are living in like an American Western empire right now. Like this is, this is not like, this is very objective. Um, as far as the influence of the of the United states and we are. Andrea and I, at least, are Americans and most of our listeners are American. So we are living in Panam

Andrea:

not not all of them. We actually have many listeners all over the world. So yeah. but to your point,

Courtney:

yeah,

Andrea:

they are also those of you that are listening from other parts of the world, you're influenced by what's happening and so want to, We want to honor that. And we want to recognize that. And we're so happy you're here. And you're also, you're dealing with the same influences. Like I happen to know several of our listeners are in Amsterdam and in the Netherlands, they're dealing with, you know, some very similar things that we're dealing with here.

Courtney:

Yes, and so like as individuals, those of us who are living in the imperial core, what we have to understand is that we can't compare what activism or what our resistance looks like to those who live in other parts of the world, that our small actions really have massive effects. So our vote feels very small or, um, resisting disinformation and misinformation feels like a very small thing in comparison to people who are like on the front lines of very, very intense situations. But because we're right here, because of our, because of the power we hold as being citizens of the Imperial Core, they have massive, massive influence and impact. And we can't let go of that because the, the holders of, of our media are trying to influence us to think that we are powerless.

Andrea:

Absolutely. Absolutely.

Courtney:

And I wanted to to really quickly just, I wanted to give a list of some other outlets just for that.

Andrea:

I'd love that.

Courtney:

Yeah. So there are a couple of news outlets that I look to for just good journalism, not necessarily the best with like, uh, Breaking news, but well done news. So Al Jazeera, which good with both Al Jazeera news, um, the intercept, the nation, mother Jones, um, here locally, North Carolina, NC news line. It's a nonprofit, um, news outlet that does really good work. NPR. Much better than most. Um, and we'll make a list of these in our, um, show notes, but I just wanted to say that because you know, you're, you feel it. I know you feel it. I feel it. like, you can't trust anyone. Not true. You can, there are truth tellers still out there, incredible independent journalists and incredible institutions that are still putting out really excellent, um, thorough Truthful news coverage. And, uh, so just so you feel like you got somewhere to go, um, yeah,

Andrea:

And there's, um, I was going to try to find it right now, but I'll, we'll put it in the show notes. There's, um, there's at least one for Atlanta. There might be more than one.

Courtney:

Oh, yeah, yeah. Definitely look at your, um, nonprofit news outlets locally. Those are going to be, um, that's a good place to start. Really good places.

Andrea:

Yeah. I think that's perfect. Okay. Yeah. Big stuff. Um, so, um, related to all of that is this journey with Kendrick Lamar. And I, I

Courtney:

am actually so excited about this!

Andrea:

I'm excited to, um, so Courtney and I have been talking about Kendrick Lamar. In our, you know, personal chats for months now, I mean, I think since February or March, at least, um, and, um, you pulled his design, which I'm so excited for you to share. um, and there have been like, every time we think, oh, like, this is the story, like the story changes. So, um, like, Literally just since our last cosmic occurrence, which we were going to, you know, talk about this, but we ran out of time. Um, he has done like this incredible Juneteenth concert and then came on to release more music. Yeah. Music video. And yeah. So tell us a little bit about his design first and then like, let's talk about what's been going been going on

Courtney:

Kendrick Lamar is a, um, four, six emotional manifesting generator, which I think is really, really interesting.

Andrea:

and how old is

Courtney:

He is 37,

Andrea:

Okay. So

Courtney:

So he's, we're

Andrea:

he's

Courtney:

basically the same age. His birthday is June, I want to say it's June 17th. Um, okay. It's June. It's in June. Um, he is a Gemini. And, um. And we, yeah, we, he's 1987. So we're like really close to the same age.

Andrea:

That's wild. Yeah. Yeah. I was curious, like which phase he is in. So I knew he had to be in the second phase somewhere. Um, so he's still in the first half of the second phase.

Courtney:

He's in the first half of a second phase. Um, mentioning Drake briefly, their beef actually started, they were connected in his first phase.

Andrea:

Hmm.

Courtney:

Um, so his third lining is when he met drake, which I think is very important to know. sense.

Andrea:

And what is Drake's design again?

Courtney:

He is, uh, a five, uh I

Andrea:

knew there's a fifth line in there somewhere.

Courtney:

Champagne Papi, let's see. Um, 5/1, he is a 5/1.

Andrea:

a 5/1

Courtney:

5/1

video1504647663:

pure generator.

Andrea:

Okay.

Courtney:

Um, so first of all, I mean, you can already off the bat, see the emotional versus the non emotional.

Andrea:

Yes. Yeah.

Courtney:

could also see the six line versus the fifth line, which I think is a really something that I'm deeply interested in the kind of the line, sixth line relationship.

Andrea:

Yeah. And it's something we've talked about a lot. At least a couple of times on the show as just for those that haven't listened to those prior episodes, um, the fifth line is really here to universalize, They are what we call the heretic. So they, um, Take whatever ideas have gone through, like the foundation of the first line, the natural genius of the second line, the experimenting of the third line, the networking and, you know, small groups of the fourth line and they universalize it.

Courtney:

Yeah.

Andrea:

And so, um, once they universalize it, then the sixth line who's on the roof has like this, um, You know, perspective over whether what, what is capital T, truth and what isn't?

Courtney:

Yes. Yes. So really important that you said that. And thank you for saying that because Drake, the big, the beef with Drake and Kendrick Lamar really, really comes down to what is hip hop. Is hip hop a community or is hip hop this universal kind of pop worldwide genre that is It is you can do anything you want with and it's really about like, how many records do you sell? Like, how big are your shows? That kind of thing. So drake, aka Champagne Papi, is probably like the number one, like, mainstream rap artist. He actually, today, I just saw that he surpassed, like, he was the first, um, Artist or rap artists surpassed like a hundred million streams on Spotify. I think that just happened today. We just really

Andrea:

That's crazy crazy Really last night yesterday.

Courtney:

And so he is like a mega star very mainstream. I think mainstream and universal truth Totally. It's also a five line, a fifth line. So think about like pop is like a universalization of a lot of different genres. Then you have Kendrick Lamar and Kendrick Lamar. He's from Compton. He, his dad, um, when he was a little kid, actually Tupac was like in the neighborhood, basically, I think like filming a video or something. And his dad literally like, runs back home on foot, grabs a little Kendrick Lamar as a child and puts him on his shoulders to go back and see and experience Tupac doing what he does. Like, hip hop is in his blood. It is. What defined his community and his family growing up. And so you have this four, six, where it's not just a genre. It's like a language of a culture that his community is defined by.

Andrea:

Yeah. It's a familial bond. I mean, the fourth line bond is a familial bond.

Courtney:

Yes. And so, um, that is really with that's kind of the nature of what not like us is about. It sounds like it, yes, it is about a lot of other things. Like how like Drake's relationship with you know, younger girls and all of that stuff, definitely. But it really, there's a whole verse in this diss track about how just disrespectful he feels like Drake is to rap as a culture, rap hip hop as a community. And, um, and that really is what I think sets Kendrick apart, um, is one, he's on the roof. So he really has this, he has this way of connecting past, present, and future in his, um, in his work. He also is very community oriented as far as like the, the pop up, um, concert that he did on Juneteenth. One of the biggest features of that show was near the end when he invited up the leaders of several different gangs in the community and had them all together doing a group photo. He explained that this was something that was very much planned, very much conferenced among the

Andrea:

Yeah.

Courtney:

individuals there and calling this truce. bringing people together. He literally got emotional on stage, like during this portion of the, um, of the show. He also invited a lot of different artists from all over that LA County area to open up for him during that show. And then, um, on July 4th, he dropped the video for Not Like Us. And he actually uses audio from the show, from the Juneteenth show of the crowd singing along in the video version of the song.

Andrea:

I have chills.

Courtney:

right?

Andrea:

chills. Yeah.

Courtney:

So there's just so much depth of meaning. There's just depth of, um, relationship. So many friends, every single person that Drake tried to say, um, Kendrick was not in right relationship with. is in the video. So his partner, his fiance and children, his best friend, um, Dave Free, his producer, DJ mustard, like all these different people that Drake was trying to come after him saying like, these relationships aren't real. Like, You don't honor these people. You're not really close to these people. They don't really like you, whatever. He had every single one of those individuals in like making this video with him, like showing him, I'm cool with all these people. I'm cool with my ex-label mates. You know, like he left a label, but they're all there. It was, it's really just, um, some next level

Andrea:

level accountability, right? Yes, absolutely. That's really what we're talking about. And it's so, I mean, I can't unsee the cultural differences, right? I mean, you talked a little bit about where Kendrick is from. But Drake is not from the core of hip hop. Right. Uh, I mean, and I say this as somebody growing up in Atlanta, like I was, I was around when Freaknic was happening, like I was in high school. So, you know, hip hop culture is very much, I grew up around it. I grew up watching it. I, I grew up respecting it and honoring it and feeling a lot of, um, just pride for the shared lived experience. Right. Like I obviously had a very different. day to day life, but the, the variables that we were impacted by were the same, right? Um, and, um, that is, is, is not something that, Drake is ever going to be able to share. Like he is not from the U S to start. Right. And he has, you know, uh, multiracial background. Um, he wasn't raised in the culture because there is a culture in Toronto as well that he could have been raised in. Um, so just that like inability to Recognize your place. I'm so curious. Do you have Drake's chart up? Does he have a defined

Courtney:

heart? No, he does not. Drake not have a defined heart.

Andrea:

Oh, he has an undefined heart.Okay. And what about Kendrick?

Courtney:

Kendrick's is definitely defined.

Andrea:

Okay. So I think this is this is just such a great Inquiry around what does it feel like when a center is not self and flooded, right? So the challenge for an undefined heart, I have an undefined heart. You have a defined heart. challenge for an undefined heart, when we get caught up in not being good enough, not deserving, right? So you have this person who has the most streams. of hop, hip hop

Courtney:

Yeah.

Andrea:

on the planet, right? And needing to prove that they deserve that position.

Courtney:

Yes.

Andrea:

And that right there is the root of all of this fuckery. Yes, it is. Okay. because it all started from a track that Drake put on his album that Kendrick felt like he had to respond to, right?

Courtney:

Yeah. Um, cause he's like, we're the same, right? Yeah. Like Drake was like, the same, we're the top three or actually Jay Cole said it like, we're the top three, me, Drake and Kendrick. And Kendrick was like, no, sir. No, sir. We are not No, sir. We are not the same. And here's why. And this is what, and this is part of it, right? Like the proving, like, sure. Kendrick's like have nothing to prove. This is who

Andrea:

I have to prove. Yeah, and he feels that consistently. And so, you know, for those of us with an undefined heart, This is a, this is really a call to when you do feel like you have something to prove, where's that coming from and where have you gotten disconnected from your inherent worth, from your inherent worth just being human, right? And so what does that look like for Drake? It looks like saying like, I appreciate this genre. I'm part of this genre and I love it and I'm going to put my all into it and I'm going to be the best that I can be. But don't try to like one up and don't try to like compare because then you're going to piss some people off.

Courtney:

Yes. Yes, absolutely. That's exactly it. I mean, it really, really came down to, you know, exactly that. Like, I He's like, I'm the best because look at how everybody responds to me.

Andrea:

Yeah.

Courtney:

You know, and with that undefined heart and that fifth line combined, you the not self of those things, not that there's not

Andrea:

It's the

Courtney:

not-self it's not-self

Andrea:

a thousand percent not-self.

Courtney:

It's like, well, look, here's a proof. The proof is in the pudding, you know? And Kendrick's like, that's not how this works at all. it's really funny. You talked about Atlanta because there's a whole verse and not like us where he basically explained how Drake came to Atlanta and spent a lot of time there, hooked up with a lot of the rappers in the area, basically, uh, either trying to get, you know, Um, like street cred or ideas and things from him just trying to get validation from these people and then took that and did what he did with it.

Andrea:

Yeah, I mean, and that gets down to some things that we've talked about before with the Atlanta way and just like the, the you know, some of the cultural aspects here which we probably, you know, we'll get into in the next cosmic currents because I'm sure it's going to be, it's, it's all wrapped up in the politics and everything else we've been talking about.

Courtney:

Right. he loves, he, he has love for Atlanta though. Like it was definitely like, yeah, but, um,

Andrea:

yeah, there's love, but there's also like accountability. And I think that's, what's so cool about this example is it is just such a powerful example of how the six line can bring accountability. Um, and just the, I'm appreciating the number one, the artistry, like the, the opportunity to witness somebody who is just so fucking brilliant.

Courtney:

Yes.

Andrea:

And, um, the, you know, like the sacral response of these two generators, right. You're witnessing so many cool aspects of their design happening. Um, and, you know, as a result of this, like, I don't know if that Juneteenth concert was already scheduled, but like, for sure. I don't think it was, cause

Courtney:

It was not

Andrea:

it was a last minute thing.

Courtney:

Right.

Andrea:

So then. You take like the, it's, it just, when the sacred response is in alignment, when it is true self, like the power for healing and experience and communion is just immeasurable, right? Like bringing

Courtney:

Yeah,

Andrea:

gang leaders together and really like celebrating the culture and using this opportunity to say, like, This person wants to disrespect right out of the proving out of the not self proving, but we're going to take this opportunity to like double down on our celebration. We are going to take this opportunity to just really take it to the next level of how brilliant our. Our tribe is how brilliant our community how brilliant our, um, art, like everything. We're just gonna, we're going to celebrate it that much more. And oh, by the way, we're going to make it available to everyone because the concert is on YouTube now. So it's like, you know,

Courtney:

exactly.

Andrea:

you can

Courtney:

Exactly. He didn't leave anybody out like so Kendrick. One of the things that I thought that really stood out to me the most about his chart is that he has the channel of openness, um, which connects his throat, and the solar plexus. So, and the channel of openness is a communal. Channel and our tribal channel.

Andrea:

Can you share just the gates so people can look for it on there?

Courtney:

Yeah. So it's, um, gate 22. I probably should get the interactive because I don't, I don't, I'm still learning like all the names, but the gate 22 and the throat is, um, or excuse me, the gate 12 and the throat rather is standstill. Um, and so genetic native that's like, yeah, restraint and the importance of meditation and an action and confronting temptation, which I is like a very interesting, yeah, this conversation.

Andrea:

Um, but that's what defines emotional center. Yes. Yes. So you know, there was a lot of thought that went into his responses because he has the gate of caution. So it's like when he responds again with that six line makes sense to me.

Courtney:

Absolutely. And then gate 22, grace in solar plexus, so the quality of behavior best suited in handling mundane and trivial situations. And so this channel is, um, is the channel of openness, the design of a social being. Um, And it is, oh, this is a manifest a channel for some reason. I thought it was,

Andrea:

Yeah. It's manifested and it's actually individual.

Courtney:

Um, yes, I saw that. Yeah. We'll edit that other part out

Andrea:

yeah. That's okay. It's fine. That's fine. Um, so what the quality that I want people to. Um, feel into with this channel is like a quality of having it's. It's individual. So it's mutative. So it's bringing something new into the world as it relates to expressing your emotion. So when we think about the way Kendrick Lamar expresses himself and how he, and this is predrake, this is for his entire career, right? The reason his music is so impactful is because it you in processing your emotion

Courtney:

Yes,

Andrea:

he had to process so much in order to create it.

Courtney:

He did. Yeah. And he really, he is such an emotional, like, heart felt guy. I watched a couple of, um, of interviews with him. He hasn't, and this is interesting. He hasn't done a lot of interviews recently, actually. Oh, I'm sure. He hasn't done a whole lot of interviews, but even since he entered into his second phase, he hasn't done, like, he hasn't done a lot of interviews in the last, like, six years, um, which I think is really interesting, but he, he's very, um, open. Or he was very, very open and very, um, he, he talks really kind of candidly about struggles that he he's had and, um, his process and, um, And in his lyrics, obviously you that like the, all the different ranges of things that he's gone through. Um, he's not shy about sharing who he is. But now that he's on the roof, there is this lack of access that we have to his personal life. Um, and we can really only get that through his music more than anything. Um, but he gives it to us with, through his music. I think he, he still wants the connection. Um, also with the channel of,

Andrea:

But we need that time on the roof, like that time on the roof is vital to integration. And I really feel like. The way that he has shown up to this opportunity is a reflection of that integration. The other person that I want to make sure that we mention is the track from Macklemore, because I just, that's another six line who's on the roof, who I just, And I just really love, um, the six the six line moment that we're having between between Kendrick Lamar and Macklemore and Hinds Hall, man, for me, it, it was just such a breath of fresh air and like a moment where I truly felt like an artist saw where am struggling. And like, Just gave me like an anthem to get through the madness, right? Like to just work through the emotion and work through the frustration and the anger and come back to what I know I can influence and what I know matters in the end. right?

Courtney:

Yeah, I love Macklemore. Um, More now than I ever have. I was a Macklemore fan and then I honestly could not hear Thrift Store again on the radio ever because they played it a thousand times a day.

Andrea:

They did. Yes. sure did.

Courtney:

Yes, and then I got in my feelings about him winning best new artist over, um,

Andrea:

Understandable.

Courtney:

Kendrick, but I did also see how he handled it. And then this Heinz Hall song came out and, um, I did a little digging like after like you honestly were the reason why I listened to it because I saw a lot about it but I'm like, I don't know, like,

Andrea:

I honestly saw a lot about it and it wasn't until I think it was Azi who used it in a reel

Courtney:

Oh,

Andrea:

and I got full body chills and I was like, That is the song.

Courtney:

Yeah.

Andrea:

And so then of the whole thing. And then I said it to you and I was like, Oh,

Courtney:

That's why I finally listened to it and I was like, oh, okay. So I watched an interview with him. Um, he was on a podcast called land back podcast. And this was, um, this is, uh, indigenous, uh, created, hosted podcast out of North Dakota. I believe we'll link. Um, they are community. Advocates and activists, and so this isn't just a situation where you just get to be on a show, like, there's some like, deep connection and action. Macklemore came to North Dakota and spent time with the host before they, they, before they went on air. And, um, I think I sent the show to you

Andrea:

You did

Courtney:

yeah. Yeah. Like he actually came into this work of understanding what's going on in Palestine through his daughter, which I thought was really beautiful. Um, and. Um, and this is where this song was born out of, but this is someone who has done the work like capital W O R K.

Andrea:

And he's just for the nerdy listeners, he's 41. So he's just getting into the second half of his second phase. Um, and. What I love is that he's done the work, but he's not trying to, like, he's not trying to center himself in the work that he's done. You know what I mean? Like, that's how you really know he's done it. And, and he's getting that validation. He's getting that, um, really credibility and, and, um, Accountability from those who are upholding the principles of the work. Right. So like these indigenous elders who host this podcast and that sort of thing. Um, and the song came out. I mean, he had obviously written the song before the podcast because it came out, the song came out right after the podcast

Courtney:

Right, right. And it's just so beautiful to me that like, like you said, the de centering, the listening, the deep listening that this person has obviously done, the deep reading this person has obviously done, and the fact that he's an independent artist, owns everything, always been an independent artist. And, um,

Andrea:

he makes that clear in the

Courtney:

very clear in the song. And, um,

Andrea:

a six line.

Courtney:

I know, right. It's like, nobody owns me. You can't own me. Like, that's what I just love so much about who he is, that he's his own person. And he's here for the people. Like he, he gets very collective energy. Like, he's here for collective uplift. It's not about him. Um, he's really like, he sees himself as a mouthpiece for something much bigger. And that's Kendrick. Kendrick sees himself as a mouthpiece for something much bigger, which for him is hip hop. Mhm. You know? Um, so that's a very six line thing and it's a very, it's a balancing act because sometimes I think one of the things it's hard for six lines and fifth lines too, which I love that it's a similar thing is like seeing yourself and um, getting clear on who you are, um, and that is a a work that six lines have do and fifth lines have to do differently, but it's something they both have to share. share.

Andrea:

This is what they part of that like upper trigram. So the lower trigram is the first, second, third line, and then the fourth, fifth and sixth line. It's, it's really an, uh, part of the upper trigrams, um, uh, work to be able to show up for the inner personal. So the upper trigram is all about other people. And so in order to be able to bring your wisdom and your learning to other people, you have to get clear about it in yourself first. Yeah. Yeah,

Courtney:

That's good stuff. That's the whole question right there. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, thanks for letting us nerd out about our favorite topic.

Andrea:

Thanks for being with us. and we definitely want to hear like your take on this and your comments. So reach out to us, text us. those of you that text me because I know you or DM us on Instagram, if you don't know us that well yet, um, and, um, yeah, let's, let's, um, be in conversation around this because I feel like it is, it is an evolving story. The last piece that I want to make sure that we get to, um, is just giving you all. Like, uh, a little bit of an orientation of where we are in the year. Um, so we talked about this being the last, um, podcast for season one. Uh, we are going to go on a little creative break for the next six weeks. Um, and just really, uh, ground into some cool things that are wanting to be birthed and, um, it's all for you. So, um, we're very excited about it. Um, but before we do that, we wanted to just kind of orient us in this part of the year. So we're early July, you know, just, in the second week of the second half of the year. Um, and there's a lot happening in the second half of the year, like, you know, a lot happening physically, but also especially astrologically. Um, and then we're going to give you like some very specific things about the next six weeks so that you can use this time for yourself as well. Definitely. So we can kind of start with, um, this Mars Uranus conjunction because that is taking center stage right now. Um, it's literally perfecting on Monday. So, um, be prepared. I, you know, the go to for both of us is Chani's Week Ahead podcast, which we will link to in the show notes, but, um, just like to have a very grounded, liberated, liberation minded person in your ear as you're trying to navigate. The day to day of what these cosmic influences look like. Um, we are not affiliates. We get no, nothing from referring. We just are major lovers, major, um, believers and Chani's work, um, across the board. Um, so Monday we have this big conjunction happening, um, which is going to bring lots of surprises and they're going to be like angry. So yay.

Courtney:

Yeah, collective, like really more collective level, but I mean, just to be mindful in your own personal walk to, um, or where this is happening in your chart, like what house and that kind of thing.

Andrea:

Yes. Um, and the next six weeks. So next, um, on the 15th. So, um, next the middle of next week or early next week. Is that on Monday? That's on Monday, I think, um, enters its shadow. For the next mercury retrograde. Um, and it's going to be in its shadow retrograde and then in its shadow again, all the way until September. And so really we're talking about like a really good time to review. Um, a really good time to, um, just take stock and go back to old projects that might be coming up for you again, clean up loose ends, that sort of thing. Um, and we also have some other big things that are happening in the middle of that. Is there anything that jumps out to you?

Courtney:

Um, not particularly. I mean, there's a lot going on in venus in like this Venus in Leo currently, I think is a really important time. It's funny because last year, um, Venus was also in Leo. And There was a retrograde. I think Venus was like

Andrea:

Venus went retrograde

Courtney:

retrograde and

Andrea:

Leo.

Courtney:

there was a lot of on the self. And so I think this is definitely a, an opportunity kind of even reflect back that point and look at how those changes. that you took during that time are like buoying and boosting your sense of self, um, just how you've grown in your identity, like anything happening in leo, um, no matter where it is in your house, it's really like close to the bone. Like, yeah, rules the heart. So what's going on in your heart? Um, how you feel about yourself, I think is a really important thing to think about right now and reflect on. Um, and this kind of goes back to, well, it goes back to some stuff we were talking about offline, but really just around, like, there's a lot of noise around who, like, You should be like around identity and who is good and who is not good. And, um, personal, like last, um, episode, we talked about a lot of the body autonomy stuff that's going on in us right now. And so for our bodies are really front and center, um, and are really like in the cross hairs, uh, of a lot of powerful people right now.

Andrea:

A lot of power struggles.

Courtney:

And a lot of power struggles. Right. And so it's, it's really about, um, I think this Venus and Leo is an, is an invitation to really reflect on, um, how you feel about yourself and are you being like you treating your body and seeing your body in your mind's eye or as far as your soul is concerned. As sacred, as beautiful the way it is, as good the way that it is, um, and supporting that with, with how you treat it. Um, I think that's just a really, that's what's coming up for me anyway.

Andrea:

Yeah. And I, I feel like that inquiry is going to lead a really lay a really good foundation for Leo season. So.

Courtney:

yeah. Yeah.

Andrea:

You know, the sun is going to move into Leo next week and, um, while the sun is, I know, happy birthday, it's

Courtney:

Thank you.

Andrea:

Yeah. 16 days. Um, so while the sun is in Leo, Mercury is going to be retrograde in Virgo and Leo. Um, and while that's happening, we're going to have some gnarly business so so while Mercury is not in its strongest position, um, which is our communication and our ability to understand and our mental acuity. Okay. So while that's happening, we've got Mars squaring Saturn, Jupiter squaring Saturn. Um, and, you know, It's just going to be kind of funky. Like there's just going to be some interesting stuff. And then Mars is also going to conjunct Jupiter in that it's like within a five day timeframe. So all of that happens between like August 14th and August 19th. So, um, but those are all slow moving planets. I mean, Mars moves more quickly than the other two, but you know, Jupiter and Saturn move very slowly. So really we can expect to feel this. Um, and possibly into September, mainly because then Mercury is going to go back over those degrees where all of that action happens. Right. And so that's where understanding the physics, the astronomy of these planetary movements is helpful because it's like, oh, it's not just like a singular event. It's an energetic event. It's an energetic exchange and then you have the messenger mercury is going to go direct. It's going to go direct, um, on August 28th, but then it's going to be in its shadow for a couple of weeks going back over all of those points where the flares were. So really, um, the rest of July, August, early September is just going to be a time to be extra grounded to, again, like really identify. Your sphere of influence, be very attuned with your own authority, with your strategy, your agency. Um, I, I really feel like with Mars involved in so many of these events, like there's going to be a lot of action aggression. Um, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Like we talked about with like Kendrick Lamar and. You know, the anger that he felt at this, you know, statement from Jay Cole and then the way Drake took it and all of this stuff, right? Like so much beauty has happened out of that initial anger. So we're talking about righteous anger here. We're talking about like mama bear anger. Like you are not going to decide whether or not I can take care of my body or I'm going to just bleed out on a hospital table, like these are like real, um, things that we should be upset about and we should be taking action on, um, we just want to take them in the right place. Like the right place is not in somebody's comment section on Facebook, right? Like that's not the to take out

Courtney:

Right.

Andrea:

The right place is letters to your representatives, letters to your senators, calls, making your voice heard, talking with your neighbors, talking with your family members. And, you know, maybe you're sharing stories that you've never shared before. Like maybe you had to make a decision in your life that you feel a lot of shame around, but you know, the fact that you had to make that decision will humanize it for another person. Right? Like this is a time for that courage to yes center.

Courtney:

Yes, it's really about like owning your story is like the simple way of putting it. It's really about knowing like that you are good and you don't have anything to prove. I think it's coming back around to what we talked about in the beginning. you don't have, you don't have anything to prove and you don't owe anything to anyone. to anyone. Now, after that, we are, we are communal beings, and it's important, like you said, to identify your community, um, and Your strategy and authority will help you understand what that is. Like no one can dictate

Andrea:

hmm.

Courtney:

that for you. That's something you, you see in strategy and authority. And, and also just in your life, like you have leadership in any spaces, like now's the time to really be a leader, you know, and to come into your power, I think is a, is a big part of it. Like Mars is about power and Leo season. Like I said, it's about heart. And so where, Do you hold power? Um, and and not being ashamed of that. Like, I think, I think we've talked about before and earlier, but like, especially my, my, um, white bodied, um, friends and family, um, really reflecting on your Comfort level with power, with war power, with power in general, talking about it and dealing with it and stepping into it and ownership and responsibility for the power and influence you have. Um, and then for black and brown folks, um, particularly empowering you to ground and take care of yourself, take care of your body and to reject. Any type of responsibility that society is trying to put on us as undo. I

Andrea:

hmm.

Courtney:

a lot of conversation around the black vote is something that I've been really vocal about. Like this is not our fight. No, really not. And, um, and choose, choose beauty, choose the lovely things and really. And really press into joy and press into pleasure and how that radiates out into the world. Like a Kendrick Lamar, instance, when you see what he created, created it builds movement. It doesn't make change. You don't have to put your head on a chopping block to make change,

Andrea:

Right.

Courtney:

do it. Like I have goosebumps all over. Like can do that out of beauty and out of pleasure and out of love. And, um, that is potent. So,

Andrea:

It's potent and it's also generative, right? It's, it's, it's going to give you more energy as you're doing it, um, which is the antithesis or the antidote to supremacy, delusion, whiteness, capitalism, right? Where it's all extractive and wants to leave you. High and dry. Um, I really love that. The other thing I love is that just that reminder of Leo season and the sun is in its home during Leo season and the sun purifies. So I really, I feel, um, feel very like aware of what we're going to experience over the next, um, Two months like I feel I have a lot of respect for it. Um, but I also feel very hopeful and, um, curious about what's going to unfold because the sun is in Leo, it's going to purify, it's gonna, it's going to bring out the heart of the matter. And so, whatever it's going to illuminate personally for us, and also collectively, we need. We need it. And so, um, in order to be able to integrate it and to be able to hold it, we do have to be resourcing ourselves and we do have to be, um, you know, honoring the, the amount of work that it takes to just, you know, Exist when, you know, the internet is blowing up and trying to, you know, completely upend our elections just a couple of months before they're supposed to take place, you know, no big deal. Like, okay. Um, yeah, our nervous system needs tending

Courtney:

It does. Yeah.

Andrea:

Throughout this. Yes. Yes. And we're going to stronger. We are going to come out stronger,

Courtney:

Yeah. Oh, for sure. Like this is work that we got to do regardless. You know, I think that's it. This is just important in general. Don't, I think like, don't become so episodic in your head. You know, like, you know, so yeah, know

Andrea:

to see what we come back to

Courtney:

I know we will see you in six weeks!

Andrea:

Good

Courtney:

Refreshed. I'm just like manifesting it refreshed and Full of like really, really special work. We have so many things that, that are like little germinating, like little, little tiny leaves on them, just all these little seeds and seedlings. And we can't wait to come back and bring you what we've grown and harvested in this next six weeks. Super excited.

Andrea:

Very. Yay Okay, well This is a good one. So juicy. Thank you for hanging in there with us. We love hearing from you. We will still be around over these six weeks. So again, comments, DMs, reviews, likes, follows, whatever. However, you can send some energy our way. It's very supportive.

Courtney:

Yes.

Andrea:

Check out Patreon. Patreon is going to get the first look at everything. So please, please, please, um, come see us there. That's where we're going to be sharing over the next six weeks through this process. And, yeah, just so grateful for this time.

Courtney:

See you in six weeks!

Andrea:

See you soon!

Courtney Napier:

Thank you so much for tuning into HD and Liberation podcast. We hope you've gained valuable insights into human design and its role in building a life of peace, success, satisfaction, and wonder. If you've enjoyed this episode, please show your support by liking, following, and sharing our podcast. on YouTube, or your favorite podcast platform. Your engagement helps us reach more people who can benefit from this wisdom. For exclusive content and to join our thriving community, consider becoming a Patreon member. Your support allows us to continue exploring the depths of human design and its potential for life and community transformation. Stay tuned for more fun, thoughtful, and impacting discussions. Together, we're unlocking the path to a more liberated and authentic life. Thank you for being a part of HD and Liberation Podcast.

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Andrea Ward Berg

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Courtney Napier

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