Mothers, Angels, Daughters (and Demons)

I just found out I’m a Demon. Yep, that’s what renowned Vedic astrologer, Carol Allen, told me moments after glancing at my chart.

She also told me I’m ruled by the “hasta” constellation, which in Hindu, translates to “hands.”  Huh.

Vedic astrology is the traditional astrology of India that emphasizes the “temperaments” of individuals. Apparently each person falls under one of three categories of temperaments: Angels, Humans and Demons.

Angels are typically traditional and conservative people, concerned primarily with principles of morality. They often follow dogmatic rules that they might push these upon others. They work well within established systems and structures, and go by-the-books. Carol describes the hearts of Angels as “open,” but warns that their minds can become black and white.

By contrast, Demons are the most unconventional of the three. While Angels draw within the lines, Demons think outside the box. They make great innovators, creative artists, revolutionaries (even outlaws), as they buck systems attempting to “find their own truth”.  Ghandi was a Demon, who led a non-violent revolution, bringing about much needed change by challenging slavery and an archaic caste system.

Demons typically take a more live-and-let-live approach to life and relationships. Whereas angels are more evangelical, often attempting to convert people to their particular doctrine or way of thinking.

Then there are Humans, the “well balanced” sector of society, according to Carol. Humans mix well with all temperaments by adopting the behaviors and beliefs around them, causing them to occasionally, in her words, “lack personality.” Apparently Humans make great actors.

Specific temperaments are not always easy to identify, unless you’re holy roller Jerry Falwell – an extreme example of a righteous Angel. Or take old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra – likely a rebel Demon who insisted on doing it, “Myyyy Waaaay.” I’m guessing Fred Rodgers was a Human who got along with everyone (including puppets).

In other words, Angels point the finger, Demons give the finger, and Humans keep their thumbs up.

Carol says it’s important to have a balance of temperaments in any society. There is no hierarchy as every archetype serves an important purpose.

Apparently my mother, like me, is also a Demon. No doubt that a woman who, skips out of suburbia, against the wishes of her Sicilian patriarch…

…with two “fatherless” children in a dilapidated school bus named after a Grateful Dead album, heading West to the promise land for potheads, to “find love”…is clearly showing signs of a developing Demon.

The Good Girl she was raised to be:

The Lady Demon she became:

She and her generation are more Demon-like as they challenged the status quo, breaking many time-worn barriers, expanding their minds while pushing society into new frontiers where issues of freedom and equality gained new ground.

However, like a typical Demon child, I progressed quite differently than my progressive Demon mother. Early on I noticed that while rebelling against the establishment, hippies often established their own new set of rigid rules. The yogis in charge were some of the most inflexible people I’ve known. Enforced breathing-through-pain at 6am while cleansing on a week of watermelon alone is not what most adolescents are into.

So, instead of joining drum circles, I marched to a different beat – usually in the confines of my bedroom, longing to reunite with my gluten-n-dairy-eating family in New Orleans, while singing along to Xanadu. When the hippie gang was gathered around the teepee in an LSD-induced ritual, I could be seen in the distance race-walking through llama pastures. In a sea of moccasins, I was the first to wear Reebok.

You could say many of my early years were spent countering the counter-culture.

After I left home, my biggest revolution to date is a career in modeling. Challenging the feminist ideals of my mother and the veganism of my youth, I went so far as to inject bovine by-product into my labium inferioris and superioris, making mine the poster-lips for collagen filler.

Soon after, I stunned my earthy feminist mother yet again by becoming an objectified body-parts model.

Most recently, I went against the grain of standard skincare marketing by creating ONE moisturizer for the face, hands and body. I don’t believe we need a multitude of parts-specific products to have well-nourished, healthy, beautiful skin. And I ignored warnings from expert Angels who said I wouldn’t have a successful business unless I pushed more moisturizers.

Even though I didn’t follow obediently and adopt everything my mother enforced, I now respect much of what she was trying to teach. Often I’ve found my way by veering off a beaten path…and eventually coming home to myself in a deeper way.

My mom and I still have our differences, yet we stand united in our quest for truth. We are shadows of one another, yet also mirrors of each other, sharing a deep, mutual and continued desire to “find love.”

Please let me know if you think you’re an Angel, Human or Demon…or let me hear anything else you wish you share. The best conversations are in the comments section below!

Happy Mother’s Day to ALL the incredible moms who have inspired us in with their strong spirits. And don’t forget to treat your mom to Essentiel with some nurturing self-care this Spring. It’s on sale now with code PAMPERMOM!  ? ?