I am OPTimist

NOTE: This article is a bit extensive, and I'm gifting a chapter of my audiobook at the end—just scroll down. Enjoy!

Five Years Ago: The Matrix Imposed Itself

Do you remember what was happening five years ago? Or have you tucked that chapter neatly away, refusing to re-read it?

I don't forget. I don't forget how the world surrendered to an imposed narrative, how property rights—starting with the fundamental right to one's own body—were obliterated by mandates and collective hysteria.

Five years have passed, yet I'm struck by how many continue living under the spell of other people's narratives. Even now, many remain incapable of questioning the very authorities that misled them, that coerced them, that used fear as a weapon against critical thinking.

Some of us saw through it then, and we see through it now. We maintained our North Star—the inviolable principle that our bodies are not collateral for someone else's sense of safety. We recognized that surrendering the sovereignty of our physical being was not just a temporary concession but the first domino in a cascade of lost liberties.

Those five years revealed who would stand firm when pressure came, who would protect the sacred boundary of their own existence. As Neptune moved through Pisces, its fog descended upon the collective consciousness, blurring the lines between truth and propaganda. Reality itself seemed to bend and distort, with many unable to distinguish between protection and control, between safety and submission.

And now, as Neptune prepares to enter Aries, we face a new test: can those who surrendered their autonomy reclaim it? Or have they become so comfortable in their chains that they mistake them for jewelry?

Human action, as Ludwig von Mises laid out, is not just an economic principle—it is the very assertion of one's authority. When the state dictates what you must inject into your body, it has already won the war on private property.

These past five years have been full of deep education. I attended numerous workshops with Gabor Maté (Compassionate Inquiry), Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Stephen Porges, (Polyvagal Theory), Betsy Polatin, and Thomas Hübl, among many others, diving deep into trauma work. I learned to access my somatic intelligence and apply it practically through my work with a Hakomi practitioner, such as Kai Mantsch, who remains an anchor in my journey. I also trained in nonviolent communication, a practice that reshaped my ability to articulate my needs and stand in my truth without resorting to reactionary defensiveness.

I also deepened my studies in observation and correlation by facilitating small study groups on Human Design and Evolutionary Astrology. Practice makes mastery...

At first, I felt ridiculous engaging in Circling—an insightful practice I learned from John Vervaeke and Guy Sengstock—repeating phrases like, "I hear you saying..." But I soon discovered its profound value. Circling is a relational practice rooted in deep empathic listening, presence, and authenticity, creating psychological safety and mutual understanding. It transformed not only how I connected with my own needs but also how I engaged in relationships, redefining communication as a space for true understanding rather than reaction. Looking back, I sense an incredible shift within myself.

And then there was Bitcoin. I didn’t just read about it—I immersed myself. I started with a group led by Tansy Baigent, but my hunger for knowledge pushed me further. I began volunteering, connecting with fellow Bitcoiners, and engaging more deeply with the space. I enrolled in Saifedean Ammous’s program, completing a rigorous study of Austrian economic principles.

I also facilitate small study groups on Bitcoin and have begun leading workshops that introduce newcomers to three key axioms of the Austrian school, demonstrating how they align perfectly with Bitcoin. Through learning, practicing, and sharing with others, I’ve realized that the more I engage, the deeper my own metamorphosis. This journey has profoundly transformed my understanding of value, accountability, and long-term thinking, reshaping my entire perception of what it means to operate outside the coercive state system.

Running Away So I Could Tell This Story

If I hadn't seen what was coming, I wouldn't have been able to make the move I did in 2020. New York was collapsing into dystopian control, and I knew I had to leave. That wasn't escapism—it was strategic relocation. That decision has allowed me to be here now, to tell this story, to share what I have learned in these five years of relentless questioning and transformation.

In leaving, I found clarity. The physical distance provided perspective that would have been impossible had I remained immersed in the collective psychosis. Sometimes you need to step outside the fog to see just how thick it really is.

“Praxeology helps us understand economic phenomena through clear reasoning rather than complex mathematics. Its ideas are time-tested, ensuring that each step in the deduction process is meaningful and accurate. This perspective provides us insight into market dynamics and resource allocation, where each choice reflects the exercise of personal freedom. By making decisions over time, individuals assert their autonomy and control over their lives. In this framework, property rights also emerge as a vital expression of liberty. They protect the individual's ability to act, ensuring that one's labor, resources, and creations are safeguarded from unwarranted interference. For instance, if a person owns land, they have the right to cultivate it, sell it, or build upon it, free from excessive government control.

[…]

However, when governments intervene through excessive regulation, taxation, and control, they disrupt this delicate balance, stifling economic freedom and undermining personal sovereignty. This became particularly evident to me in 2020 and 2021, when government mandates began to interfere with what I consider the most fundamental property of all—my body. These mandates, often justified as collective actions for the greater good, highlighted a troubling reality. We have unknowingly surrendered our liberties because we had lost the ability to discern between collective and individual rights and responsibilities. This expansion of state power during this period was a stark reminder of how easily freedom can be compromised under the guise of public safety.

Human action is not just an economic theory, but a defense of political freedom, a safeguard against the overreach of government.”

Monika Bravo, The Nature of My Reality, Human Action [freedom & responsibility] Page 90

As we navigate this transformative period, it's crucial to reflect on the lessons of the past five years. The challenges we faced have stripped away many illusions, revealing truths about our society and ourselves. The upcoming Equinox and Neptune's ingress into Aries invite us to harness the energies of renewal and courage, to act upon these truths, and to initiate a new chapter both individually and collectively.​

Zero Degrees Aries: The Reset Button

March 20, the Equinox, marks the moment the Sun enters zero degrees Aries—the cosmic reset button. This year's Equinox is particularly significant as Neptune prepares to transition into Aries on March 30th, a shift that hasn't occurred in 165 years.

In harmonics, the 0° marks the axis of the cardinal signs that divide the circle into four quadrants, each initiating a fundamental aspect of ourselves: Aries (individuality), Cancer (emotional body), Libra (relationship to others), and Capricorn (direction of our path). These points aren't rigid boundaries but vibrational thresholds—places where energy shifts from one state to another. Nothing is static; we are all wavelengths in constant motion. These cardinal points serve as measurement too…

The Struggle Between Discernment and Surrender

One of Shakespeare's most profound explorations of discernment and surrender is found in Hamlet. Prince Hamlet is faced with a crisis of action and destiny, caught between his desire for justice and revenge and the need to trust the unfolding of fate.

At the start, he overanalyzes everything—questioning reality, truth, and even his own instincts. His famous soliloquy, "To be or not to be," is an exercise in discernment: does he act rashly, or does he allow time and deeper wisdom to guide him? Yet, as the play progresses, Hamlet moves away from obsessive analysis and toward a more intuitive surrender.

By the end, he utters a line that perfectly encapsulates the lesson of this eclipse:

“There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will.” (Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2)

Here, Hamlet acknowledges that no matter how much we attempt to control, refine, or carve out our own paths (Virgo), there is a larger force (Pisces) at work, shaping things beyond our immediate grasp. This moment—right before his final confrontation—mirrors the Virgo-Pisces axis we are all navigating.

We must act with awareness and precision (Virgo), but ultimately, we must trust in the larger flow of life (Pisces). This eclipse is our moment to step out of the Hamlet-like paralysis of overthinking and into the surrender of trusting that the universe, in its own way, is already shaping the outcome.

Last week, I wrote about the tension between being defined and refusing to be defined. You can read that piece [here].

When I started this BLOG in February 4, 2022, I wasn't even thinking about subscriptions. I just wanted a place to share my writings, my perspectives, and how I see the world. Then, last year, I briefly considered the idea of a paid subscription, but now I'm back to not wanting to go that route at all. The reality is that most of you who support my work have done so through other means—buying my book, booking a reading, or engaging with my work in ways that hold actual value.

So, I've decided to leave everything open and free. If you want to come here, take a peek, read something, enjoy it, share it (or not), comment (or not), I don't care. Because at this point, if you appreciate something, you'll show it in your own way. And if you don't understand what appreciation even means, that's not my problem—that's yours.

What has changed is that I've started writing another book.

The working title is The Art of Synthesis, and I've decided that this is where my best writing will go. This book will be the place where I weave together ideas, deep reflections, and the connections that truly matter. This BLOG, on the other hand, will become more like an open journal, a space for thoughts and explorations, but the deeper work will be saved for the book. So, what does this mean? It means that if you're here for my most synthesized, refined insights, you'll find them in my book when it's ready.

For the current paying subscribers, no need to fret, I will be dropping preliminary chapters of my new book.

I decided to leave my BLOG open because, frankly, I don't want you, my dear friend, to become my employer. You see, my work thrives under commission, where there's an established arrangement—clarity about what I'm going to deliver and what you, the client, will receive. Having subscribers pay me monthly creates anxiety for me, a subtle pressure that restricts my sense of freedom. It becomes difficult for me to decide what to place in front of or behind a paywall. So, I'm returning to the model that works best for me: I work by commission. I have my time booked and am happy about that.

However, if you feel moved to donate or to express your appreciation by supporting my upcoming book (which I plan to complete by the end of the year), I will gratefully accept your contributions or prepayments. If not, that's also perfectly okay. This, again, is about appreciation—but it's more about how you appreciate my work than how I do. I deeply appreciate you as a reader, and I'm committed to putting my energy and insights freely out into the world.

Now, as we shift our gaze from the personal to the celestial, let's explore what this powerful eclipse means for all of us—both collectively and individually—and how we might navigate its transformative energies.

Culmination + Shadows: Where Do You Need Discernment/Surrendering?

This full moon total lunar eclipse in Virgo at 23 degrees is a culmination point. This is a South Node Virgo eclipse, meaning it applies to anyone with Virgo ruling that particular house in their chart.

For me personally, this eclipse is major. It happens in my eighth house, near but not conjunct my Pluto, making it even more significant because my biggest astrological signature is that I have to create a polarity point in the second house. My Vertex is in the eighth house, opposing my Chiron in the second house, squaring my Venus. This is a direct lesson in negotiating my self-worth—standing firm in what I bring to the table, recognizing when and how I engage with others, and ensuring that I do not yield to external definitions of value.

But beyond my personal chart, this eclipse is a moment of discernment for everyone. With the South Node in Virgo, the challenge is to let go of excessive control, perfectionism, and analysis, and instead surrender to Piscean trust, intuition, and a broader sense of connection.

And what are we surrendering to?

The massive Pisces stellium— the Sun, Neptune, Saturn, the North Node, and the upcoming Mercury and Venus retrograde back into Pisces. This is the gravitational pull of the entire chart. Whatever house this Pisces energy falls into for you is where you are being asked to surrender. But in order to do so, you must first let go with discernment in the house where this full moon eclipse lands.

OIKONOMICS

Eight years ago, during the previous Venus retrograde cycle in the same place, I confronted the profound vulnerabilities symbolized by my Chiron in the second house—an astrological placement revealing deep insecurities around self-worth, money, and resources. I used to believe that earning—a word rooted in Old English earnian, meaning "to labor for, to merit"—was merely about exchanging effort for survival, or what we call living, derived from Old English lifian, meaning "to remain alive."

My previous mindset involved finding external sources to cover (Old French covrir, "to shield or protect") my sense of security (Latin securitas, "freedom from anxiety"), rather than cultivating inner abundance. Even the idea of purpose felt external—something to be chased, achieved, or fulfilled—as opposed to naturally aligning with my true design.

Now, my Pluto polarity point has guided me precisely toward that self-sustainability. I am my own well of wealth. Why do I say that? Because I finally understood that value is subjective. This is one of the axioms that I truly embodied through my studies in Austrian economics.

If value is subjective, and if my time on Earth is the most scarce asset I have, then how do I ensure my value is preserved and multiplied across time? This is where low-time preference becomes crucial—it's about consciously acting with the future in mind, prioritizing sustainable growth over immediate gratification. This is precisely the topic I'll be exploring in my upcoming workshop at BitBlockBoom in Dallas next April.

Reflecting on this, I ask you: Are you drawn to communities promising new economic models without first deeply understanding what "economy" truly means, or what money fundamentally is as a technology? Do you realize the word "economics" originates from the Greek oikonomia, meaning "household management"? Are you operating under the impression that profound systemic issues can be repaired through ignorance or good intentions alone?

I have to admit that eight years ago, I was profoundly ignorant in these matters myself. It was only …

This piece is a gift as we are in a profound time of delusion, disillusion, dissolution and renewal. With the Moon moving into Cancer today, we are invited to connect deeply with our inner world, with our emotional needs, and with the parts of ourselves that have been waiting to be embraced. As Mars in Cancer stirs action from the heart, this is a moment to step into clarity—not through force, but through synthesis. I hope this finds you at the right time...

Before you continue, leave a comment, let me know how you are feeling, repost this article, press the like button. (All of these are Free!)

I was born with Saturn in Pisces. Even though it sits in the first few degrees, I carry its energy fully. Right now, we’re all living through the Saturn-Neptune in Pisces cycle, the energy of structures dissolving, of systems that once held things together now slipping through our fingers. This is not a collapse—it’s a revelation. We are seeing what was never stable to begin with. What seemed to define us—our roles, our careers, our identities—is unraveling.

And I have lived this energy all my life.

I was also born with Neptune, the planet that dissolves boundaries, sitting in the 10th house—the house of Saturn, of structures. My life has been a process of dissolving the idea that I need to define myself in relationship to society.

“I am this, I am that.”—No, I am not.

For years, I wrestled with the expectation that I had to fit into a singular category until I arrived at the only answer that felt true: I am a multidisciplinary artist—which is still a definition—but even more than that, I am a polymath.

And this is not something I say to showcase my knowledge of Greek. Polymathia comes from poly (many) and mathematikis (learning).

My path has always been about learning, diving deep into curiosity, and embodying my own wisdom rather than just acquiring it.

The Opponent is Not Outside of You

The real strength in dissolution is not in finding an enemy or creating division. This is not Libra, where we look for balance by seeking an opposing perspective.

This is something entirely different.

When structures dissolve, the unconscious fear is to replace them with opposition—us vs. them, right vs. wrong, past vs. future. But dissolution does not seek to argue—it seeks to transform. We are not meant to find an external enemy to blame; we are meant to integrate, to ask:

-What do I take from this?

-What is left when everything else fades?

-This is the way forward: synthesis.

Instead of fighting what is dissolving, we take the essence. We absorb the experience. We move forward with what remains.

-Not everything needs to be saved.

-Not everything needs to be carried into the next cycle.

-And the next cycle, my friends, is a very big reset.

This is the invitation: to step out of the need to define through opposition and instead to define through what remains essential.

-What is inside of you?

-What are your needs?

-Are you taking care of them?

The Mastery of Time

Saturn is the ruler of time—Chronos—the force that structures reality. In Pisces, Saturn does something paradoxical: it dissolves structures, but through time, it teaches us that there is a deeper order—one that cannot be grasped through rigid definitions.

The more I tried to define myself, the more I felt constrained.

The more I let go, the more I understood who I truly was.

This is what the world is experiencing right now.

Saturn is moving toward Neptune in Pisces to their conjunction, a process that will last a whole year until 2026, when they both move into Aries.

We are collectively closing a cycle, and with it, we are experiencing the struggle [challenge] of letting go—of identities, belief systems, and external definitions of success. If you resist, you might be going against your own evolutionary process.

This is a time not only of dissolution but of disillusionment.

We are completely disillusioned with society, and that is part of the deal.

But letting go is not weakness—it is wisdom.

The wisdom of Saturn in Pisces is that non-definition is its own kind of power.

I call these archetypes the magicians. Abundance defines form, my friends!

Readings as Synthesis: A Mirror to the Unconscious

I do a number of astrological and Human Design readings a week, but I don’t call myself either an astrologer or a Human Design reader.

People who are aligned with my frequency find me, and when they do, we engage in something far deeper than just a chart reading.

My readings are not just about astrology or Human Design—they are a direct engagement with the unconscious, an excavation of what is waiting to emerge.

My North Node in Cancer, ruled by my Scorpio Moon in the 9th house, shapes the way I connect. My approach is deeply intuitive, but it is playful—my Venus in Gemini in the 5th house, along with the North Node in the 5th house, brings a natural curiosity and lightness that allows me to connect to the heart of the person I’m reading.

I don’t impose—I invite. I create a space where the unconscious can speak.

With my Moon in Scorpio balsamic to Neptune, I have the ability to dive deep, navigate the unseen, and bring forth what is hidden.

(BTW, Balsamic is a closing aspect where two planets meet at the end of a cycle, merging into a new experience).

The 9th house impact makes my inquiry both expansive and deep, allowing me to see the larger patterns shaping someone’s life.

But I don’t just explore—I synthesize.

A chart reading with me is an act of alchemy.

I ask the right questions, and I like to go deep. And in that dialogue, something happens. The unconscious reveals itself when it is ready to be seen.

My Uranus-Pluto balsamic conjunction in the 7th-8th house has taught me how to hold space for transformation, how to sense the underlying tension between what needs to be integrated and what is ready to be released.

I see myself as both a mirror and a triggering agent, allowing the person I am reading to recognize something within themselves that they may have forgotten.

This is the essence of my Left Angle Cross of Alignment in Human Design—I tune into what is needed. I take a moment to retreat to assess, and if the person is ready and willing, I deliver what is purposeful for their life in a a very caring and nurturing way.

If you are in a moment of transition, and if you feel that something within you is waiting to be revealed, my readings are intense because they are not just about your chart—they are about your evolution thus far.

Some people have said that a session with me feels like 10 hours of therapy in one sitting.

So, would you like me to dive deep into your unconscious and mirror back to you what you already know but have forgotten?

Astrology is a Language, Not a Belief System

Right now, everything feels chaotic. People feel lost, unanchored, like the ground beneath them is constantly shifting. And it is.

We are in the middle of a major transition—personally and collectively.

I always say that astrology is a tool, but it is not a belief system—it is a language.

It doesn’t require faith, only curiosity. It is a way to recognize patterns, cycles, timing, and archetypes.

Not to predict, but to navigate.

It is a mirror that allows you to understand your own unfolding, your own process of individuation, by facing what is unconscious and bringing it to the light.

Want to Go Deeper? My Book is Still Available

I wrote about these very themes—how I went through a whole process of individuation, how I used astrology and other practices to reveal the path.

We are all moving through times of deep change.

If you want a framework, if you want to understand how to synthesize the uncertainty rather than be consumed by it, start with your own chart.

Because everything you need is in your body.

You just have to tap into it.

I’m in a deeply introspective space, and I want to take full advantage of it. I’ve been looking at time, at cycles, observing where we stand at the very end of one—something still undefined, something we cannot yet name. The less external noise I let in, the better. This way, whatever I perceive, whatever I feel, it’s coming from a higher place, not from the static and distortion of the outside world. And there is so much noise. So much noise.

So, I’ll be brief.

With Venus retrograde and an upcoming Mercury retrograde, all I feel is the need to pull energy from within. We are approaching eclipse season—March 14th marks the first, a full moon in Virgo (remember, discernment), followed by the second on March 29th, a New Moon in Aries. What is unfolding for you?

I know last week I spoke about Dante stepping into the fire and about Damiel, the angel in Wings of Desire who leapt into the decision to embody his humanity. But this time, it’s not about action. This time, it’s about moving slowly through the fog, about trusting instincts, intuition, and inner vision more than anything else. What we see outside is only a reflection of what’s inside.

This is not a time for answers but for listening deeply. The stillness holds more than the noise ever could.

If you know what your needs are and you learn how to voice them, whatever is shaping the future will be defined by these moments of contemplation. And that will shape your perception. Trust that you will be ready.

I know you’re ready, Monika…

So I leave you with this:

We have to be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

— Joseph Campbell

This is the threshold.

Let’s see what emerges.

“By this summer, you could be mastering the form of your own vision while allowing it to expand through the depth of your heart.”

For those of you that are not familiar with the Kybalion, I leave you this video, is a fascinating text that explores Hermetic philosophy, the book outlines seven fundamental principles or “laws” that govern the universe:

"All is mind; the Universe is mental."

"As above, so below; as below, so above."

"Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."

"Everything is dual; everything has poles."

"Everything flows, out and in."

"Every cause has its effect; every effect has its cause."

"Gender is in everything; everything has its masculine and feminine principles." [This does not refer merely to biological sex but to universal creative forces—active and passive, logic and intuition, expansion and contraction.]

Enjoy, and breathe!

"Fede e innocenza son reperte solo ne’ parvoletti."

"Faith and innocence are found only in little children." –Dante, Purgatorio 27.140

Preamble:

"Just one thought for the New Moon in Pisces, one lunation before the Eclipses: when you trust the light within, all is well…"

Wherever you have Pisces and early Aries, that is your fire. The New Moon, Saturn, Mercury, the North Node, Neptune, and Venus in Aries show where to surrender—then initiate—a beautiful square to Jupiter, opening 40 days of Venus retrograde… * A descent into the underworld. A part of you must die so something new can emerge. This cycle echoes through time—March–April 2017, 2009, 2001,1993. What patterns are returning?

*Get a personalized reading for the months ahead with me.*

(The full article follows below the paywall.)

(Another article where I take from literature + Cinema to convey the times we are living in—metaphorically, allegorically, as a bridge between the seen and the unseen.)

The Threshold of Fire and Fog: A Dialogue Beyond Time

(Perhaps you have been here before, though you do not remember. A bridge suspended over a place that is neither past nor future. A fog so thick it curls around your thoughts before they are fully formed. A fire at the threshold—not consuming, not punishing—only waiting. The hum of something old, something inevitable. And two figures speaking just beyond your reach, as if they have always been here.)

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IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION.

ENGAGE WITH IT—OR JUST READ IT…

A poetic reflection on transits—woven into mystery, in the mystery.

"𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀—𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆—𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗽."

— 𝗜. 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗼

The City of Chao and the Promise of Paper

In the far reaches of the Khan’s empire, beyond the steppe and the great rivers, lies the city of Chao. Here, wealth is not measured in silver ingots or gold coins, but in slips of paper, pressed with the seal of the Khan himself. To walk through the city’s markets is to hear the rustling of promises—paper exchanged for silk, for spice, for jade, for the notion that value is something that can be written, rather than weighed.

“In Chao,” Marco Polo tells the Khan, “a merchant can buy a caravan of horses with a single slip. A spice trader, burdened with nothing but a scroll of inked characters, may cross the desert and return richer than before. The city thrives not on metal, but on belief.”

The Khan listens, tapping his fingers on the lacquered armrest of his throne. “And what happens,” he asks, “when the belief fades?”

“Then,” Marco replies, “the city finds itself full of paper and empty of trust. At first, the officials assured the people that each note could be redeemed for gold, for silk, for silver stacked high in the imperial vaults. But the scribes began to write more notes than there were vaults to hold them, and the markets filled with wealth that existed only in the ink of a promise. The more paper they printed, the less it was worth. The merchants of Samarkand, who once accepted Chao’s notes in good faith, began to demand metal again. The goldsmiths, who had once exchanged their bullion for the Khan’s slips, turned them away. The citizens, who had once bought their rice and fish with the mere signing of their names, found that their hands held nothing but weightless words.”

The Khan watches the candlelight flicker against the polished wood of the table. “And the city?”

“The city, Majesty, learned too late that the power of paper is only as strong as the trust behind it. When the illusion broke, the markets emptied. The people of Chao returned to barter—silk for grain, salt for iron, labor for protection. They set fire to the archives that had once promised them prosperity, and with them, the belief that wealth could be conjured with a brushstroke.”

The Khan exhales through his nose. “This has happened before.”

“And it will happen again.”

Zirma, the City of Mirrors

There is another city, Majesty, where illusion is not only traded but reflected infinitely: Zirma, the City of Mirrors.

“Tell me of Zirma,” the Khan commands, his curiosity piqued.

Marco bows his head slightly. “Zirma is built on reflections. Its streets are lined with mirrors that do not show what is, but what was, or what could be. The merchants there do not trade in goods, but in shadows of goods. A man may enter the market with an empty purse and leave believing himself richer than before. His pockets jingle with coins, but only in the reflection of a shop window. His wealth exists only in the gleam of the polished silver counters, in the nods of passing traders who accept his worth not for what he holds, but for what he appears to be.”

“And what happens when he reaches the city gates, where there are no mirrors to confirm his fortune?”

“Then he finds his hands empty.”

Ilithra, the City of Unwritten Light

“Majesty,” Marco Polo continues, “there is yet another city you have not seen, though its presence lingers in the air like the scent of ink drying on parchment. Ilithra is unlike Chao or Zirma. Here, the streets hum with the rhythm of artisans, their hands moving in time with unseen melodies. Gold does not dictate their worth, nor does the reflection of wealth in another’s eyes. Instead, value arises from the act of creation itself.”

The Khan raises an eyebrow. “A city where wealth is neither held nor mirrored? What, then, do its people trade?”

“They trade in breath and form. A sculptor carves a figure from alabaster, not to sell but to see the shape that emerges. A poet speaks a verse into the wind, and it is carried to another who needs its sound. Their wealth is not stored, for the act of creation is both its beginning and its end. It is in this cycle that they thrive—knowing that to bring spirit into matter is the highest exchange.”

The Khan considers this. “But does not the absence of possession invite ruin? How does the city endure?”

“Ilithra endures because its people know that what they create is never lost. A song, once sung, enters the ears of a thousand travelers. A painting, once seen, imprints itself on the memory of those who gaze upon it. Their wealth does not require vaults to hold it; it moves through the bodies of those who receive it, carried forward by time itself.”

The candle flickers. The Khan is silent.

Perhaps there is another city Marco Polo has yet to describe is one where no emperor controls the currency, where value arises from human action, not decree. But that is a tale for another night. Satoshira, the City Without a King.

But Now, Let Me Ask You This…

Is this the world as Marco Polo saw it in the 1290s? A world slipping into monetary illusion, where an empire prints more paper than it has gold, believing itself invincible until its merchants turn away and demand silver instead?

Or is this Italo Calvino’s world, where cities exist in the mind, their streets woven from ideas, their markets trading in philosophy rather than silk? Where Kublai Khan listens, not to a Venetian merchant, but to the whisper of history repeating itself?

Or—

Is this me, Monika, making things up?

Am I weaving this tale because the yuan of 1294 and the fiat currencies of 2025 share the same fate? Because paper money, once an innovation, has always fallen victim to the rulers who overuse it? Because every Chao, every Zirma, every empire that believes it can outrun reality eventually meets the same reckoning?

And if I am, does it make the lesson any less true?

What is real, and what is illusion?

The city of mirrors is collapsing again. The reflections are breaking. Will the merchants of this era recognize it before the gates close? Or will they, like the citizens of Zirma, continue trading in shadows until morning comes and the wealth they held at sunset vanishes with the mist?

Lately, I have found myself lingering at the threshold of Ilithra. The astrological transits pull at my second house, whispering that value is not in accumulation but in expression. My art, my words, my presence in the world are not dictated by external validation, but by the intrinsic act of bringing them forth. That is my realignment.

A Note on Invisible Cities

Italo Calvino has always inspired me, weaving playfulness and depth into his writing, his whimsical texts holding both lightness and inevitability. Invisible Cities has long resonated with me, so much so that between 2009 and 2012, I created Landscape of Belief, threading his words into the skylines of seven cities: New York, Shanghai, Paris, London, Brasi­lia, Istanbul, and Venice.

Projected onto two layers of transparent glass, dissolving behind a two-way mirror, the text-formed skylines appeared and disappeared, visible yet unreadable. It was a magical experience, a reflection of the impermanence of belief, of how meaning shifts with perspective.

At 45, I stood at a threshold, asking myself:

‘Is destiny something I create, or something I inherit?’

And here we are now, at another threshold. Can we make the best of the circumstances in this world? Are we doomed, or can we use creativity and imagination to move forward i…

The glitch is the fiat system. The glitch is the scam so deeply embedded in the fabric of daily life that most can’t even see it. It’s an economic Truman Show, designed to be too real to question, where the actors don’t even know they’re acting. The fiat illusion is glitching so hard that people mistake the distortion for reality, clinging to a system that is collapsing in real time.

“All my Bitcoiner friends are so smart.”

But is it because they understand money?

Or because they see the scam?

Does seeing the scam make them smart?

Or were they smart to begin with, and that’s why they see it?

This is the twist we’re living in—perception itself is being inverted. Those who question the system are ridiculed, while those who blindly trust it believe they are the enlightened ones.

We are in the age of glitches. The money is fake. The economy is rigged. Elections are illusions. The “news” is a simulation. The institutions we were taught to revere are crumbling under the weight of their own contradictions. The realis breaking through, and those who have trained their minds to spot deception are the ones navigating this transition with clarity.

Like Truman, we have reached the edges of our reality. The cracks in the sky are visible.

The Truman Show and the Nature of the Glitch

The Truman Show wasn’t just a movie; it was a warning. Truman Burbank lives inside a perfectly curated illusion, a fabricated world where every event, every crisis, and every relationship is part of a script. But when the glitches start—a spotlight labeled Sirius falling from the sky, his car radio picking up surveillance chatter, his wife’s jarring product placements—his world begins to unravel.

He reaches the edge of his existence, where the horizon is nothing but a painted sky. There, he finds the exit. Christof, the show's creator, tries one last time to keep him inside:

Christof: "I am the creator… of a television show that gives hope and joy and inspiration to millions."

Truman: "Then who am I?"

That is the real question. When the system is exposed, when the illusion fails, who are you outside of it? Truman chooses the unknown. He steps through the door.

We are at that threshold now.

DOGE and the Collapse of the Illusion

The Department of Government Oversight and Expenditure (DOGE), created under Trump’s administration, was designed to expose the grotesque misuse of public money. The world Truman lived in was built to keep him complacent—just like the system we’ve been living in. DOGE turned the cameras around. It revealed the siphoning of wealth, the funding of phantom agencies, the manufactured crises meant to justify bloated budgets.

For decades, people were told to trust the institutions. They were told that the national debt was just an abstraction, that government spending was necessary, that money could be printed infinitely without consequence. Now, as DOGE has begun pulling threads, the entire tapestry is unraveling.

The fiat system itself is a glitch—a distortion of real value, a manufactured construct that demands faith without backing. It is designed to crash, to be reset, over and over, while those who control it extract everything from those trapped inside.

Mike Benz about USAID, Israel, Ukraine & more | From Ep. 44 of You're The Voice [clip]

Between the Idea and the Reality

T.S. Eliot saw this moment long before it arrived.

"Between the ideaAnd the realityBetween the motionAnd the actFalls the shadow."

We have lived in that shadow. The space between what we were told and what is. The illusion of legitimacy, the performance of authority, the spectacle of control. But the shadow is shrinking.

Kafka’s The Trial was another warning. Joseph K., trapped in a system of meaningless rules, is put on trial without knowing the charges, prosecuted by an unseen force, until he meets his inevitable end. The system is the punishment. His crime? Existing within it.

But unlike The Trial, The Truman Show gave us an alternative ending. Truman didn’t submit. He walked out.

The war is spiritual, but the attack is psychological—an all-encompassing assault on perception, memory, and choice. The soul (ψυχή, psuchē) is caught in the battlefield of conditioning, layered with illusions that obscure its purpose. Meanwhile, spirit (πνεῦμα, pneuma) remains untouched, breathing in the background, waiting for the psyche to wake up.

“In Hellenic philosophy, the soul (ψυχή, psuchē) and spirit (πνεῦμα, pneuma) are distinct, each playing unique roles in human existence. The soul, or ψυχή, embodies an individual’s essence—encompassing emotions, thoughts, and consciousness—and is the immortal core that carries personal identity and experiences across different stages of existence, shaping one’s moral and emotional landscape. In contrast, the spirit, or πνεῦμα, represents the vital life force or breath that animates all living beings, a universal, divine essence connecting all life forms to the cosmic source of creation, transcending individual identity.”— Monika Bravo, "Saturn and the Moon: Inner & Outer Authority," The Nature of My Reality​

Most people are unaware of the glitch because they perceive only from the psyche—the programmed mind, the conditioned emotions, the reactive self. They don’t question their choices, their fears, their financial enslavement, or the narratives they have been given. They believe in authority, institutions, and history because they do not recognize the program for what it is.

Mastering life on Earth means understanding that we live between two breaths—between spirit and matter, between the illusion and the real, between incarnation and return.

Are you living from PSYCHE—the conditioned self, the character scripted by the system?

Or from PNEVMA—the raw, untouchable essence, beyond perception, beyond control?

And if you woke up today and realized it was all a program—would you still play the role?

Awareness is a Funky Thing

"Security and my desire for creative expression—this period urges me to set healthy boundaries, embrace my self-worth, and find equilibrium between material needs and creative fulfillment."— Monika Bravo, "Awareness is Indeed a Funky Thing," The Nature of My Reality​

Awareness doesn’t arrive all at once. It glitches in. You see one thing, then another, then suddenly everything that seemed stable is wobbling under the weight of its own contradictions. The moment you become aware that a system exists is the moment it starts to collapse in your perception.

For a long time, I lived under a structured, defined reality. And then, I started dissolving those forms. I stopped trying to fit inside something that was never designed for me. That process has been unfolding for months, if not years and I can already see where it’s going. I am stepping into something new, something undefined. The walls of my own construct have been breached.

Dissolution is not an ending. It’s an upgrade.

Can We Move Toward a Lighter Field?

“The last time Saturn and Neptune met—at 10 degrees Capricorn in 1989—literal and metaphorical walls fell, dismantling divisive ideologies…

"When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams—this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness—and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be."—Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote de la Mancha

Few literary characters have captured the paradox of human existence as profoundly as Don Quixote. He is the madman, the dreamer, the fool—and yet, within his supposed insanity lies a radical truth: he refuses to see life as others do. While the world laughs at him, he remains committed to his vision, unshaken by rejection, ridicule, or disbelief.

Cervantes wrote Don Quixote de la Mancha in two volumes, the first published in 1605 and the second in 1615, during Spain’s Siglo de Oro (Golden Age), a period of immense artistic and literary achievement. Yet beneath the novel’s humor and irony, Cervantes was deeply engaged in a philosophical meditation on illusion and reality, individual will, and the ever-present conflict between personal conviction and societal expectations.

Italo Calvino saw Don Quixote as more than a dreamer—he saw him as a force that bends reality itself. Quixote’s world may be imaginary, but the sheer strength of his vision makes it almost real. Calvino called Don Quixote ‘polyphonic,’ a novel that does not just tell a story but questions the very nature of storytelling. Isn’t that exactly what happens when someone dares to live outside the prescribed narrative of society? Their reality becomes disruptive, forcing others to reckon with its existence.

At its core, Don Quixote is not just the story of a man who reads too many chivalric romances and decides to become a knight. It is the story of all individuals who dare to live according to their own truth, despite being called mad for doing so. Cervantes challenges the reader to ask: What is more foolish—to chase an impossible dream or to live a life dictated by the limitations imposed by others?

Spain at the time was an empire at its height but also one that was beginning to fracture. The rigid structures of feudalism, the deep influence of the Catholic Church, and the monarchy’s grip on power made it difficult for individuals to carve out their own destiny. Cervantes himself was no stranger to hardship—he had been a soldier, was captured and enslaved for five years in Algiers, and later struggled with financial difficulties and imprisonment. His personal experiences shaped his writing, infusing it with a deep awareness of human suffering and resilience.

Through Don Quixote, Cervantes presents a character who—despite his apparent foolishness—embodies the ultimate freedom: the courage to live by his own principles. He is rejected, attacked, and humiliated, yet he never abandons his quest. His very existence forces those around him to confront their own illusions and fears.

And isn’t that precisely what it means to stand for something in today’s world?

"Whenever humanity seems condemned to heaviness, I think I should fly like Perseus into a different space. I don't mean escaping into dreams or into the irrational. I mean that I have to change my approach, look at the world from a different perspective, with a different logic and with fresh methods of cognition and verification."—Italo Calvino, Six Memos for the Next Millennium (Lightness)

The Role of Sancho Panza: The Anchor to Reality

If Don Quixote represents idealism, vision, and the unwavering pursuit of a dream, then Sancho Panza is the grounding force, the pragmatist, the everyman who walks beside the visionary yet never fully leaves behind the weight of reality. Sancho follows Don Quixote out of loyalty, curiosity, and the hope of material reward, but he never fully embraces the knight’s delusions—at least, not at first.

He is both a companion and a counterbalance, someone who doubts but does not abandon. At times, Sancho tries to reason with Don Quixote, pointing out the absurdity of his chivalric fantasies, yet as the novel progresses, something interesting happens—Sancho begins to believe. He starts to absorb the dream, to entertain the possibility that Don Quixote’s world of ideals might hold something real, something worth pursuing.

Sancho’s duality is the same one we see in society today. We live in a time when people are torn between pragmatic survival and the pull of something greater—an ideal, a higher vision. Some choose to walk the practical road, dismissing anything that disrupts the status quo. Others, like Don Quixote, insist on forging their own path, no matter the ridicule.

Sancho represents those who might not be willing to take the full leap into radical authenticity but who, nonetheless, find themselves drawn to those who do. They remain skeptical, yet they keep walking alongside the mad dreamers, the ones who refuse to conform.

There’s a moment in Don Quixote where Sancho, after years of journeying with his master, says:

"I am beginning to learn that the brave man carves out his own fortune."

Sancho, the ultimate realist, begins to understand that action—bold, unrelenting action—is what shapes destiny. He may never fully become Don Quixote, but he realizes that walking alongside him has given him a perspective beyond mere survival.

Full Moon in Leo: Tension Between Stability and Change

This Full Moon in Leo is deeply entangled in the ongoing evolutionary struggle between freedom and stability, personal validation and societal belonging, commitment and disruption. The astrology of this lunation presents a crucial moment of reckoning, where something has to give.

At the center, we have:

* The Full Moon in Leo: A moment of emotional culmination, where we are asked to recognize where we shine, where we seek validation, and where we must embrace the fullness of our individuality.

* The Sun Conjunct Ceres and Mercury in Aquarius opposing the Moon on Leo: This adds a layer of detachment and intellectual processing. Ceres in Aquarius suggests nurturing through freedom and nonconformity, while Mercury in Aquarius sharpens our ability to see the bigger picture. Together, this is about understanding how we care for ourselves and others without losing our independence.

* Uranus in Taurus Squaring the Full Moon (First Quarter Square): Uranus, the great disruptor, is shaking the foundations of comfort, stability, and material security. This fixed sign tension between Leo and Taurus demands a shift—are we holding onto outdated structures that no longer serve us? Are we afraid to step fully into our freedom because it threatens our sense of stability? Uranus is the wild card, and this square reminds us that true liberation often comes through discomfort.

* Juno in Scorpio (Last Quarter Square): Juno, representing commitment and contractual relationships, is in deep, transformative Scorpio, making a last-quarter square to the Leo Sun. This is a test of commitment—not just to others, but to ourselves. Are we truly loyal to our deepest values, or are we compromising in ways that keep us trapped?

What This Full Moon Asks of Us

* What is more important—our need for personal validation or our place in the world?

* The Leo Moon wants to be seen, acknowledged, and celebrated for its uniqueness. But with Mercury and Ceres in Aquarius, we are also being asked to detach from our perspective and view ourselves from a more objective one. Are we seeking validation in ways that keep us from stepping into our true individuality?

* Are we committed enough to our own values?

* Juno in Scorpio is a serious energy—it wants depth, truth, and unwavering commitment. But to what? Are we still clinging to external commitments that no longer align with our core principles? Or have we made a promise to ourselves to honor what we truly believe in? This Full Moon exposes any misalignments between our stated values and our lived reality.

* What resources are we grounding now to ensure expansion later?

* Uranus has been in Taurus for seven years, shaking up everything we thought was stable—our financial systems, our d…

From my dear friend, Efrat Fenigson podcaster [YOU’RE THE VOICE] & Bitcoiner extraordinaire: Join us tomorrow and once a month!

“If you don’t know my friend Monika Bravo - an amazing Artist, Astrologer, Bitcoiner, Austrian Economics lover and overall beautiful soul - you’re up for a treat! Monika will join me on this special live session to discuss world’s event and provide some tips for navigating life at this turbulent time. Make sure to join us!

🚀 When? Wednesday Feb. 12th 2025, 1pm EST / 7pm CET / 8pm Israel

🚀 Paid subscribers: feel free to drop a comment with a question/topic you’d like us to discuss, and we’ll do our best to get to everything!

🚀 Save the date here, and join us on YouTube / X for the live stream.

We’ll be diving deep into topics like:

* 🚀 Austrian economics and its principles

* 🚀 Bitcoin and sovereignty

* 🚀 Politics and power structures

* 🚀 Astrology and cycles of change

* 🚀 And most importantly—questioning reality itself.

Because let’s be honest—none of this makes sense anymore. And that’s exactly why we need to keep the inquiry open—to make sense of it together.

Watch on Youtube (on Wednesday, not now!)

FULL MOON article drops soon!

ANOTHER FREE ARTICLE FOR EVERYONE WITH LOVE

The language of Tlön resists the formulation of this paradox; most people did not even understand it. The defenders of common sense at first did no more than negate the veracity of the anecdote. They repeated that it was a verbal fallacy, based on the rash application of two neologisms not authorized by usage and alien to all rigorous thought: the verbs "find" and "lose," which beg the question, because they presuppose the identity of the first and of the last nine coins. They recalled that all nouns (man, coin, Thursday, Wednesday, rain) have only a metaphorical value. They denounced the treacherous circumstance "somewhat rusted by Wednesday's rain," which presupposes what is trying to be demonstrated: the persistence of the four coins from Tuesday to Thursday.

They explained that equality is one thing and identity another, and formulated a kind of reductio ad absurdum: the hypothetical case of nine men who on nine nights suffer a severe pain. Would it not be ridiculous - they questioned - to pretend that this pain is one and the same? They said that the heresiarch was prompted only by the blasphemous intention of attributing the divine category of being to some simple coins and that at times he negated plurality and at other times did not. They argued: if equality implies identity, one would also have to admit that the nine coins are one.

~Jorge Luis Borges, Thlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius, 1940.

The World Will Be Cloned

True liberation comes from questioning everything, even oneself.

Today, we witness a conjunction of the North Node and Neptune at 28° Pisces. The last time a similar yet inverted conjunction occurred was with the South Node in 11/18/2016 at 9° Pisces. Looking back, I recall being in a state of deep illusion—disconnected from my own values, spiraling in uncertainty about my worth. That story is in my book, so I won’t retell it here, but I reference it because this particular conjunction with the North Node hasn’t occurred often—the last one was on January 18, 1858. This moment invites us to redefine our relationship with the narratives we tell ourselves, the fantasies we construct, and the ideologies that shape our world. North Node + Neptune offers the time to reflect with discernment on where your values are, based on your needs, thus assigning meaning toward a profound way of living.

Although Sagittarius, Jupiter, and the 9th house generate ideologies, by the time they reach Pisces, they become embedded belief systems—almost spirit-(ritual) in nature. Right now, with Jupiter newly direct in Gemini, we have an opportunity to question these frameworks, to reexamine the ideas we’ve accepted as truth. Since 2018, Uranus has forced me to step away from radical convictions, loosening my grip on fixed ideologies. My political views have been more openly expressed in the past year, yet even now, they remain fluid. I continue questioning everything—whether blue or red, left or right—because I refuse to assign absolute value to any single position.

Much of what we’ve accepted as "truth" has been carefully constructed, written in ways that discourage scrutiny. Borges, for instance, masterfully illustrated this in Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius.

Jorge Luis Borges, one of the most brilliant literary minds of the 20th century, masterfully explored the nature of reality, language, and ideology in Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius, a short story first published in Ficciones (1940). The story presents a fictional world—Tlön—created by a secret society with the goal of reshaping human perception through fabricated knowledge. What begins as an obscure intellectual curiosity slowly infiltrates human thought, replacing reality with a meticulously constructed but entirely fictional world.

Borges anticipated the mechanisms of mass manipulation and ideological conditioning, showing how civilizations adopt false realities as truth when presented with a coherent, authoritative narrative. The story is not just a literary experiment—it is a warning. It eerily mirrors our time, where digital information, ideological agendas, and institutional narratives hold the power to overwrite reality itself.

Borges understood that whoever controls perception controls reality. In Tlön, reality is not merely rewritten—it is erased, replaced by a world where subjective belief supersedes material existence. As Borges famously concludes, “The world will be Tlön”, signaling that the real danger is not in the existence of false narratives, but in our willingness to accept them as truth.

We see this happening today. Ideologies have become so powerful that they distort perception, making people blind to what is in front of them. When narratives replace truth, questioning becomes an act of defiance.

In this world, reality is subjective, logic is rewritten, and over time, fabricated ideas infiltrate society until Tlön becomes the only recognized truth.

Are you still holding on to beliefs you once thought were absolute truths? Have you questioned them? In today’s world of extreme polarization, where discussions on gender, identity, and natural law are becoming battlegrounds, these questions matter more than ever. I recently read a post by an astrologer who, like many in that field, subscribes to a highly ideological worldview. It's interesting to me how so many astrologers lean toward the "woke" perspective, clinging to belief systems that give them a sense of certainty.

But I remind myself—and you, the reader—that whatever I write is my own evolving perspective. It is not absolute. My views shift as I continue to question.

This astrologer recently claimed that Chiron in Aries is about "toxic masculinity." I couldn’t help but laugh. While early feminism sought to empower women, later iterations have weaponized gender dynamics, undermining both men and women. Toxic masculinity is a fabricated concept born out of toxic feminism. What was once used to describe extreme aggression has now been twisted into an attack on masculinity itself, branding natural male traits—strength, leadership, and protection—as harmful. This narrative has not only emasculated men but has also distorted the natural balance between masculine and feminine energy, leading to widespread confusion about identity, purpose, and relationships.

Men do not hate women. What they reject is the feminist agenda that undermines their role as protectors, providers, and fathers. Feminist women, on the other hand, often seem to resent femininity itself—rejecting motherhood, sneering at traditional family structures, and pushing ideological division rather than harmony. They have weaponized gender, distorting natural law, and promoting the illusion that men and women are interchangeable rather than complementary.

Chiron in Aries is not just a wound for men to heal—it is an opportunity for everyone, including hard-core feminists to understand the role of Yang energy within themselves. This is not about erasing masculinity but integrating it with Yin energy rather than opposing it. Aries and Cancer form a natural square—action versus nurture—a tension that must be resolved, not fought. The same goes for Capricorn and Libra, where structure and relationships demand balance.

Chinese cosmology teaches us that the answer is never simply A or B, masculine or feminine—it is the synthesis that emerges in the present moment. Feminism has rejected this, seeking destruction over integration, leaving both men and women disconnected from their essence. To move forward, we must restore the natural order, where masculinity and femininity, Yang + Yin, and “Me vs. Them” coexist in harmony—not in conflict. Being in conflict when it emerges from inquiry leads to mutation, and mutation brings evolutionary blossom.

This is what I expressed in response to someone who made a rigid ideological argument. But I don’t expect you to take my words as truth, either. I challenge you to check your own biases. If you are someone with agency, do n…