When intimate communications fracture and threaten to reverse peace, bergamot with its compassionate glaze fills in cracks created by being unheard, to smooth over relational conflict and redirect a once troubled interaction back into a forward trajectory. Likely a hybrid of two citrus varieties, lemon and bitter orange, bergamot is associated with the Archangel Raphael, whose name means “God has healed” and the Archangel Michael, “he who is like God.” Bergamot is chiefly ruled by the Archangel Raphael, a prince in charge of the Second Heaven and controller of the planet Mercury. Residing in the face of the Sun, as Mercury orbits behind the glowing orb, bergamot becomes useful in combatting the communication meltdowns endemic to Mercury retrograde. In conjunction with bergamot’s planetary associations (Mercury, Sun), its Archangels rule the zodiac signs of Gemini, Virgo and Leo. Primarily connected with the kindhearted Virgo, bergamot methodically supports perfectionists at heart, minimizes fixations on unnecessary details and offers strengthened communication, particularly that which has the potential to go sideways. Coupled with Raphael’s ruling of journalists, communication and divorce lawyers, bergamot acts as a magical aid that supports unbiased journalism, acts as a spiritual bulwark during mediation and assists in bringing calm and reasoned communication amidst strife. The illnesses associated with bergamot are of the eyes and circadian rhythm, making it helpful in the spiritual treatment of drusen (ocular debris that acts as a precursor to macular degeneration) and activation of the parasympathetic nervous system to magically regulate sleep. Among Raphael’s totems synchronizing with bergamot are the cheetah and Eastern tiger swallowtail, powerful totems of unexpectedly changing direction midair (cheetah) and balancing a day’s work with regeneration (swallowtail). Attuning with bergamot is its stone, sugilite, which is known for burning off gray spots in the aura. The preeminent celestial tool for those going through divorce, bergamot increases the ability to stand down from conflict while supporting the authentic flow of emotions (e.g., self-compassion rather than self-pity). Bergamot magically treats insomnia when brought on by fear or a tendency to overwork, brings time-limited bursts of energy to accomplish a task, and protects from punishment quests in intimate relationships.
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