July New Moon Wisdom + Creative Ritual

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The tides begin to turn as the Moon wanes, cycling towards completion. This new Moon begs for more- more of everything. It especially wants you to feel more- so that you can start making some bigger changes for yourself. This may not be a comfortable process. Watch excess on every level and notice where you're just trying to numb or mask your painful shadow parts.

New Moon is on July 4th at 05:02 am. Metaphorically this is a day of independence in the US, which suits this new Moon and waxing cycle to come very well. How much freedom will you feel? That depends on your willingness to show up for yourself and break open the shadow you are clinging to.

At the time of the New Moon, four connections to Ardra nakshatra occur. The new Moon is in Ardra as well as the Sun. The sign on the horizon is Gemini, placed acutely in Ardra. Gemini's ruling planet, Mercury is in this constellation as well. The ruling planet of this star pattern is Rahu, insuring that shadow will be encountered.  Rudra owns this part of the sky and as the storm god, he is sure to deliver. He especially offers emotional outbursts connected to anger and rage. Big waves of tears, grief and pain can be moved as well, which is an important next step for all of us- after just finishing up a Mula Nakshatra waning cycle that certainly tilled the inner soil.

Ardra nakshatra awakens the emotional body in powerful ways and stirs the inner prana. The power of Rudra is dense, compacted emotional body energy that effects the pranic winds and its fluidity of movement. This power can be used in many different ways. It can provoke powerful creative life force energy, or destroy the inner wisdom- or both. Ardra nakshatra natives are known for their bigness and lack of satisfaction with anything but all-star status. I often refer to this constellation as the "rock star" lunar mansion because it is notorious for big energy- big emotion that is. Prana is responsible for life and the absence of prana is death. The pranic winds (maruts) moving in the physical body, stir the emotions and provoke the feelings within. Prana is synonymous with Rudra. Since disrupted prana or life force energy is the root cause of all illness, Rudra can also heal these dis-eases. He is fierce and provocative, strong and forceful in his power.

The effects of this new Moon and the waxing cycle to come will provoke big energy and movement of the inner winds. This can be a powerful ally of support for your healing process. Step into this process with intention and surrender to the grief that will be bursting forth. Your ability to move with the powerful emotional waves will deepen the level of healing that can take place at this time. Resisting the waves will prove futile, and only intensify the emotional body. Anger is just repressed sadness, repressed grief. Deepen your relationship with your own grief process and the many losses you've experienced. Grief gives us the opportunity to learn the art of deep surrender. Avoiding or neglecting the steps necessary for change will only delay the process and make it more painful. This is a Rahu ruled nakshatra after all and he notoriously brings intensity to whatever he touches. Your job is to lean into the pain, challenge and darkness, not resist.

This process of awakening that is provoked in this cycle is particularly connected to changing the mind and old stories- as Ardra's sign, Gemini, is ruled by the mental body, Mercury. The effects may be felt on the level of relationships, creativity, writing, hands, arms and shoulders, as well as all forms of communication. Ketu's drishti on Sun, Moon, Venus and Mercury at the time of the New Moon, insures breaking open and breaking free in the cycle to come.

As the emotional body cup fills and expands in the coming two weeks, pay close attention to what you are releasing. What is there no more space for, no more tolerance for? What do you need to release in order to make more space? What are you inviting in to this space being created? This must be an intentional process. Notice where you're resisting this opening and releasing process as much as you consciously can.

Look for stories that say "I don't have time", or "I don't have the money," as well as "Things are fine". These are all messages that you are staying in your comfort zone and resisting getting your needs met in new ways. It takes radical awareness and dedication to move beyond the old story of scarcity, but will be worth your effort. All you have to do is keep showing up for yourself- fully, in deep presence. It also requires you say yes to new resources and support for your path.

Many wait until the pain is so horrific that they seek support. You don't have to wait that long. This cycle may force you to take action because of the pain. Notice your willingness to move in closer. Notice your resistance to showing up and being with yourself in your pain. Notice how easy it is for you to avoid it and cover it up. Be especially mindful about drugs, intoxicants, caffeine and uppers like sugar in the weeks ahead. Cravings will be stronger. This is just your way of avoiding the emotional body issues that are arising. Stay true to course and be clear about your direction.

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Creative Ritual

This cycle will be stirring the emotional body very acutely. Use this Creative Ritual (psychokinetic imagery process) as a resource for working with the emotional body and lean in closer to the messages arriving.

1) Where to do you feel the challenging emotion in your body? Name the emotion and notice where it lands within you. Be specific. Are there colors, textures or shapes that arrive with this place in the body? Are there any words or messages? Keep leaning in closer and listen carefully.

2) Create an image of your challenging emotion. What does it feel like? What colors, textures and shapes arrive? Create an image that expresses your experience and sensations within your stomach/solar plexus. Spend at least 20 minutes creating this image. I suggest using paints or craypas and a large piece of paper. Title your image. In your journal or on the back of the drawing answer this question:
If your image could speak what would it say?

3) Movement Exploration. Using your image as the inspiration for your dance, begin to move your body in response to your image. Let your body move in response to your image- as though your body is having a conversation with it. Let the colors, shapes, textures etc. invoke a response and let your body express this through movement and sound. Continue to develop your dance for 5 to 10 + minutes. Then respond to these questions: I sense, I feel, I imagine.

4) Harvesting. Answer these baseline statements in your journal once you have completed
the previous steps.

I am
I want
I need

I sense
I feel
I imagine

Ready to take your relationship with Self to the next level? Join me for July Jyotish Astrology classes. This month's focus is creative courage and working with the wisdom of Saraswati.
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