As the Moon shifts into the first tithi of the waxing Moon cycle, late evening on Friday September 30th, the sacred nine day and night celebration of Shardiya Maha Navaratri begins.

Nava means nine and ratri means night in Sanskrit. Each day and night of this powerful junction point, correlates to the epic battle between the goddess Sri Devi Mahatmyam and the demon Mahishasura. Maha Devi Mahatmyam is connected to both Durga and Shakti, powerful forms of divine feminine energy that awaken, clear, transform and heal. Sri Devi is understood to be the supreme creation power of the universe, the Tridevi, or triple goddess, as she expresses the creation, sustaining and destructive energies that perpetuate all forms of life. In the sacred text known as the Sri Devi Mahatmyam, composed between 400 and 600 CE, the many forms of the goddess are expressed.

"She is presented, through a language of praise, as the one who dwells in all creatures, as the soul, as the power to know, the power to will and the power to act. She is consciousness of all living beings, she is intelligence, she is matter, and she is all that is form or emotion." - Via Wikipedia

During the nine day and night Navaratri celebration, the battle between light and dark forces enlivens, ending on the 10th day with Victory Day, Vijaya Dashami. This  battle between light and dark, good and bad, masculine and feminine, transformation and healing, is taking place within all beings at this sacred junction point. It is a time to heal and integrate polarities within.

The Navaratri celebration is an expression of what is taking place within Nature, through the Laws that govern Nature, marking an important transition within us and around us. These important junction points (know as a gap, or sandhi in Sanskrit) happen multiple times a year, however, the Shardiya, or Maha Navaratri, junction point is considered the most powerful. This is a death cycle for both Northern and Southern hemispheres. As life is being called into silence in the North, and called into action for the South. In either case, doors are opening and closing.

Align with Nature and Her powerful energy of change and transformation during Navaratri. Ritualize your connections with Nature- in order to land more closely to your own inner wisdom, to Her wisdom. Strengthen your connection to self and Spirit.

Navaratri is a poignant time in the Vedic Calendar. This ancient calendar is one that is dedicated to Nature and her cycles and rhythms, the planets, and most importantly the Moon. In the Vedic Calendar, time is connected to what Nature and the cosmos are doing, and these elements are intimately related. Navaratri occurs twice a year- in the "gap" seasons of spring and fall. These times are considered sandhi times; delicate times that feel like you are neither here, nor there. We might call it the netherworld. This time, though delicate, is considered sacred.

In the spring, Navaratri marks the "waking up" of the devis or the goddesses; the aspects of Natural Law that enliven growth, abundance, prosperity, learning, well being, change and transformation. In the fall, Navaratri invites in destruction, removal, change, transformation and healing. The goddesses Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi symbolize these parts of life and Nature, while also being parts of our own innate being. The three of them together represent our wholeness, the trinity of life, alive in and around us. These three goddesses also connect to Shakti, the goddess who gives the spark of life to every being, to Nature, and to existence.

Fall Navaratri, or Maha Navaratri, is by far the most potent as it brings deep transformation and the ability to remove, destroy, release and transform, our darkness into light. The holy trinity of goddesses supports this process and allows us to let go of what needs to be released in order for greater nourishment. As we let go of our darkness, an increase of light and wisdom can take its place. This process is marked by Durga's powerful battle against the demon Mahishasura. On the 10th day, she destroyed him and was victorious. This day is called Vijaya Dashami (Dashami is the 10th lunar day of the Moon cycle, connected to dharma).

The dates for this year's Maha Navaratri celebration are Saturday, October 1st to Tuesday, October 11th. 

This year, Maha Navaratri begins on October 1st in the USA- as the Moon enters the first tithi and begins to wax. The celebrations start just as the sacred fifteen day celebration of the ancestors, Pitru Paksha, ends. (This year Pitru Paksha is September 15th to 30th). The final day of Navarati is October 10th, as Moon moves through the 9th tithi (phase), Navami. Vijaya Dashami (Victory Day) is on October 11th, during tithi 10, Dashami. Though the entire Navaratri celebration is dedicated to Durga and her many forms (including shakti), many honor the expressions of her power through Lakshmi and Saraswati as well.

This is a nine day and night celebration that is divided into three parts. The first three days are dedicated to the goddess Durga. Her warrior spirit cleanses, shifts, uproots, changes and transforms. Think of her as tilling the soil, prior to planting seeds. The next three days of celebration are dedicated to Lakshmi. Her abundance, nurturing, and wealth offer nourishment and support to us on all levels of life. Health is the ultimate wealth and Lakshmi brings this support as well. Finally, we have three days dedicated to goddess Saraswati. She gives us knowledge, understanding, wisdom, creativity and artistry. She is the rasayana (or healing balm) if you will to close this sacred nine day celebration. Together, these three goddesses bring wholeness, renewal, and the life giving offerings of Shakti. This creative life-force energy is truly what inspires life, living and abundance.

It is at this time that we can connect to these three goddesses most easily- inside of us, and around us. Because of this, Navaratri is considered a very sacred and powerful time of year- one that influences our inner and outer experience of life for months to come. To connect with the goddesses more closely, make special offerings on your altar for them during the nine days. You can also dedicate your actions and intentions to them for greater communication.

Connecting to fire and stoking the internal flame (or agni) can be valuable for the first three days of Durga. You may wish to write intentions that focus on empowerment and action steps for the coming months as well. Using self development tools to transform negative thoughts and mental body stories, will be well supported at this time. During the three days of Lakshmi, bring sweets and flowers to your altar, cook nourishing foods for your Self, decorate and adorn your Self. This is a time to focus on self care diligently. For the final portion of Navaratri, dedicated to Saraswati, music, art and poetry can be a good way to focus your energy, efforts and intentions. Use creativity, artistry and embodiment resources for grounding and landing in your intentions. Use one of my Creative Rituals for support with this process.

On this first day and night of Navaratri, notice what's arriving. I have experienced that the first three days of Navaratri initiate the changes and transformations you are working with in this release cycle. Often you must confront challenges and obstacles as a result. More nourishment and support is coming, but you can't receive it without this important step. What is arriving? What parts of your personal mythology are showing up as a mirror for you? How can you clear more space within? Let Durga's fierce warrior energy initiate and provoke awareness.

Emotionally, you may feel anger, pain, frustration or sadness emerge in the coming days. Physically you may need more rest or silence. Mentally you may need more inward reflection as well as time for meditation. Spiritually, you may need time with nature and rituals that help you land in deeper presence. Understand that this is a part of the change and transformation process. Where can you land into deeper presence with your needs?

As you deepen your intention for this Navaratri celebration, find meaningful rituals for yourself that bring you closer to spirit. Spend time in nature and in meditation. Listening to Durga mantras right now is excellent for inviting in her presence. Traditionally, listening to Chandi Path recitations is also encouraged.

During this sacred and potent time, treat your Self like the goddess that you are and share your abundance with others. May we each remember our abundant true nature, our immense creative life giving energy!

Follow along with my Moon Mind Calendar to incorporate daily support and resources into your life during this sacred time. 

Read more about Navaratri from Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra, renowned Shaka Vansya Ayurvedic Doctor. ​

Life is full of polarities. I'm convinced that's all there is! As well as what emerges when two opposing forces merge and co-create. In the Expressive Art Therapy realm, we call this "the Third". Some know it as the Transcendent, or simply the emergent. The sign Gemini in fact symbolizes this creative process, as it expresses "the Third" quite literally. Not only is Gemini a number three, but in the Vedic tradition, the symbol is two lovers who co-create, bringing forth a third energy.

I have been particularly interested in polarities myself because my personal jyotish chart is full of them! This began to fascinate me (or challenge me rather) many years ago when I began studying my chart. I knew there were extremes presented, and I experienced them within me, yet I didn't know how to reconcile this. Starting with a Scorpio ascendant- which truly symbolizes the transformational energy of polarities combining. I also have a powerful combination of fire and water in my chart. And we all know what happens when fire and water meet! This theme of fire and water began to emerge over and over again in my paintings and movement practice. The polarities wouldn't leave me alone! I have danced with the question of integration for years, and recently I had a break through! If you're interested in your inner harmony, read on! And join me for my new, revolutionary weekly Jyotish Astrology Group Coaching Classes just for women.

Jyotish speaks to the mystery of polarities very intimately. Each sign in fact shares some level of this dance between polarities. Other parts of jyotish express polarities in different ways- whether it is through the masculine and feminine, the elements, the deities, Natural Laws, cycles, rhythms, life and death, Sun and Moon, inner realms and outer realms, etc. Because Vedic Astrology is a science based on the cosmos, it is deeply connected to cycles, rhythms and movement. When we track the cosmos, we are tracking our own inner cosmic nature. Thus, Jyotish can tell us a lot about our own dance with polarities. Even the lunar nodes, or shadow points, in your chart are polar opposites of each other, and always look directly at each other seven houses away. Not surprisingly they can tell you a lot about your inner dance with polarities and what inner conflicts you are here to harmonize and integrate in this life time.

I'm convinced that this is in fact the secret to inner peace, unity, enlightenment. The non-dual, the non conflict within. What is yoga? Union! How is this achieved? Through harmonizing polarities within the body- the masculine and feminine energies, essentially. When we boil polarities down to their essence, it will always connect you back to the masculine and feminine. This is the most vital ingredient for your inner harmony.

But how do you integrate these extremes?

There are many methods for uniting the polarities within and the Vedic tradition is arguably the most ancient resource for this process. As with all branches of the Ved, they support the process of union, or enlightenment. My favorite resource is Vedic Astrology because it is truly a road map for one's life quest- inner and outer. Jyotish is a light source for identifying the blockages within you- Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually. These blockages are keeping you from fully integrating your polarities. The wisdom of jyotish is an immense and powerful resource for healing and transformation.

Here's what to look for in your jyotish chart:

For starters, identify your rising sign, Sun and Moon signs. Notice their symbol. What does their symbol say about who you are and what you need in this life?

Your rising sign will tell you how you see the world. It is the main influence of your chart because it organizes all other factors. For example, a polarity can exist if you have a water sign with your Sun sitting in it. This would be a very exact conflict between masculine and feminine energies.

Individual planets may express themselves through conflict as well. Let's say your natal Moon is in a nakshatra ruled by the Sun. Or if the soft, gentle and friendly Moon is in a harsh or fierce nakshatra, this will naturally stir conflict within- especially within the emotional body. Any planet in opposition with another planet will also cause a "war" or constant battle within. Mars and Saturn for example, if conjunct, will battle over action and non action.

The jyotish chart can show you quite directly where the polarities are within you. More importantly, where the conflicts are. These conflicts within are occurring on different levels of your being- Physically, Mentally, Emotionally or Spiritually. Think about when you are in an argument with someone. What happens to you- on the four levels of your being? You may feel tense, contracted, heated, stressed or all of the above. Think about your mental body being in this state constantly on some inner level of your being? Your emotional body? Physical or Spiritual bodies? Your jyotish chart can tell you where these conflicts are rooted in your being. This identification can be used as a resource to unravel the inner conflict, to harmonize or integrate the extremes within you. When any part of your body is in conflict with another part, there will be a an inability to be fully nourished, or unified. I encourage and advocate a well rounded healing process so that there is full support and awakening for the entire being- not just one part of it.

I've written extensively recently about the signs of inner conflict. In fact, challenges and obstacles in life are nothing more than mirrors being held up to show you where you are not fully harmonized or integrated. Other signs are self sabotage, chaos, stress, overwhelm, etc. Challenges don't just happen! These are parts of your being asking for your attention. When the challenge manifests on the conscious or visible level, you know this is an inner conflict asking for your attention. Read my article and use my Tapping Meditation Podcast to identify inner challenges.

Since the ultimate polarity always comes back to masculine and feminine, I think it's important to understand this dynamic very intimately. Working with these Laws of Nature are vital for working with these parts of yourself and others, so that you are not always pushing against the natural tendencies they offer. First, it must be noted that both masculine and feminine have their own polarities as well. There are shadow sides to both the masculine and feminine, which can often misconstrue the way we see them.

Ready to take your inner growth to the next level and deepen your relationship with your inner feminine wisdom?

Integrate polarities, strengthen Creative Intelligence, clarify your strength and purpose!

Join me for my Jyotish Astrology Coaching + Classes for Transformation and Healing. Classes begin April 2016. Doors Close This Week! Get the Details


Are you in balance with your masculine and feminine energies? Identify which attributes you exhibit and then notice if you have more masculine or feminine traits.

Traits of Masculine Energy:

- Likes to focus on a task for a designated amount of time.
- Timely in meals, waking, bed time, etc.
- Clear, concise communication.
- Punctual and honors time, time frames and deadlines.
- Uses strategy and clear follow through.
- Thinks in terms of outcome, goals and intentions.
- Prefers structure and wants guarantees.
- Likes "to know" and have answers.
- Solution oriented. Wants to "solve" problems.
- Gives input and shares with others.
- Externally focused.
- Oriented towards giving (power role).
- Aggressive, warrior spirit. Likes to win.
- Action oriented behavior and mentality.
- Thinks more than feels.
- Science is truth. Prefers facts, statistics, scientific validation.
- Does not rely on intuition for decision making.
- Always thinking, ruled by the mental body.
- Oriented towards structure, containment.
- Has clear boundaries, sets clear boundaries.
- Focuses on challenges and obstacles.


Traits of Feminine Energy:

- Easily surrenders and releases the need to know.
- Process oriented rather than product.
- Sees the value in the unknown, the uncertain.
- Prefers fluidity and movement to structure.
- Receptive, receives input.
- Internally focused.
- Feels more than thinks.
- Expansive, open, fluid.
- Oriented towards receiving (receptive role).
- Prefers to not use a schedule or forgets to use it.
- Lack of time perception.
- Attuned to Creative Intelligence.
- Enjoys co-creation and values working as a team.
- Always learning, growing, expanding.
- Oriented towards nurturing, resources, nourishment.
- Feels more than thinks.
- A "love conquers all" mentality.
- Intuitive alignment. A strong trust in this inner knowing.
- Always dreaming and uses imagination regularly.
- Enjoys the imaginal, possibility, potential.
- Lack of boundaries.


Ideally, integration, harmony and the ability to vacillate between masculine and feminine energies as needed, is ideal. Ultimately, flexibility is the desired result. Use my podcast below to support you in this process. Potential and possibility are the gateway for greater harmony and integration.

Use this Tapping Meditation to increase integration between masculine and feminine energies- when you feel stuck, afraid or resistant to change. Remember that we always start with "truth tapping" by expressing feelings and experiences that feel challenging. This is a vital part of the process and paves the way for transformation and healing.

In the podcast below, I share a tapping (EFT) sequence with you that will guide you through transforming and releasing the old stories and invite in more receptivity. Remember, we start with identifying the challenges, then moving into possibility and desires in order to transform our shadow into light.

Use this podcast as you tap through these points:

Karate chop point (side of the hand).
Crown of the head.
Eyebrow point (above the eye).
Side of the eye.
Under the eye.
Under the nose.
Chin point (crease of the chin).
Throat point (collar bone/throat chakra).
Heart point (center of chest).
Stomach point (above the navel).
Side body (nipple line at side of chest).

Tap six to ten times on each point and just keep cycling through the points. Repeat the phrases I use aloud. Notice any thoughts, stories, memories or emotions that emerge as you tap. These are important pieces to return to, do more tapping on, as a way to clear blockages. As always, if the words I use don't work for you, change them to support your process more fully.

Share your experiences below! What emerged for you in this process? Excited to hear from you!

Awaken Your True Self

I've shared over the past few weeks, the many challenges of the Eclipse Portal. How it intensified challenges and obstacles, the shadow, in order for deeper healing to take place within. Though the Eclipse Portal has closed, working with the shadow continues.

I, like many, used the eclipse portal to meet my challenges head on. Deep, oozy grief emerged within me. Rather than pushing it away and forcing myself to "keep it together", I allowed myself to get messy. If my grief has taught me anything, it's that I need to allow the mess within me to have a voice, to speak.

Through daily tapping, creative rituals, movement, rest, staying in my pajamas and laying in bed for days on end, I eventually emerged on the other side of this mess, with a new understanding of my shadow, and a deep, powerful release as well.

Attending to my shadow very consciously, allowed me to clear, move and release my shadow. I was able to transform it and in the process, create space for something more powerful to flow through me- my creativity!

As I let go of the layers of suppressed anger and sadness, I began to grieve a very old part of myself. Much to my surprise, this was my inner teenager! Her wild ways and strong ferocity had not been honored in many years. In fact, I had to dismiss her, negate her wisdom and intelligence for survival many years ago. I took vows to keep her locked away and hidden.

Suppressing her wild, creative wisdom has cost me dearly. Her Durga-like energy is in fact my True Self, so not being fully aligned with her is a loss I can't afford.

As I used my resources to transform the anger and sadness, suddenly more space was created within me. Space that allowed my creative energy to flow more dynamically. This space was created by integrating inner conflict, finding harmony between my polarities and honoring the wisdom of my wild feminine wisdom.

With my inner Durga awakening, her untamed wisdom no longer in my shadow, a new burst of energy has emerged in me. One that has allowed me to align with my dharmic work more fully, more authentically.

In fact, the clarity that emerged from this process, has allowed me to create an even more powerful course to support your healing and transformation process. Deepen and awaken your inner feminine wisdom with jyotish, embodiment and creativity! I'm so ecstatic to share this offering with you! Get the Details Here.

I'll be sharing more resources in the coming days- during the nine day Vedic Celebration of Navaratri- to support your own transformational process and help you align with your feminine wisdom. I've also posted a new tapping meditation podcast below to support you with leaning into your feminine wisdom.

As you deepen your relationship with your wild, feminine wisdom, trust your steps. The journey is not necessarily easy, or comfortable, but the results are well worth navigating the rocky terrain of your inner landscape. Pulling up old roots, in order to plant new seeds, will provide you with a rich and potent harvest.

Five steps to remember as you deepen your relationship with Her:

- Any obstacle or blockage can be overcome by increasing your creative intelligence. Where is your resistance to this life force energy? To the nourishment?

- Aligning authentically with your True Self requires the removal of any vows you have taken (consciously or unconsciously). These vows block your creative life force energy and keep you resistant to change. Many are tribal, familial, cultural or ancestral.

- Your emotions and your emotional body wisdom will show you the way. Emotional body literacy helps you identify needs and will help you find new resources for your growth. Your feelings will tell you everything!

- Receptivity, being able to receive fully, is vital for increased creative flow and nourishment. Where are you resisting the flow?

- Self care practices increase your receptivity, the ability to receive nourishment. Make sure you're attending to self care on all four levels of your being- Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual. Notice where there are holes in your Self Care practices.


Increasing Your Receptivity

Your Creative Intelligence is your wild feminine wisdom. Increase your ability to receive Shakti, life force energy, and you will increase your Creativity Intelligence naturally. What's keeping you from fully embracing all the nourishment that surrounds you? What is keeping you from receiving the abundance of Nature and Her gifts? What type of relationship do you have with your Divine Feminine wisdom?

Simply put, you have blockages in the way, keeping certain channels clogged, restricted, overburdened with toxins. When your channels of receiving are restricted, the flow can't move through you fully. These blockages may be on the physical, emotional, mental or spiritual body levels- or all four pathways. Removing the blockages from all four levels of your being, is essential for maximum life force energy to be received.

Navigating your inner terrain very consciously is essential for identifying these obstacles and blockages. As you identify these blockages, you can then strategically use this information to make deep, inner change. Removing blockages that hinder your life force energy is essential for more life force energy and more flow.

Increased creative flow, more life force energy, will increase your ability to receive money, health, vitality, love, relationships, comforts, ideas, artistry and inner harmony. Both Moon and Venus symbolize these factors in your jyotish chart. Their placements in your natal chart will show you where there is restriction. The effects the other planets have on your Venus and Moon will either support or hinder this flow. The other planets in your chart will also show you what channels are open and which ones are blocked. This is why jyotish is such a powerful resource for healing and transformation.

The trick to changing and transforming the blockages is working with your full range of being, your entire inner landscape- not just the parts that you like, or feel good. Leaning into what is not working, the obstacles and challenges, can be the most effective way to clear your pathways for increased flow. Challenges and blockages are the mirror you need to identify what needs to change.

Integration is Essential for More Flow

This divine Shakti flow is essential in order to deepen your relationship with creativity. Creativity brings more ideas, more imagination, more money, more health and vitality, more passion, more pleasure. More of the good stuff! If you want more of the good stuff, you have to clear the blockages keeping you from receiving more.

It may seem obvious, but if you can't receive this creative nourishment, you won't be able to increase this in your life. The Divine Feminine wisdom within is your receptive energy. She is your ability to be in receiving and feel the juicy, goodness of your life. This requires that you are in harmony with your feminine energy (expansion, opening, fluidity) and your masculine energy (containment, restriction, the known). Most people (men and women) have never learned how to use masculine and feminine energy in a way that promotes balance, inner harmony and vitality- rather than depletion and chaos.

When the masculine and feminine polarities are at odds with each other, this conflict will increase fear, resistance, deep inner challenge, turmoil, overwhelm, self-sabotage behaviors and intensified shadow to emerge. This inner conflict is at the root of all major dis-ease. These inner conflicts will often manifest externally as a way to help you identify the imbalances. What relationships are you in conflict with? So many of these imbalances within the masculine and feminine energies are expressed by the conflicts in the world.

How do you know if your masculine and feminine energies are in conflict? Notice the parts of your self that are saying yes, when the rest of you is saying no. Some parts may be saying no, while other parts are saying yes. Remember that outer conflicts are just bright, flashing mirrors that are being held up for you to look more closely so you can identify your own inner conflicts. Who and what are you in conflict with? This battle is at play within you as well. Can you tell?

Integrating polarities, healing the conflicts and finding harmony between your opposing forces is the fast track to deeper receptivity and receiving more nourishment in life. When inner polarities align, all the energy that was being used to stay in battle, is suddenly freed up. This energy can then be used in life supporting ways. Your energy will naturally start moving in a direction that supports greater nourishment and harmony.

Learning how to integrate polarities and deepen your receptivity is a powerful resource for awakening your full potential. Your feminine wisdom is vital for increasing more nourishment in your life. She will show you the way and help you navigate the uncharted territory of your inner terrain.

I'm so passionate about supporting women in this process of inner integration! So many women are not using their divine inner wisdom in the most potent and powerful ways. They stay in lack, without stepping into their brilliance fully. What a shame when you've come all this way, arrived in a female human body, in order to learn how to be more receptive!

My work is here to support your growth and inner wisdom. To help you deepen your feminine gifts and inherent creative intelligence. So that you can feel more nourished and vital in your life.

Deepen Your Receptivity ~ Tapping Meditation

Use this Tapping Meditation to increase creative flow and inner harmony. Remember that we always start with "truth tapping" by expressing feelings and experiences that feel challenging. This is a vital part of the process and paves the way for transformation and healing.

In the podcast below, I share a tapping (EFT) sequence with you that will guide you through transforming and releasing the old stories and invite in more receptivity. Remember, we start with identifying the challenges, then moving into possibility and desires in order to transform our shadow into light.

Use this podcast as you tap through these points:

Karate chop point (side of the hand).
Crown of the head.
Eyebrow point (above the eye).
Side of the eye.
Under the eye.
Under the nose.
Chin point (crease of the chin).
Throat point (collar bone/throat chakra).
Heart point (center of chest).
Stomach point (above the navel).
Side body (nipple line at side of chest).

Tap six to ten times on each point and just keep cycling through the points. Repeat the phrases I use aloud. Notice any thoughts, stories, memories or emotions that emerge as you tap. These are important pieces to return to, do more tapping on, as a way to clear blockages. As always, if the words I use don't work for you, change them to support your process more fully.

Share your experiences below! What emerged for you in this process?
Excited to hear from you!