This Week's Intention: Stay grounded in your physical body wisdom. Continue to release and let go of stories and personal mythology that keep you stuck, unmotivated. Move into the receptive, your feminine center. Let Her emotional body wisdom support your truth. Moon is waning, yet still energized at the beginning of the week as it moves through the first half of the cycle. Fertility and creative energy continue to inspire the feelings emerging at this time. With Saturn now in retrograde motion, structure and stability are more important than ever. What steps can you take to increase your relationship with your root chakra needs? Monday, March 28th Moon in 6th tithi Moon continues to transit its debilitation sign, Scorpio, while moving through Anuradha nakshatra. Anuradha inspires growth from one's depths, rising from the mud and blossoming into wisdom and beauty- as is symbolized by the lotus flower. This constellation can bring precision and exactness, as well as inspiration and growth. Let your inner compassion help you soften and release wherever you're gripping too tightly. Ask for support for this release. Tuesday, March 29th Moon in 7th tithi Moon continues to be sandwiched in between retrograde Saturn and Mars- both malefic planets that can cause the tender and sensitive Moon to feel both heat and pressure. This is the making of your inner diamond! Use the challenges for inner transformation. Remember, you are learning how to adjust and make necessary changes. This allows you to open new pathways, new possibilities.
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This waxing cycle coincides with Shivaratri and a total solar eclipse. As the Moon empties entirely, the connection to your inner landscape deepens. This is an opportunity to plant seeds of desire very intentionally. During the eclipse portal (March 8th to 23rd) your soil will be tilled, old roots will be dug up, rocks and debris will be removed. It's a time of clearing and cleaning- of preparation.
Sun In Pisces Sun in Pisces instigates release and endings. As your inner light source moves to the final sign of the zodiac on March 13th at 22:24 PST, a sense of closure is initiated. This theme of doors closing, so others can open, is truly being triggered during this eclipse portal. The Sun in Pisces intensifies this awareness of endings and letting go. It's essential that this be a conscious process in order to maximize the results. Mercury In Pisces Mercury moves to its debilitation sign, Pisces, on March 18th at 15:55 PST, joining Sun in this watery sign. The mental body is moving, changing and being cleansed with the fluid wisdom of Pisces. There is a certain experience of endings and release that will be experienced in this cycle, adding to the themes already enlivened by the eclipse portal and Sun in Pisces simultaneously. *Horoscopes are based on your Vedic (sidereal) rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your Western sign (Tropical) as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart. Use these horoscopes to support your eclipse portal transformation: Aries: Gains come with your commitment to steady steps. Be resourceful and flexible with your efforts. Rigidity will not pay off. You are learning how to work with your power more effectively and honestly- yet the shadow is provoking issues with your awareness. Where are you stuck? In denial? Inattentive? Not listening to your gut wisdom? Attend to your children and your child-like sensibilities. Taurus: Career, home life and relationships are front and center right now. Confusion and uncertainties are rampant, with excitement and possibility close behind. Connect authentically and let relationships serve you and your dharmic path more intimately. What are you learning about your gifts? Illusions in your heart are creating frustrations and a lack of clarity with your emotional body wisdom. Gemini: This is a time of healing and gathering more support. Where are you saying yes? Where are you saying no? Wisdom, resources and clarity for your path and purpose are arriving. Are you listening and moving towards your truth or hiding in the darkness? Your dharmic path is activated and enlivened, so pay attention to messages and resources arriving to support your progress. Cancer: Nourishment continues to be a theme of necessity for you. Do you know how to nourish yourself properly? What are you eating- through choices, environment and relationships? It's time to notice where you are disconnected, out of alignment with your own needs, not clear with boundaries. Your inner work right now is heavily impacted by your darkness, shadow and unconscious territory. Leo: Self and relationships are causing stops and starts, frustrations and confusion. Part of you says yes, but another other part of you says no. What is this conflict between your two halves? This is an opportunity to integrate polarities, parts of yourself that are misaligned or out of sync. Relationships bring the mirror of what needs to change and transform. Virgo: Healing arrives for all four bodies- mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. Lean into the messages and note what resources support your change process. Painful parts of your being are finally being released after many years of struggle, hardship and pain. Seek support and guidance for this process and be courageous with the letting go process. Libra: Your power and gut wisdom are essential resources for growth and opening. Cut out and release foods, relationships, actions, choices and environments that diminish your power and clarity. Your intuition is trying to strengthen and push forth. Support this process with cleansing and cleaning up the residue in your life and behaviors. You are more powerful than you are currently aware of. Scorpio: Your heart is being cracked open, touched with new wisdom and resources. Challenges and release are part of this deep purging process. As the light starts to touch the old wounds, notice your response. Lean in and listen more closely to the messages. How can you find balance with your opening and closing, a new harmony, a new dance? Take this wisdom into your work and life offerings. Sagittarius: Get creatively courageous! Awaken your four bodies with creative activation and artistic resources. This will invite in more possibility, life force energy and dharmic alignment. Does it bring you joy? Say yes more to these desires! Start releasing more of the obligations you put upon yourself as these are old stories that are keeping you in the dark, robbing you of increased power. Capricorn: Vocalize and express. Clarify your self expression and use it as a resource for deeper nourishment and support. Food and eating habits are a big part of your nourishment process right now. Where are you numbing, suppressing or avoiding your feelings with what you ingest? Looking at your wounds and suppressed darkness is vital for creating more clarity about what you really need. Aquarius: Relationships are still a source of growth and confusion, causing deep transformation within. Your full being is getting restructured- mental, emotional, physical and spiritual bodies are getting cracked open for greater light and wisdom to arrive. Are you too focused on the pain to notice the gifts? How are you saying yes to your own power and strength? Where are you saying no? Pisces: Liberation and healing are vital right now. As you radically step into release and letting go, more space will open and be available for your dharmic path and purpose. Identify your struggles and stories as these are vital for your dharmic work and will help you share your gifts more authentically. All four bodies- mental, emotional, physical and spiritual- are finding a sense of closure and release. For the full version sign up for my membership. Join me for a *free* Creative Ritual class on Sunday, March 20th in honor of the full Moon, eclipse portal and Holi celebrations. Gather resources to increase your creative potential! Join the List Ready to start 2016 off with clarity and purpose? I am now booking April sessions.Let's connect! Even though Jyotish astrology is considered to be soli-lunar, in many regards the Moon is considered the most vital piece of the karmic life map. The Moon shares crucial insights about our inner landscape, our internal realms. Here we navigate our feeling and emotional body experience- a very unique attribute of being a human.
The Moon (Chandra in Sanskrit) is the intelligence and intuition of each being. It is the nourisher of life, who offers us soma, divine nectar. The Moon represents the universal Ma and the Mother within, as well as our inner intelligence. The Sun is connected to our soul and the sheath that houses the soul, whereas the Moon is connected to the wisdom and intelligence within the soul. In the Jyotish chart, the placement of the Moon will show how aligned the being is with sacred intuition. The Moon will share what nourishment is available to the being as well as how it will utilize its inner intelligence. In Vedic astrology, the Moon is given great importance and is of equal, if not more, importance than the Sun in many regards. For if the Sun is strong, but the Moon is weak, how will the soul be nurtured and supported? Moon is intimately connected to the Mother, the nurturing quality of life. It shares the essential intelligence of life that gives us comfort, nourishment, emotional support, as well as our requirements for love and affection. The connection of Moon to our emotions and our psychological state is not by accident. After all our emotional body and its harmony is intimately connected to our relationship with prana, the life force. Feelings make for a joyful life or a challenging life and they move quickly- just like the Moon! Our father plays a major role in our creation. In the Vedic understanding, he is the seed that sparks our life. However, it is the Moon’s qualities that are like the soil. Mother offers the womb, the nurturing and the container for the seed to grow. The Mother gives the vital ingredients for sustaining life it self. Without her, we will be lost, misguided and lack the ability to live life fully nourished. Our connection to Moon, to Ma, to mother, directly impacts our ability to live in harmony with life and feel the support and nurturing life has to offer. How well are you able to be nourished? The Moon sign is the determining factor of our nourishment and wisdom. Assessing the Moon in your jyotish chart will share many important details about your inner wisdom, emotional body, the connection you have with your Mother and if you are able to receive the sacred wisdom of life. Have you been following along with my previous Jyotish Basics articles? Get your first lesson is here. Step #1: Identify Your Moon. First, notice where the Moon is located in your chart. The abbreviation is likely MO. What sign is it in? The Sign will share a lot about your Moon's disposition, but there are a few other factors to consider. What is the symbol of your Moon sign and the element that rules over it? What can you assess about your Moon with these details? Follow these guidelines for extra support. Step #2: Who Rules Over Your Moon? The planetary influence upon your Moon sign is another vital piece of information. What is the planetary ruler of your Moon sign? No two planets express themselves the same way. A Mars ruled sign acts very differently than a Saturn ruled sign. What can you determine about your Moon sign based on its planetary ruler? Step #3 Where Does Your Wisdom and Nourishment Come From? The house (or bhava in Sanskrit) that your Moon sits in shares vital information about what you need for nourishment and inner support. Is your Moon comfortable in its home? Does it feel safe? What type of support does the house give you? The support will be on an emotional body level, which is a vital part of your receptivity, the ability to feel the nourishment of life. 1st House: Sense of self, worldly house, being seen, ego, appearance, intelligence. 2nd House: Nourishment, wealth, support, gems, speaking, voice. 3rd House: Communication, writing, courage, the arts, creativity, self expression, using the hands. 4th House: Home, land, mother, emotions, spirituality and moksha. 5th House: Children, creativity, romance, intuition, knowledge. 6th House: Enemies, bad habits, healing, disease, legal issues, competition, debt. 7th House: Relationships, others, partner, sexuality, desire, travel, trade. 8th House: Death, disease, transformation, transcendence, vulnerability, mysticism. 9th House: Dharma, guru, wisdom, education, foreign travels, fortune, religion. 10th House: Career, achievement, success, father, action, fame, social status. 11th House: Gains, wealth, income, friends, desires, fulfillment of desire. 12th House: Endings, loss, liberation, marriage, retreat, foreign lands, alone time. Step #4 Putting it all together. It's time to combine all the layers now and derive some meaning from it all. What can you determine about your Moon sign based on all the previous steps? What type of emotional body wisdom are you aligned with and how do you seek your nourishment in life? Remember the Moon will support how you feel nourishment in your life. This is the inner wisdom and support that comes from your mother and the feminine powers within your family lineage. What gifts and resources are present? What challenges? Aries: Mesha in Sanskrit, translates as its symbol, the ram. Qualities are leadership, pioneering. Need to work on flexibility, anger issues, “hitting one’s head against the wall”. Body parts are head, brain and nerves. Odd, Male, ruled by Mars. Pitta. Correlates to the number 1 in the chart. Taurus: Vrshabha in Sanskrit, translates as its symbol, the bull. Qualities are strength and stability. Need to work on issues with being “bull headed”, stubborn and going beyond the material realms. Body part is neck, face and parts therein. Even, Female, ruled by Venus. Kapha. Correlates to the number 2 in the chart. Gemini: Mithuna in Sanskrit, symbolized by a couple holding a mace and a lute. Translates as couple (male and female) or copulation, companion. Qualities are extremely creativity, communication and artistry. Need to work on issues of mental body and taking effective action steps. Body parts are arms and hands. Odd, Male, ruled by Mercury. Vata. Correlates to the number 3 in a chart. Cancer: Karka translates as female crab in Sanskrit which is its symbol as well. Qualities are sensing and feeling, with depth and compassion, heart centered. Need to work directly with emotional body awareness, co-dependency issues, mother issues. Body parts are heart, breasts, chest. Even, Female, ruled by Moon. Kapha-vata. Correlates to the number 4 in a chart. Leo: Simha translates as lion in Sanskrit, the symbol of Leo. Qualities are leadership, dominance, authority and power. Need to work on ego issues, needing authority and power, as well as father issues and ancestral issues. Body parts are stomach and abdomen. Odd, Male, ruled by the Sun. Pitta. Correlates to the number 5 in a chart. Virgo: Kanya means a girl, a virgin or daughter in Sanskrit. It is symbolized by a woman in a boat holding grains and fire in her hands. Qualities are purity, cleanliness and perfection, creative, entrepreneurial. Need to work on the critic and inner judge, overly puritanical beliefs. Body parts are hips, loins, buttocks. Even, female, ruled by Mercury. Vata-kapha. Correlates to the number 6 in a chart. Libra: Tula means the balancing scales in Sanskrit which is its symbol as well. Qualities are ability to see both sides of situations, good business skills, able to weigh and measure options, able to work with equality issues. Need to work with decisiveness, clarity and not swinging to extremes, going beyond the surface, as well as finding one’s own beliefs and ideals. Body parts are lower abdomen. Odd, Male, ruled by Venus. Vata-Kapha. Correlates to the number 7 in a chart. Scorpio: Vrschika means Scorpion in Sanskrit which is also its symbol. Qualities are depth, going beyond the surface, occult and mystical knowledge, passion. Need to work with emotional body awareness, polarities and extremes, mother issues, one’s darkness and shadows. Body parts are genitals and anus. Even, Female, ruled by Mars and Ketu. Kapha-pitta. Correlates to the number 8 in a chart. Sagittarius: Dhanu means bow in Sanskrit. The symbol of Sagittarius is a man holding a bow and arrow, the lower part of his body being that of a horse. Qualities are oriented towards seeking knowledge, wisdom and growth as well as spirituality. Need to work with being overly dogmatic, taking effective action steps, working with depth on the mental/emotional levels. Body part is thighs. Odd, Male, ruled by Jupiter. Pitta- Kapha. Correlates to the number 9 in a chart. Capricorn: Makara translates as sea monster in Sanskrit which has a head of a deer or goat and the body of a crocodile, which is also its symbol. Qualities are hardworking, persevering, steady. Need to work with “doing less accomplishing more”, self care, not pushing so hard to get an outcome. Body part is knees. Even, Female, ruled by Saturn. Vata-kapha. Correlates to the number 10 in a chart. Aquarius: Kumbha translates from Sanskrit as a vessel that holds water, a water pot. The symbol here is a man holding a pot. Qualities are ingenuity, out of the box approach to life, oriented towards gaining and acquiring. Need to work with balancing both shadow and light, working with shadow parts, finding the silver lining and excessive drive to acquire. Body part is calves. Odd, Male, Saturn and Rahu. Vata. Correlates to the number 11 in a chart. Pisces: Mina translates from Sanskrit as relating to the ocean and large expanses of water. The symbol here is two fish tied together with their heads and tails in opposite directions. Qualities are expansiveness, universality and deep compassion for others with strong spiritual inclinations. Need to work on emotional body issues, grounding expansiveness into clear goals and action steps, actualizing dreams. Body part is feet. Even, Female, ruled by Jupiter. Kapha. Correlates to the number 12 in a chart. Ready to learn more? Registration is open for a limited time only. Join me for my August Jyotish Basics Classes! Don't have a copy of your chart? Get one here. * This Article is relevant for reading a North Indian Style chart only. This is a very sacred time in the Vedic Calendar. The nine nights of Navaratri, dedicated to the goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, begins September 25th and culminates on the tenth day which is October 3rd- Vijayadashmi. On this tenth day, it is said that Durga was victorious over the demon Mahishasura. Thus this ten day period is a profound time of overcoming our own demons and gaining insights and wisdom from the Divine Mothers. Join my 10 Day Self Care Challenge and use this time intentionally. For more details about this waxing Moon cycle, and what you can expect from it, read my New Moon Wisdom + Creative Ritual. The upcoming full Moon is October 8th at 05:50 am CDT while Moon is in Pisces, conjunct Ketu. Moon will be in Revati Nakshatra. More details about the significance of this full Moon and the lunar eclipse that occurs, in my next post. Horoscopes for the Waxing Moon Cycle {September 24th to October 8th} *Horoscopes are based on your Vedic rising sign. You can also check your Moon and Sun signs for further insight. Do the same with your Navamsa signs for further clarity. Do not use these horoscopes with your “Western Sign” as there is likely no correlation. These horoscopes are meant to be used as a broad overview of the current transits and obviously do not address the specifics of an individual’s unique chart. Aries: This is a time of immense pause for you. Slow down. Catch the messages you've been too busy to hear. Get radical with your self care regimen. Avoid excess sweets and alcohol. Don't let bad habits creep back in. Be vigilant with your goals and desires and make sure you're putting actions behind them. Just don't push and strain to get the job done. It's not best use of your efforts and energy. Right now, slowing down will be the most ideal and the most rewarding. Taurus: You continue to grow in courage and expand yourself by bravely opening to new possibilities. Let creativity be a resource for this expansion phase. How can the arts serve your imagination and ingenuity? Learn and grow with new knowledge. Explore what teachers and relationships have to offer you in terms of growth as well. Work with themes of play and passion right now. What kindling is required to get your fire started? Go slow and be intentional. Building a proper fire requires very basic and diligent action steps. Don't just squirt the fire pit with kerosene. Keep your gut clean and don't overindulge. Gemini: You are working with themes of nourishment, comfort and support right now. How can you feel greater abundance on a deeper, more core level? Creativity is a driving force for you and your life. If you are neglecting your creative life force, then you are bound to be miserable. Make sure that every step you take is aligned with your underlying purpose and vision for passion. It's ok to go slow (trust that slow is actually preferred) as long as you aren't martyring your self and your long term visions. Your passions are what keep you alive and filled with life. Step wisely and with a spark in your heart. Cancer: Softening your creative approach right now will be best practice for this time period. Be gently courageous. Be mindful of aversion and avoidance tactics that squash your plans, goals and achievements. Are you getting lost in the details, right and wrong, and the beast of "but it's not good enough?" Be two steps ahead. Meditation and strong mindfulness tactics will serve you well right now. Be diligent with the mental body games, messages and old stories. Notice how they pause you in your tracks and belittle your confidence and action steps. Dive deep and get some answers. Leo: You continue to learn and grow from silence and alone time. Be intentional with retreats and time at the ashram- even if you're just having a spa day in your own bathroom. How can themes of self care inspire you and your offerings to others? How can self care increase your heart and emotional development? Right now, using 3 Level Check-ins will serve you in a myriad of ways. Pause and be witness to your felt senses. Nourishment and security are themes right now. How can you create more nourishment and security through stability and support? Get creative. Hint: Use your body and let it inform your emotional body wisdom. Virgo: Details, details, details. Don't get lost in the details! Planning and over planning are unproductive. Get out of the mind and into the body. Jump into your desires and activate! Relate, co-create and tend to nourishing relationships that inspire you and feed your spirit. The people, places and things that don't nourish you need to be attended to head on. Courage is your best friend right now. Be bold in your actions and take a leap of faith. Try something new, look for new work, transform your self and your career. Seek stability- but from the inside out. Take new and inventive steps. Move towards your dreams and desires. Libra: Taking time for retreats and solitude are essential right now. Are you attending to self care and taking care of your health, healing and spirit? Put relationships on pause right now. It is the necessary self work that will help relationships grow, mature and flourish in the long run. There are some pieces you have been neglecting to see. Where there is discomfort and discord, that is what needs your greatest attention and focus. Don't get lost in the old stories. Instead, work to re-write and transform those old, tired and worn out messages with a fabulous new twist. What would feel nourishing and supportive to you in your life and relationships? Let that be part of the new plot. Scorpio: It's step forward, step backward time. Pluses and minuses increase, sharing their wisdom and advice with you. This is a time of pruning your branches and getting stringent with life's absolute necessities. For a while there you had quite a few irons in the fire. Right now, keep only the most important irons in the flames and keep stoking these diligently. Less is more- for energy, focus and growth. Home and heart are hot as well. Tend to the passions in your heart and let them lead the way towards the essentials. This will make decisions a lot easier. If it doesn't light your fire, get rid of it. Sagittarius: Career is beckoning you. With little details and passionate pauses. What are you noticing? What requires your attention/intention? What can you let go of and release? If it doesn't stoke your heart and inspire you, leave it alone. Your depths are calling you and they want you to dive deep into your bliss. You have a rare opportunity to get nourishment and expansion from the past, to transform it, make it anew, and carry it forward with you. Transcend and transform old behaviors and patterns and let them teach you about your needs for the future. Capricorn: Structure and form are still providing you with new insights and career details. Just don't get lost in the microscopic view. It's a time to be humble and listen. Be alert to nuances within you and within your environment and relationships. What are you noticing? What have you missed? You are learning by teaching and giving knowledge and wisdom to others. Trust this process- even if it feels shaky and uncertain right now. Be mindful of your friendships; they can provide great insight or great destruction. Attract wisely. Aquarius: Nourishment and abundance may feel fleeting right now. Somehow you are not assimilating all the nutrients and nourishment coming towards you. What are you missing? Your gut is a primary resource right now. Are you paying close attention to it? The stomach is a vital part of our intuition, our sense of knowing and our ability to process life, our experiences and our environment. Clean up the gut and nurture it. There are some very old stories you are trying to digest physically right now. Gently clear the blockages, the colon, and attend to elimination. This is both literal and metaphoric. Pisces: Shift, change, release. Repeat. This is the essence of this time for you. Work with this intention diligently for smoother steps. There's a lot to be gained from the release. Have you noticed? Though you are clinging tightly to relationships, many are old and outworn, and no longer serving you. Be radically aware of your needs for stability and support and how false support won't serve your underlying needs. Transformation and transcendence of the old are potent formulas for your growth and wisdom. Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a session with me. Plan your week in tune with nature. Never miss a planetary update. Sign up for my weekly newsletter. Was this post helpful? Please share it with a friend! Thank you. I realized due to the overwhelming response I received from my How to Love a Scorpio article both on my website and on Elephant Journal, that many people identify with my Scorpio Moon torments- whether they are truly a Scorpio or not. Scorpio Moon epitomizes the sensitivity within, heightens the emotional body, and also the intuitive awareness- if used properly. But you don't have to be Scorpio or have Scorpio Moon to be extra sensitive. In fact there are many ways this can show up in one's personal jyotish chart.
There are a lot of us who have been challenged by this type of extra sensitivity, heightened inner awareness, and extra level of emotion; it is a normal, default setting for us. This sensitivity in many ways can be painful, feel like a burden, and even be a challenging disaster in our lives! It can also be an extraordinary gift and a powerful source of awareness, but only if it is cultivated, nurtured and treated as the gift that it is. You may or may not have been working with your innate sensitivity consciously. You may or may not know all the common labels out there. A few that I'm aware of are HSP (highly sensitive person), introvert, overly emotional and even just shy. A recent Huffington Post article shares 16 Habits of the Highly Sensitive Type. Some of it makes sense to me, but other parts feel a bit too generalized or irrelevant for me personally. What is interesting to me however, is the fact that this "sensitive" type is being recognized more and more by the mainstream. That I think is a positive thing and something to embrace. I used to really resent my sensitivity and I denied it- especially to my self. It certainly wasn't a recognized attribute that I should give a big, warm welcome to as I was growing up- navigating school, relationships, family members and societal standards and norms. I learned pretty quickly that sensitivity was not a recipe for my success in life, so I must suppress and negate it. God forbid I cry, express my hurts and pains! This would amount to being vulnerable, easily attacked or scape-goated (which happened far too many times unfortunately). So I suppressed and continued to negate my feelings; the felt senses. Not surprisingly I felt angry- a lot! My anger took me on some very twisted and rocky roads and to this day continues to rage on as I slowly unpack, piece by piece, the hurts and pains and traumas of the past. It will take some time, but I accept my anger now- in a way that I couldn't fathom before. The anger vacillated with deep, dark, and deathly bouts of depression. The kind that made me want to die, give up on life and put me out of the misery I felt in this life. Waves of depression have been common for me (which I now know is a result of emotional suppression and negation). Did I know I was doing this? Of course not! But no one ever taught me to be friends with my emotions, to invite them into my life. Up until the past few years, I had only learned that emotions were uncomfortable, hard to handle, unpleasant to look at or listen to, and I should turn them down, off, or pretend they weren't there. This emotional suppression and negation has cost me dearly. It has taken me on many sad, miserable and lonely paths of pain and darkness. Alcohol and drugs (society's favorite emotional suppression/negation tricks!) were one of my sad and miserable paths and it marked a large part of my younger years. It numbed the mountains of pains within me, but they were still there, growing bigger and grander, looming in the distance. Mountains I would have to cross at some point. Mountains I am still crossing. It was meditation that finally helped me kick the drugs and alcohol. The light intensified within me and returning to my Transcendental Meditation practice opened many closed doors and pushed me towards my own light. I was so grateful for this tool! But meditation isn't a cure as I found out. Actually, I've found out that nothing is a "cure". When we open our eyes after meditation, we still have to deal with ourselves- all of ourselves- even the parts we don't want to see or have others see. After meditation, I still had my emotions and I still didn't know what to do with them- and they still made me uncomfortable and miserable. At times I even felt wrong or bad for having these emotions as though I wasn't "enlightened" enough. I often wondered what was wrong with me. Shouldn't I be feeling more bliss more of the time? Shouldn't all this meditation be the cure? But it wasn't. When I finally found body-centered expressive art therapy at the Tamalpa Institute, I started to unravel the whole picture a bit more. Oh! We have all these parts, and we must use all these parts! (There truly are no spare parts in the universe- especially not in the microcosmic universe within.) We must not negate all these parts or pretend they aren't here! We must work with all our colors, textures and fibers, and weave our own, unique tapestry. And, as it turns out, the emotions are a big part of this beautiful tapestry of life. They are an intimate part of our inner landscape and must be cherished, treated with respect for the insightful messages they offer, and invited into our lives with open arms. This is when my life started to truly shift and my gifts started to develop. The gift of being sensitive. Yes, sensitivity is a gift. The emotional body is closely linked to our intuition. This is our internal guidance system that will never lead us astray or give false messages. But most of us are not hearing its memos at all and we are mostly getting the emotional/intuitive messages mixed up with our mental/mind messages. The mind isn't very trust worthy, it's basically a tape on repeat and it likes to go over and over and over the same old ground. Not very interesting actually- although it likes to make things interesting with all its stories! Sensitive people are those of us who are gifted with a heightened emotional body awareness. This is a gift- if we know how to work with it. If we don't, it is complete misery. Unfortunately, in our society, it is a curse. That is why treating our emotional body and our sensitivity with extra TLC is so important. If we are truly wanting to harvest the gifts of this offering, then we must treat it with tender loving care. We must treat it as the gift that it is, and we must treat ourselves as the gift that we are. I found that as soon as I began to treat myself as special, and nurture myself with special care, life began to shift for me. I won't lie, it has taken some dramatic and challenging life changes, very different choices and actions than the past, and has also presented some very painful letting go as well. But, what has opened up as a result, is a deep awakening of what this gift of sensitivity can truly offer me- and others. My sensitivity continues to blossom, the more I nurture it. There are many things that, as a sensitive person, you must do differently than others. It is not an easy path, but it is a special path. You must guard this sensitivity as if it is priceless. It is, and so are you! Take baby steps to embrace your gift of sensitivity, and take a leap towards awakening your most precious gift. It can lead you to many destinations you would not otherwise venture towards. It can open you to your dharma, your life path, to relationships and kindred spirits that you would otherwise miss or overlook. Your sensitivity can lead you to the tools that will offer support and guidance to other beings. Treating your sensitivity like a precious gem, like the treasure that it is, can lead you to your dreams and help you awaken them. Here are some tips for treating your sensitivity with tenderness: 1) The company you keep is vital to your well being. As a sensitive type, you easily merge with others' energy and suddenly get lost in it. Wait, who's energy is this? Mine? Or theirs? Spending time with the wrong types of people is the fastest way to derail yourself. Remember, you are special and you are a gift, treat your self like you are and only spend time with people who see you as a treasure and see themselves as such. And yes, this may mean spending much of your time alone. That is actually important as well. 2) Self care is a top priority. You can't get away with trashing your body like many other people. You will fall a part faster. A little goes a long way with you in other words. You can not look to others and think you can follow what they are doing. You will likely not be doing what anyone else is doing! Which includes no toxic and processed foods; dead food, makes you feel dead. Lively and fresh foods, keep you lively, awake and fresh. Coffee, chocolate, caffeine and alcohol should be avoided and used only with caution- ie very consciously. Following ayurvedic guidelines for sleep, eating, and overall well being is really the ideal. 3) Boundaries are another top priority. Because we are so porous and easily take on, merge with, and absorb energy, we have to protect ourselves. Healthy boundaries are a wonderful tool on many levels. The more you work with them, the clearer and cleaner life becomes. Toxicity in your life is minimized and your energy isn't drained as easily. This leads to trusting your self more and more which is really a win/win for overall confidence and self acceptance. I am big on boundaries and the more I work with them, the more I see the value in them- in all areas of my life. 4) Surround yourself with beauty and upliftment. We often overlook this one. I think it is enough to know that there is massive suffering in the world, but that doesn't mean I need to watch it on the news or read it in the paper 24/7. In fact, if you are a sensitive type, a little goes a very long way. A one sentence headline might be overwhelming, or even a trip to the grocery store! Again, protect and nurture your gift of sensitivity. Don't make your self wrong for not reading the paper, watching news, or dwelling on the suffering of the masses. In order to be present and use your sensitivity as a gift, you will have to be very awake to what is going on within you, without distraction. This is a full time job! Your sensitivity will lead you to giving back to society. Trust the process. Also, make sure there is ample beauty in your daily life. Flowers, scents, music- let your senses be pleasured. These little pleasures can make all the difference. 5) Move your body and listen deeply. There are different types of movement for different purposes. Each will get you different results. Rule number one: move your body. Walk, ride your bike, dance, do yoga. Do something that awakens the body and gets prana flowing. This is a basic requirement daily. Then there is somatic movement- a very gentle approach that quiets the body and lets you check into the subtle messages that are occurring within. Somatic movement practice (like Anna Halprin's Movement Ritual) has changed my life. At this point in my physical movement process, it's the slower and the more subtle movements that I'm mostly interested in for self development; movement that helps me listen more carefully to my body's messages. There is still a time and place for other types of movement, but don't neglect the slow and gentle kind. 6) Connect with Nature. As a sensitive type, we are very intimately connected to nature in a way that others probably aren't. That means we need to sync up with her rhythms daily for optimum effects. Hug trees, walk barefoot, open the windows, take deep breaths of fresh air, spend ample time in nature and touch the earth. Nature is your re-charge button. It's the fastest, simplest solution to re-centering. Also, don't neglect the impact animals have on you and your internal balance. Pet, hug, love on your animal companions! They are your best friends and will teach you so much about your animal body and help you recharge in the process. 7) Sync up with the Moon. The more jyotish charts I study, the more I see the impact of the Moon on our level of sensitivity and our experience of life. The Moon and its ebbs and flows, waxes and wanes, as well as the nakshatras that it passes through daily, are the most profound tool of guidance and wisdom for those of us who are extra sensitive. Track the Moon. Notice what its effects are on you when it is full vs. empty. Use my 2015 Moon Wisdom Calendar to start a more intimate dance with the Moon and its effects. 8) Creativity and the Arts can be a life saving tool. Use the arts as a process of harvesting, listening, cultivating awareness and depth for your journey. Art is a profound messenger. It brings out what is inside of us so that we can see it visually. All our inner material becomes tangible. Our emotional, mental and physical messages can be harvested with this one universal language- art. If used in a therapeutic way, a way of listening deeply, art can be the gateway into all the mysteries within us and all the answers we are seeking about our journey. In my jyotish work, I'm bridging the messages of the cosmos with a body-centered expressive art therapy process. My workshops are a great place to start. Use my MP3's as a guided resource for this unique blend of tools. 9) As a sensitive person, the emotional body is paramount. As I mentioned above, the emotional body is our link to the intuition. If we want to connect more with this profound tool of insight hardwired within us, then we have to work with the emotional body in a way that helps us clarifies our relationship with it. I am so passionate about the emotional body and helping others listen to their own emotional body wisdom, I've developed the majority of my jyotish and body-centered expressive art therapy work around it. I know that the majority of people on the planet are completely unaware of the important role our emotions play in our life experience, and how it can be a tool of guidance rather than suffering. I also know that many people are like me, extremely emotionally sensitive, and are seeking answers. My work is for you! Make sure you start with a 3 level check in as a way to start your clarity process. Use your sensitivity and harvest your gifts! If you truly take care of and cultivate this sensitivity within you, it can lead to many deep awakenings and become a truly valuable life long gift. This gift can awaken the intuition and lead to realizing your life purpose. Your life purpose can be dharmic and serve your self and others in profound ways. I'll talk more about that in an upcoming article. But for now, honor your sensitivity. Trust it to be a useful tool of guidance and awareness. Cultivate care and patience with it. Make changes in your life that will nurture and support this gift of sensitivity. And don't worry, I've got more to share with you in order to help you with this process! Details coming soon! Did you catch my *free* class Ultimate Self Care for Sensitive Types? You can still listen to it until April 4th. I've also just re-launched my Be Your Gift class series for those seeking deeper support for their sensitivity. Sign up to hear the replay. Need some extra guidance and clarity? Schedule a session with me. Plan your week in tune with nature. Never miss a planetary update. Sign up for my weekly newsletter. |
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