Befriending Your Emotions: It's Vital for Your Health. Many of you know that I'm passionate about the Moon and all things Moon related. The Moon and its experience within one's jyotish chart says a lot about the individual human experience. An unhappy Moon can spoil the fruits of a chart or at least make it feel miserable regardless of the bounty. The nature of our natal Moon and its experience with the other planets is so fundamental to our life experience that I devote an entire column to it weekly. The Moon is a powerful resource for us and can be a tool for self growth, awareness and spiritual development. Read more about the Moon from a Jyotish perspective and why it is so revered. Unfortunately, the more I learn about the Moon and its purpose- within the cosmos and within our own beings- the more I realize how ignorant the majority of humans are about this awesome inner guidance system we have hardwired into us. As a result, the emotions are one of these "Moon topics" that are the basis of my work. I'm passionate about the emotions because I have found that most people are completely "dumb" when it comes to navigating their own emotions. In fact, our society is almost entirely clueless about this very real and important human function. Most people would like to skip the "feeling" parts of life all together and bypass this very important tool of inner wisdom. There are however very real and unfortunate consequences to skipping over the emotions. Cultivating a relationship with our emotions can help enrich our lives on so many basic levels. Cultivating more awareness with our emotions can enhance our personal and interpersonal relationships as well as cultivate increased creativity, greater harmony and joy. The human body has a fairly predictable response system in it. When we first have an emotional response it usually only lasts a few moments. Then the mental body attaches to the emotion and keeps it on constant re-play, looping it over and over in our minds. Finally, there is a physical response as a result. This three part process is either happening quickly or we are repeating this cycle over many many years until a very old "story" develops. When an emotion has made its way into a physical body response, we know it is quite engrained in our story or personal mythology at that point. This is why the body can be a wonderful resource for emotional wisdom as well Ideally, we would have a relationship with the emotions that provides us the information we need and the awareness we need in order to make very informed action steps in our lives; before the mind attaches to them and they settle into the physical body. Once the emotion settles into the body, health issues can arise. So clearly the emotions are step number one in prevention. When we skip over the emotions and the consistent work that it takes to create a relationship with our emotions then we bypass the most basic tool within us that is hard wired for our satisfaction and listening in our lives. Do you have a healthy relationship with your emotions? Here are some questions to ask your self about your relationship with your emotions: -Do you pause to listen to your emotions, to check in with what arrives and then use this to inform your actions and choices? -Can you be present (very present) to others' emotions and navigate which are "theirs" and which are "yours"? - Do you dump your emotions on others as a way to cope with your own overwhelm? -Do you hate tears? Anger? Do you wish it could be happy and "smooth" all the time for your Self and your relationships? -Do you push past your own emotions, trying to skip to the "good stuff"? -Do you cut and paste over your feelings- especially around others- in order to keep things "tidy" and not rock the boat? -Do you allow time and space for discomfort and emotions like sadness, anger, depression, grief and loneliness? -Do you use drugs or alcohol, food and other "feel good" methods to enhance your life? Especially when life feels tough? These are valuable questions to ask yourself in order to determine what your relationship is with your emotions and the Emotional Body. It is in fact a whole body in and of itself and its very worthy of your time, attention and intention. Unfortunately, the majority of us are ill-equipped to handle the range of emotions that a human is capable of experiencing. Most of us are conditioned from very early stages of life that certain emotions are "good" and other emotions are "bad". Certain emotions will get a "good" response from our parents and our environment and certain emotions will get us a "bad" response. We may learn to shut down our capacity to feel the full range of our life experiences as a result. We may begin to make choices (over and over and over again) that continue to perpetuate unfortunate circumstances and feelings within our life as well. This early conditioning requires some essential re-patterning, but the good news is that a simple technique called the 3 Level Check-in can be a helpful first step in finding a more conscious relationship with our emotions. We can then move forward in life with greater awareness about life choices, actions and our own personal embodiment. It is a practice, and as they say, practice makes perfect. So use the 3 level check-in to help you flex your emotional muscles so to speak. A three level check in is easy, fast and helps us separate the three bodies- emotional body, mental body, and physical body- so that we can easily identify what their messages are. Interestingly, most people are constantly confusing the mental and emotional bodies. Many of my clients can not even find their emotional bodies because the mental body is overriding it and has been for so long! The mental body wants to take the wheel and keep driving you. And drive it does! On and on and on. To the point of, most people do not even know what is the mind and what are the emotions! They are very different and have very different needs, so making sure that we make room for the emotions and cultivating a relationship with them is really step number one. Here are some ways life improves once we start working with the emotional body more directly: We know what we need and what we don't need in our lives. We know what feels emotionally supportive and we make choices and take action accordingly. We create more healthy boundaries within our lives and our relationships. We have more space in our lives for joy and inspiration. We have more satisfying and wholesome relationships- with ourselves and with others. The results are a directly related to being very acutely aware of our emotional body, what it is telling us, what it needs for nourishment and support, as well as what it doesn't need. If we don't know what it needs, we can't give it what it needs. It's quite simple. Use these three simple steps to help you develop a deeper relationship with your emotions: Step #1: Use the three level check in. Try to create a practice of "checking in" at least once a day but especially when there is a strong emotional response happening within you. Step #2: Tracking themes and patterns that develop within your emotional/mental bodies and noticing how these show up in your physical body. Can you feel your stomach tense up when you feel angry? Does your spine hurt when you feel lack of support or encouragement in your life? Do you get a headache when overwhelm sets in? Step #3: Use your three level check in as the impetus for your creative arts process in order to harvest more information directly. Are you ready for more resources? Listen to my free class: Ultimate Self Care for Sensitive Types. *Photo credit to Taira Restar 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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If life wasn't so stressful and if we weren't so disconnected from Nature and her rhythms, what would our bodies tell us?
Is there an ideal time for women to bleed each month that coincides with the Moon cycles and the earth's rhythms? The Moon is such a primary force in our lives- connected to emotions, our inner tides, the feminine, creativity and change. She brings her constant dance into our lives, changing our moods and feelings with her waxes and wanes. She changes nakshatras about once every day and changes signs roughly every 2.5 days. We feel her many changes within us, moving through us, moving us, constantly. As Jupiter moves into Cancer on June 18th, 2014, our work with the emotions and the Moon increases and expands for the coming twelve months. (Moon rules the sign of Cancer). Read more about this remarkable Jupiter transit. Women, the divine beings that we are, get to experience the Moon's flow in a very physical way through out her cycles. When we ovulate, creative potential is ripe. When we bleed, we are letting go of and cleansing the previous cycle. In this way, we wax and wane with her, inviting in and letting go with each of her tidal shifts. Ayurvedically speaking, it is ideal to bleed with the full Moon. This is what my dear and trusted ayurvedic doctor, Vaidya Rama Kant Mishra of the Shaka Vansya tradition, says: "The ayurvedic shastra-s, ancient medical texts, explain that the expected time for the menstrual cycle is during the full moon. During the full moon, women have access to the flow of uninterrupted soma. However, due to stress, hectic lifestyle, imbalanced diet, and many other factors, many women will tend to have their cycle erratically, not with or around the full moon. Most have their cycle during the new moon. This is an indication that there are imbalances that need to be addressed. It is a sign to pay more attention to restoring the natural cycles of her body, and to support it, so that she can get back on track and have her flow with the full moon." Not surprisingly, this corroborates with what Jyotish says about Suklanta, which is starting our "new Moon" cycle with the full Moon. Similar to exalted planets in that they are "full" and can't be "added to", a full Moon (or Purnima) means that it is full to capacity, there's no more room for it to expand and grow; it is complete. In this way, we can interpret the full Moon as a "new Moon" in that it marks the beginning of a new cycle of emptying itself and refilling itself. Beginning a lunar month at the Purnima is called Suklanta and differs from starting the count from the new Moon (Amavasya) which is the point when the Moon is empty and is waiting to be filled by the Sun. Purnima is in the middle of the Lakshmi phase of the Moon cycle, whereas Amavasya is the moment during the cycle where Kali and Durga meet. Clearly, the energy is quite different for each of these. These different methods of starting the lunar calendar remind me of the saying "is your glass half empty or half full?!" When do we start our "new Moon" calendar and begin our new lunar month? When we are full and satisfied or when we are empty and needing to be nourished? If we think of our menstrual cycle as a signal from the body, and our connection to the lunar messages, then this way of counting with the Moon makes sense. The full Moon is the ripest phase of the transit and the menstrual cycle is the body's signal that we are full and filled to capacity; our cup runneth over. Literally. Ovulation, however, is considered a time of potential. Eggs are being released for possible fertilization, which is a signal that the body is ripe and ready for that special spark of creativity. This is a time of possibility, momentum, action and desire. This "potential" aligns with the new Moon, or amavasya; a time when our cups are empty and waiting to be filled. When we listen to our body's messages (really listen) then we get answers. Here are some questions for your harvesting process during both the waxing cycle (Shukla Paksha) leading up to the full Moon (Purnima), as well as the for the waning cycle (Krishna Paksha) leading into the new Moon (Amavasya). Harvesting for the new Moon (Amavasya): What am I ripe and ready for? What are my desires for the next two weeks? What action steps can I take for greater fruits and a richer harvest? What potential awaits me? What strength am I arriving at? What actions were left undone in the last cycle that I need to revisit? How do I want to move forward? Where do I want to channel my creativity and how? What support do I need with my efforts? What am I stepping towards? Harvesting for the full Moon (Purnima): Where am I full? Where am I willing to let go and release? Where can I surrender and allow my self to flow more? Where have I been pushing too hard? Where can I allow more ease? What needs are not being met? What parts of my life do I need more support with? Can I ask for what I need? What am I not expressing? What am I depressed/frustrated/angry/sad about from this last cycle? What feels disappointing? What would I like to see shift in the next cycle? These harvesting questions are especially helpful with embodiment work that bridges movement + art and harnesses the creativity within us. Please explore my workshop offerings and podcasts for details. I also love working with mandalas for both new and full Moon. Mandalas and the Moon are symbolically and metaphorically unified. This shape can offer us much awareness and creative potential. Get ideas for mandala creation from my waxing and waning Creative Rituals. Need more connection with the Moon? Read more about the importance of the Moon. Sign up for my newsletter and get my latest articles and more. Exalted Jupiter: A good thing? Or too much of a good thing? {Part 1}
Who is Jupiter and why does he matter? Jupiter (or guru in Sanskrit) is undeniably the most benefic planet. And though too much of a good thing is a real thing, most of us welcome his gracious behaviors at every turn. He is expansive, unlike Saturn who contracts. He wants peace, whereas Mars wants action and war. He brings knowledge and wisdom, learning from the scriptures, from teachers and from the grace of the guru. These are divine blessings indeed! Jupiter also relates to akasha (the space/ether element) and is therefore all-pervasive. He offers that level of expansion, the ever growing kind. The presence of Jupiter is peaceful, benevolent and he would rather win over his opponents with goodness, nonviolence and prayers, rather than fight, ruffle feathers or use violence of any kind. These are traits our society could use a lot more of these days. Fortunately for us, we will be seeing these blessings of Jupiter increase over the next twelve months as he moves to Cancer, his sign of exaltation, on June 18th. And since we haven't seen this transit occur in over twelve years (since 2003), we can each expect a unique boost in the coming months. (Jupiter's transits are roughly one year each and there are twelve signs in the zodiac, thus it takes twelve years for his full cycle around the zodiac). No matter the type of expansion and increase, for most of us, this will be of the delightful variety. Jupiter is of course connected to luck, grace, blessings, wealth as he is known for his generosity and giving. It is through sattva, purity, that Jupiter gives his blessings; all things pure like dharma, truth, and the light of pure knowledge. As devaguru (teacher to the gods) he guides us to the higher realms and empowers the positive tendencies of the mind. He has the ability to transform the asuras (demons) within us with his pure and persuasive wisdom. As the Mundaka Upanishads state so aptly, Satyameva Jayate, truth alone triumphs. What Can We Expect From Jupiter's Exaltation This Year? Each transit is very much an individual experience as each jyotish chart is a unique, highly complex organism (as expressed in each unique individual on the planet!) And though Jupiter's exaltation will effect us each in very different ways, there are some unified experiences that will be felt for us as a whole. It is important to note though that even something like expanding wisdom and knowledge, is not always comfortable- especially if it makes your old ways and habits obsolete and highly uncomfortable. For others, Jupiter's exaltation may provide too much support, and may cause issues as a result. We all know that even winning the lottery has multiple down sides and too much sugar rots your teeth and gut. Wherever Jupiter shows up there is increase and expansion. He encourages that growth as any good teacher would. If he sits with Venus, creativity and relationships tend to prove helpful and expansive. If he sits with Mercury, writing, mental growth and communication are given wisdom for increased success. Issues arise, however, when Jupiter sits with Rahu. Rahu, the north node/shadow planet and Mr. Mischief, ruins Jupiter's spiritual leanings and pristine tendencies. Rahu is chaos and deception whereas Jupiter is truth and honesty. Their energies oppose each other. Look at your chart to see what values might increase in the coming months for you based on what planets Jupiter is connected to in your natal chart. When looking at your own chart, first locate the sign of Cancer. This is where Jupiter will be effecting you the most intensely over the coming months. What house is Cancer in and do you have any natal planets there that will effect the transit as well? Will he be transiting your first house? Expect a spectrum of increased self wisdom, personal growth and people to notice this. Is he transiting your tenth house? He will offer extra support and expansion with your career whether you want it or not! And since all of us are working with the theme of balance right now as Saturn and Rahu transit Libra, the increases of exalted Jupiter will provide yet another opportunity for each of us to achieve some new sense of personal balance and harmony as a result of all the extra comfort, support, expansion etc. And that is indeed a good thing! Cancer is a sign of heart and emotion. It is connected to the fourth house and therefore is connected to all matters of the fourth house as well. This includes land, home, heart, mother, emotions, moksha, happiness, heart, lungs and the chest. When Jupiter exalts here he amplifies these parts of ourselves and can provide us with support in these areas. But because Jupiter is also Kapha, heavy, and connected to the lubrication within the body's channels, we also have to be mindful of the "too much of a good thing" reminder on a physical level as well. Too much dairy, can cause excess phlegm or excess kapha dosha. Too much fat can clog the arteries and channels that lead to the heart. Excess phlegm in the lungs can cause a chest cold or pneumonia. These are excesses to be aware of during this transit. It is interesting to note that the emotions and the heart play a predominant role in our health and well being. Since Cancer is also ruled by the Moon (Cancer is its own sign), many themes connected to emotional health and well being will be enlivened this year. With Jupiter in Cancer, we will each have an opportunity to grow emotionally, expand our heart and emotional capacity, and to find a new inner wisdom with the emotional body- if we choose to listen and expand in this direction. This is an exciting idea for moon-centered beings like myself! The overall experience of Jupiter is progressive, forward moving, expansive and supportive. There will be about four months where he retrogrades (an exalted planet in retrograde motion is considered debilitated) and this will be a time period of "emotional cleanup" we could say. Since all the major planets are moving this year, we are in for growth and change on multiple levels. Jupiter moves June 18th, followed by the shadow nodes, Rahu and Ketu July 12th. We still are working with an unusual dance of retrograde and direct Mars moving between Virgo and Libra until September. Finally, we will see perhaps the most major shift of all occur when Saturn moves to Scorpio November 2nd. The planets remind us that life is in constant flux and flow, and life changes are inevitable- which is why I'm offering Creative Ritual workshops to help us navigate the transits. My exalted Jupiter workshop is all about navigating our emotions and the physical correlations of this transit while using Jyotish insights to further our embodiment process. Explore this exalted Jupiter workshop. I address the finer details of Jupiter's transit with regard to some of these other transits, as well as the nakshatras he will be transiting, in the second half of my Exalted Jupiter article. Read it here. Wondering what the tendencies of exalted Jupiter and these other planetary changes will be for you? Schedule a yearly progression with me. Don't miss my planetary articles and updates, sign up for my newsletter. Moon is waning (Krishna Paksha) and transits through Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces and into Aries this week. This is week of turning inward, moving towards more introspection and harvesting inner wisdom. We are still in the midst of the delicate eclipse period, moving towards the solar eclipse on the 29th. Be gentle, stay receptive, find drops of compassion for your Self and others. Find ways to prune your life and allow in more space for joy and healing. Seek rest and restoration.
Monday, 4.21 Moon is in Uttarashada nakshatra today and moves to Capricorn at 13:15 CDT. Uttarashada is connected to Vishvadeva who guides integrity, good character and right action according to the Laws of Nature. Connect with integrity and focus today. Look for clarity in relationships. Be direct but make sure you are aligned with a heartfelt desire to be of service and you can't go wrong. The theme of overworking is high for the next two days so remember to work smarter, not harder. Ask your Self: Where can I cut back and let go? Where am I overworking? Struggling for success? What parts of my life/work are not getting the necessary support of Nature I need to thrive? Use these as prompts for your pruning work. Tuesday, 4.22 Moon moves to Sravana nakshatra at 6:07 am CDT. Look for Vishnu's expansive wisdom today. Wherever you have done some pruning in your life, space is being created. This space is vital for your personal expansion, for greater wisdom and clarity to enter. Let Vishnu assist you with this process today. No answer or insight is too small or insignificant. Likely you will need to be still and embodied in order to hear his messages. It may also help to connect with others, or to listen to some timely wisdom for extra guidance. Your relationships and connections can be a resource for this. The point is: be receptive and open to receive. Wednesday, 4.23 Moon moves to Dhanishta nakshatra at 4:36 am CDT. The Vasu Devas are sources of illumination and abundance, they bring us light (jyoti) and help us manifest on the material plane of existence. Get your head right today. Get your focus clear. Get your agenda in place. What is the goal? What is the necessary next step or action to achieve this goal? This focus needs to be balanced with some ease and grace. The "art of allowing" in other words. Both dynamics are key to "getting the job done" and to achieving life balance. Use music to get in the flow. Sing to lighten your mood. Empty the contents of your head and let in the Vasu Devas illumination with art and creativity. Allow space and time for awakening. Don't get overheated. Moon moves to Aquarius at 15:51 CDT, joining Venus there. Both receive drishti (gaze/aspect) from Rahu and Jupiter here. The focus becomes more about relating and our relationships later in the day as a result of Moon's movement. Avoid being needy and greedy, but rather work towards being receptive and open to receiving messages from others. Come to relationships with neutrality, a willingness to listen and with compassion. This will be an ample gift to share and way to let your light shine. Thursday, 4.24 Moon moves to Satabisha nakshatra at 3:07 am CDT. Let the gaze of Jupiter on the Moon soften the judgement of Varuna today. The inner critic may be high, on alert and feeling persecuted by others. What can we learn from these messages and where can we lighten, and let go? Keep interaction and life simple today. Return to the theme of "less is more" for guidance. Mind your manners and work towards a unified harmony rather than "separateness." The blessing today comes from Jupiter moving back into Punarvasu at 7:42 am CDT. Aditi and her desire for unity consciousness return to us as we expand towards knowledge and wisdom- with a bit less of Rahu's influence on the overall planetary transits. Read more about Jupiter's transit through Gemini here. Friday, 4.25 In the wee hours of the morning at 1:44 am CDT, Moon moves to Purvabhadrapada nakshatra moving into close degrees with Venus. Find ways to lighten the load and the burdens of your life today. This is an excellent day for letting go of what isn't serving your highest good, looking for release, and asking for Lord Shiva's assistance with the process. Use yoga and dance to come back to a state of inner balance and reset after the long week. Today is a day of purification, which isn't always fun or joyful, but innately important and valuable. If there are any places of gripping, holding on or forcing, now is the time to seek change. Ask your self and your body: Where am I resisting? Where can I allow more ease and grace? What needs to die in order to create space for re-birthing? Where am I pushing too hard? Moon moves to Pisces at 18:48 CDT and into direct gaze from Mars. Clarity can come at this time, or mental/emotional outbursts such as anger. If you feel your temperature rising, looks specifically at why you are pushing too hard, doing too much, forcing an outcome, or being overly egocentric. These rules apply to the next 2.5 days. With Venus sandhi (in the gap) moving towards Pisces, pay special attention to relationships through the end of the week. Find ways to soften and flow, and move out of rigidity. Saturday, 4.26 At 00:36 am CDT, Moon moves to Uttarabhadrapada where the carving out process of yesterday begins to take shape with clarity, introspection and enlightening wisdom today. With the help of Ahirbudhnya, a naga (serpent) who helps us dive deep and look beneath the surface, we can use the previous days work to harness a deeper awareness now. It all adds up and becomes valuable so don't disregard the simple; it's all profound. Allow time for the mists and fogs to clear and the serpent energy to enliven. Serpent messages are connected to renewal, flexibility and awakening. Mercury, moving swiftly through Aries with Ketu and exalted Sun there as well, moves into Bharani nakshatra at 15:48 CDT. Mental sensitivity is high right now and in the coming days. Use this to your advantage and also as a tool of compassion for your Self and your relationships. What is weighting you down? What are the mental restraints and conditions you have put on your Self and others? Evaluate these for possible change. Nearing the end of the day at 23:31 CDT, Moon moves into Revati nakshatra where Pushan comes with his nourishing attentiveness. Sunday, 4.27 Where this week may have provided some scattering, some sense of being "lost" or misguided, overwhelmed or undernourished, today we get to re-gather and increase our inner reservoir. Pushan is a protector, a guide for the path, and helps us flourish and prosper. He encourages wealth in the material world, but is also a guide for the astral world. Eat lightly today as he prefers easily digestible foods. Our intuition and inner awareness after all are connected to the gut and our "gut responses". Venus moves to its sign of exaltation, Pisces, at 13:49 CDT and into Purvabhadrapada nakshatra. A passionate, expansive and creative month is ahead for all of us! More about this transit in next week's Waxing Moon Transit Report + Horoscopes. At 22:51 CDT, Moon crosses the tricky junction point of Pisces (water) and moves into Aries (fire) where he joins exalted Sun, Ketu, and Mercury there and moves into Ashwini nakshatra and receives drishti (gaze) from Mars eight houses away. Implosion or explosion? Our plates suddenly feel piled high and bursting at the seams, while energy resources may feel depleted and overwhelmed. We are nearing the final moon phase (15th tithi) and the new Moon + solar eclipse on the 29th. Monday morning will hit with a bang so try to get a good night sleep tonight. On Monday, don't sweat the small stuff, get out of your head and into your body as much as possible. Take "embodiment breaks" to stay grounded. Seek healing and rejuvenation and avoid the emotional outbursts. If overwhelm is present, take a good look at your head space and prioritize tasks effectively. Don't blame others. This does not have to be a day of crisis. *Enrollment ends Sunday April 27th for the Exalted Sun {virtual} Workshop + Early Bird discount! Get details and sign up here. Don't miss my weekly posts and updates. Sign up for my newsletter. Moon Mind :::
2.18 Moon transits Virgo in Hasta nakshatra today. Ruled by Savitr and the Moon itself, this nakshatra has to do with "waking up" and the dawning of consciousness within. Hasta is also connected to the hands and helps us enliven the magic that courses through them, often resulting in art, creativity, healing work, and heightened intuitive awareness. Savitr is someone you want near by. Invoke him with the Gayatri Mantra. There can be a sense of urgency today that requires "getting things done". Retrograde Mercury has now re-entered Capricorn and receives drishti from Mars here. These two planets can bring a combination of agitation, overwhelm and frustration at times. Hit the pause button when you notice your breath is being cut off or held in. Pause. Breathe. Repeat. |
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