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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Moon begins its waxing cycle (Shukla Paksha) this week after the new Moon on 5.28.
Tuesday, 5.27 Moon moves to Taurus at 12:38 pm CDT where it becomes exalted until 18:14 CDT this evening. Moon then moves to its mulitrikona degrees instead, however the power and clarity of this position can still be felt. Make hay while the Sun shines. Moon is in its final tithi (Moon phase) as it reaches its complete emptiness or new Moon status (amavasya) which takes place tomorrow. Moon is in Krittika nakshatra today. Krittika is ruled by Agni, which has everything to do with purifying, clearing and clarifying. Agni is the sacred fire god, literally the fire of life, who insures our transformations on all levels of existence- both internally and externally. He has an exactness and a certain precision which can be ideal for "cutting to the chase" and being extremely direct. Agni can help us see clearly what needs to occur for greater ease and momentum in our lives. Today, let go and let god. If you've had an agenda and a fixation on relationships, desires, changes that need to be made within you or your circumstances, surrender them. There's a plan that is greater than you and has your best interests in mind. Don't doubt this. Create space for the myriad of possibilities that exist outside of our small minds. The only thing standing in your way is you. Be open and perceptive to sudden change and the changes that may be necessary in order for you to truly embrace your deepest longings. What can you cut out, let go of and clarify today? Wednesday, 5.28 Moon moves to Rohini nakshatra at 07:24 am CDT. Moon is in its mulitrikona sign of Taurus still. Rohini is ruled by Lord Brahma who created the universe. His vast creativity is expressed through this auspicious nakshatra. It is a new Moon day as well. New Moon is at 13:40 CDT with Moon in Taurus and in Rohini nakshatra. Rohini is a nakshatra ruled by Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe. He exemplifies great strength, possibility and creative energy. Creativity, artistry and material abundance are part of his offerings. And since he is husband of goddess Saraswati, who offers us wisdom, knowledge and the arts, Rohini is also connected to her graces by default. Read more about the new Moon and the coming waxing cycle. Use these Amavasya (new Moon) Harvesting questions for deeper inquiry: 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? Tap into your vast creative potential today. With your empty vessel, create conscious and nourishing ways to fill and be filled. Create a mandala and "fill your cup" with intention. Sync up with the new Moon and learn more about the purpose of this cycle here. Thursday, 5.29 Moon moves to Mrigashirsha nakshatra today at 08:47 am CDT. The ruler of this nakshatra is Chandra, the sanskrit name for the Moon. Connected to soma, growth, ojas and the spark of creative potential, today offers changes that can better serve and nourish us. We will be moving quickly in heart and mind. Fluctuations and flutters are inevitable as Chandra moves quickly and the symbol of this nakshatra is a deer. Changes in relationships may be felt today. Who has changed? You or the other? What awakenings are present as you re-direct your focus towards greater needs, nourishment and support? What is working and not working in your relationship dynamics? As Moon moves into Gemini at 21:38 CDT, the mental body kicks up and may churn up overwhelm. Temper this with embodiment and grounding, self care rituals and creative and artistic processes. Have you done your new Moon mandala and harvesting work yet? Friday, 5.30 Moon transits Gemini with Mercury and Jupiter there. These three planets receive drishti (gaze) from Rahu. Mental body is moving quickly and much expansion can be felt with ideas, visions, creativity and possibilities. How can you harvest these fruits and capture these golden nuggets of grande thought? Day dream and let desires expand you for now. Mercury moves to Ardra nakshatra at 6:30 am CDT leading the way for Moon to move into this nakshatra as well. Moon moves into Ardra nakshatra at 10:36 am CDT; the Rahu and Rudra (storm god) energy enlivens. Does he expand you into overwhelm and excessive cravings that lead to more frustration? Or can you temper his shadowy nature with focus? Harness the momentum that can be felt right now. Write lists and "dump out your head" on paper. Set goals, prioritize and be potent in your actions. As Moon crosses Mercury now in Ardra as well, overwhelm and mental spin can set in. It will be important today (as well as the next two weeks of Mercury in Ardra) to attend to the emotional and physical bodies for grounding and support, rather then letting the mental body get away with its usual mayhem. Pay attention to your emotions. Overwhelm? Anger? Exhaustion? Fear? This is a direct indication that your basic needs of support and nourishment are not being met. How can you find a different way to get the job done? How can you use self care to get your needs met? What paradigms need to shift in your relationships so that you can release some of the angst? Get embodied. Saturday, 5.31 As Moon moves closer to Jupiter and into Punarvasu nakshatra at 12:50 pm CDT, the wisdom begins to surface. The pieces that arrived abruptly and painfully yesterday and earlier today, begin to translate into greater awareness. Aditi, the mother of all goodness and abundance provides us with a more unified experience. She has a harmonizing effect on us and can nourish and support us where we need it most. In what ways can you move towards greater nourishment, support, stability and strength today? Take time for inward and nourishing activities. Meditation and yoga are vital re-charge tools for today and will give you the maximum harvesting of your inner journey. Sunday, 6.01 Moon moves into Cancer (its own sign) at 08:46 am CDT where it receives drishti (gaze) from Saturn. Moon moves into Pushyami nakshatra at 15:27 CDT, enlivening its ruler, Brihaspati, another name for Jupiter. However, this nakshatra is ruled by Saturn, so we get direct access to the expansion (Jupiter) and contraction (Saturn) elements today. The dynamics of Saturn at play with the Moon can bring a restrictive feeling. Though nourishment can be harvested and received with some surrender. How can we use structure and restraint today in order for nourishment? Attend to your inner needs. Find nourishment and support in slow, small, steady and in gentle silence. Work with expand and contract, open and close principles as well as the other dynamics of the heart lotus while Moon is in Cancer. Find my Exalted Jupiter & Heart mp3 here for greater creative awareness and support with this dynamic. Plan your week in tune with Nature. Never miss my Moon Mind Calendar. Sign up for my newsletter. And if you like this post, please share it! Thank you! Does the word power make you cringe? Or celebrate? Now is a good time to ask your Self: What is my relationship with power? If you follow my planetary transit reports, then you are well aware of the themes I've been discussing for weeks and months that involve "letting go" and finding a "less is more" approach to life while re-evaluating all of our relationships. The lunar eclipse in Libra on April 15th, marked a poignant two week period of intensity, which will culminate with the solar eclipse on April 29th. Get the details on all of that here. All of this attention on Aries and Libra has been a theme for well over a year due to the Saturn, Rahu and Ketu transits. These planets and their movements have been activating our issues with power, ego, relationships, self care, boundaries, finding new ways of being, and a new sense of balance. So as we come to the end of Rahu and Ketu's 18 month transit through Libra and Aries respectively (in July), the eclipses mark a moment in time where we get to "propel forward" with these themes by doing a conscious audit of our head space. Here to help us with these themes, is the newly exalted Sun in Aries. The cosmos are always timely! Sun moved to its sign of exaltation on 4.13 joining Ketu there. This transit lasts until Sun moves to Taurus on 5.14. Both Sun and Ketu in Aries receive drishti (gaze) from a retrograde and compromised Saturn, as well as Rahu in Libra. Mars gives his drishti to Sun and Ketu from Virgo eight houses away, bringing an extra level of heat and pressure to the Sun and Aries right now. Despite the challenging combinations at play, there is clearly moksha (a sense of liberation) in the works from this configuration and the nakshatras (lunar constellations) involved. The coming weeks of Sun in Aries, bring surprises, pressures and awakenings that insure liberation on multiple levels of life as we navigate the theme of "personal power". Exalted Sun is a time when the Sun is the "fullest" in his experience of life; his energy is maximized and feeling its own power. This translates as each of us working with our own relationship to power- for better or worse. With power comes great responsibility, a need for purpose and a request for intention, in order for maximum alignment with one's dharma and greater life harmony. Sun's cohabitation with Ketu at this time indicates cleansing, restructuring and purification of our soul, our sense of dharma, purpose and power. Ketu's extraction process is usually not fun and often comes quickly. Prepare to feel naked and vulnerable at times during this transit, stripped and uncertain of who and what to trust. The flip side of great confidence and power is vulnerability. Finding balance with our own innate strength is part of what this exalted Sun transit can offer us, even if our power feels uncertain. This is a time that encourages us to work on themes of power and personal power- within us and within our relationships. Don't miss my planetary articles and offerings. Sign up for my newsletter. Dance with your power!
Exalted Sun: The Head and Our Relationship with Power {Part of my virtual workshop series} ::: Sunday May 4th 12:00 to 1:30 pm CDT Sun is our energy, power and dynamism, which connects to our innate masculine/father energy. Sun transits Aries (its sign of exaltation) from April 13th to May 15th. Aries and Sun are both connected to our Head (the 1st house) as well as the 5th house of creativity and passion. We need to be fully dynamic beings, taking charge of our life power and our inner/outer passion in order to move forward effectively in life. This workshop will explore the dynamics at play between head, Aries, Sun, inner power, energy levels, and finding an embodied experience with these pieces. This work will help us navigate burnout, overwhelm, motivation and our actions more consciously. We will use somatic exploration, creative ritual and the arts, as well as journaling and a unique harvesting process for the workshop. Come prepared to move, create, inquire and share. Don't miss out! Enrollment ends Sunday April 27th for the first Exalted Sun workshop + Early Bird discount! Complete details about my new Cosmic & Creative Self Workshop series. *The workshop will be presented via conference call, but available as a recording for those who are not able to attend live. |
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