Here is the latest episode of our podcast, this time we've shared via youtube so you can see all the books I talk about. Hope you enjoy!
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Dear ones, we are just a few days away from the next full moon, have you been feeling the energy building towards this super moon? The moon is turning full on Tuesday 14th June at 12:51(bst). June's full moon goes by a few names; the Strawberry Moon, the Rose Moon, the Mead Moon and the Honey Moon. All these names relate to what is in season this month; strawberries are ripening, roses are in bloom, honey would have been harvested this month and also June's full moon often takes on a rosey hue. I personally connect with this as the Rose moon as I adore roses and they are everywhere in my local area right now. For this full moon we will have the sun in Gemini and the moon in Sagittarius, these two signs compliment each other really well as both are to do with the mind, knowledge and expansion. Sagittarius is a masculine fire sign, ruled by the planet Jupiter and the 9th house of Philosophy and long distance journeys. Jupiter is often referred to as the great benefactor, it is the largest of the planets and has the largest number of moons so has this beautiful expansive and abundant quality. Sagittarius moon is a wonderful time to focus on manifesting your dreams, cultivating gratitude and joy, and elevating your thoughts. It is a wonderful time to embrace adventure, freedom and to step outside your comfort zone. Sagittarians are ever curious about the world they live in, they are constantly reaching out to connect with their environment and those around them. They are knowledge seekers, globe trotters, adventurers and explorers. This full moon is asking us if we feel expansive or restricted right now? Does our heart feel open and limitless or do we feel cooped up and boxed in? This is where the power of the Rose can come in to help us soften, relax and enter into a flow state with life. Gemini season can sometimes have the effect that we are too much in our thoughts and analytical thinking, rose invites us to drop from the head down into the heart. I invite you to pause for a moment, close your eyes and rest your hand on your heart. Breathe deeply and drop your awareness into your heart. Have there been things on your mind recently? Are there decisions that need to be made? How does it feel to answer those questions from the heart instead of the head? This full moon arrives just before the summer solstice which is taking place on the 21st June and signifies the peak of the sun's energy and the celebration of Summer. At this time of the year (in the northern hemisphere) the sun is at it's strongest, the days are at their longest and their is a dominance of yang energy. We embody the archetype of mother/creatrix - the part of us that is birthing our ideas, passions and goals out into the world. It's a time to be social, community minded and to let our hair down a little bit. Sagittarius is a sign that longs for freedom and expansion and so this can really help us to let go a bit and enjoy the moment. Sagittarius trusts in the flow of life and is ever the optimist, where could you use some of that positivity in your life right now? Here are some guiding questions for this full moon:
- What are your aspirations? - Do you feel free to explore? - Where do you feel restricted? - Do you operate from a place of lack or abundance? - What does joy mean to you? - How much time do you make for joy and play in your life? Each and every full moon is an opportunity to use the light of the moon to shine down on our inner shadows. Sagittarians honour freedom and adventure, are you in any way holding yourself or anyone else back from this freedom and expansion? If so, where is this coming from and how could you begin to move past this. Remember, not to judge yourself or others, ask these questions from the heart and stay connected to the softness of the rose. Often the root cause is fear, Sagittarius moon can help us to move beyond this fear. Dear ones, we are about to welcome in the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio on Monday 16th May at 5:13am(bst). This Lunar Eclipse is taking place amidst Mercury Retrograde so the energies are bound to be intense. May's full moon goes by a few different names - the flower moon, the hare moon, the corn planting moon and the milk moon. I personally connect more to the name 'Hare Moon' as we're still in Beltane season - the celebration of spring at it's fullest and the beginning of summer - and the hare has long been a symbol of spring and fertility. The hare is also a sacred symbol in Celtic mythology with links to shapeshifting, lunar goddesses and the Otherworld, which is perfect for Scorpio. And then, of course, there's the association Hares have with Witches and I've always found the Witch a powerful archetype to work with when the moon is in Scorpio. The archetype of the Witch still remains so misunderstood and misrepresented, so this Scorpio full moon, I invite you to explore this archetype in your own heart. Is your inner Witch waking up? How can you embrace your wild magick? For this full moon the sun will be in the sign of Taurus and the moon in it's opposite sign of Scorpio. As with every full moon, we use these seemingly opposing forces to help us shine the light of the full moon on our inner darkness and move forward with clarity and balance. Taurus is associated with the season of Beltane and Scorpio is associated with the season of Samhain - both of these times of year are associated with magic and the otherworld but they have very different energies. Beltane is about Spring, fertility, joy and celebration and Samhain is about death, journeying to the underworld and Autumn. Taurus as an earth sign invites us to be present, grounded and sensual, Scorpio as a water sign invites us to dive down into the shadows of our psyche and 'do the work'. Scorpios have an almost disdain for the mundane, the shallow and the ordinary and like to spend a lot of their time in quiet, deep contemplation on the how's and why's of the world and are also unafraid to confront topics such as death and dying. Scorpio has two ruling planets, Mars and Pluto. Mars brings the energies of sexuality, action and primal passions and Pluto has this connection to the underworld and therefore the cycles of death and rebirth and the parts of our self that are unseen, hidden and secret. Scorpio is very much about making the unconscious, conscious. We have Scorpio, a water sign associated with the underworld and Taurus an earth sign associated with the earthly and material world. These signs appear to contradict each other but they actually invite us to establish balance between these two aspects of ourselves. We can check-in with where we dwell most often. Are we always off exploring the dark mysteries of the world, brooding, deep in thought but perhaps a little aloof? Or are we distracted by the trappings of the material world and do we shy away from thinking about the darker concepts of life? Balance between the Scorpio and Taurean energy would be this idea of being in the world but not of this world, the ability to stay connected to the truth of life - the cycles of life, death and rebirth whilst being grounded and present with our self and the people around us. There would be this peaceful, contented energy of enjoying the things of this life whilst having the ability to let them go when the time is right. One of the best ways to harmonize these two energies is to look to nature! Being in constant communication with nature teaches us how to both enjoy the sensuality of flowers in full bloom whilst also not shy away from death and decay. Tuning into the cyclical nature of life teaches us to see the beauty in each moment. Scorpio Moon often brings secrets and truths to the surface to be dealt with, and this will be intensified by the eclipse. Ask yourself if you're being honest with yourself and those around you? Are there words you long to say but are holding back for some reason? Where do you feel repressed? Guiding questions- How can you wake the witch within?
- Who would you be if you stepped into your power? - Do you feel yourself dimming your light in order to fit in? - What are you longing to express? - What is your wild magick? And how can you share this with the world? - Check back on your New Moon intentions and ask yourself how you could embody those intentions on this full moon. For example, if your intention was to allow yourself to experience more pleasure, what could you do on this full moon to experience pleasure? Remember that full moons are the time to birth our dreams and intentions. PLAYLIST If you need a bit of a dance around to release pent up energy here's a Lunar Eclipse playlist we made for you to enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4AI0Mf5o6Dtgi6DYadQkNq?si=z1jszRvDRweiKrafxnpu3A Dear ones, we are just about to welcome in the final full moon of 2021 - the Full Moon in Gemini. The moon will turn full on Sunday 19th December at 04:35am(gmt). The moon before Yule is a very powerful and potent full moon because it shines during the darkest time of the year. Solar energy is at it's weakest and Lunar energy is at it's most powerful. This is a wonderful time to honour the lunar energies of reflection, intuition, receiving and tuning into your deepest inner knowing. Allow the abundant light of the moon to shine down all that you are grateful for this year. With the Solstice just a few days away, this is a really wonderful time to start closing down your year. Dedicate some important time for journaling about all that has taken place this year. What are the blessings and teachings from this year? What are you still holding on to that needs to be released or forgiven? This full moon is also called The Cold Moon, The Long Night Moon and the Oak Moon. For this full moon we will have the sun in the fire sign of Sagittarius and the moon in the air sign Gemini - both are masculine signs and both are to do with the mind. Both Sagittarius and Gemini are inquisitive, curious and mentally expansive. Gemini also rules communication so it’s interesting here to work with combining the philosopher archetype of Sagittarius with the ability to communicate our ideas out into the world. A key theme for Gemini is truth and honest communication and sometimes that communication can be to do with how we view ourselves, the conversations we’re having with ourselves and whether or not we’re being honest. When the full moon is out, there’s nowhere to hide, this can be a powerful time for looking inwards and asking these questions. On Gemini moon days it’s easy to get caught up in our thoughts, Gemini has a mercurial energy to it which can leave us feeling ungrounded and mentally overwhelmed, add this to the busyness of the lead up to Christmas and hello frazzled mind. It’s a really good idea on Gemini moon days to bring ourselves back into our body and do things that will calm and focus the mind. Think of the idea of using the arrow and focus of Sagittarius to focus the somewhat flighty tendencies of Gemini. Using practices such as Yoga Nidra, guided meditations and gentle yoga can be really helpful for slowing the mind down. Also, when it comes to tackling Christmas tasks, try to focus on one thing at a time, write lists or use a bullet journal to give yourself the satisfaction of ticking things off. Try not to flit from one unfinished task to the other, just like leaving loads of tabs open and programmes running on your computer slows it down, it’s the same for our mind too. The combination of Sagittarius and Gemini can also lead us to get over excited about new ideas and ventures, so check-in with yourself honestly about whether or not you’re taking on too much. Can some things wait? Are you honouring the season of winter and the need to rest? Sometimes it can be so hard with all the pressures of social media to not want to jump into. new things straight away, one of my favourite quotes is “Do less, be more” - can we let go and soften a little bit and pick up the pace again in Spring? Or is our gut telling us that now really is the right time? Only you can know.
This full moon is a wonderful time to combine the elements of Air and Fire - air for Gemini and Fire for Sagittarius. How could you use the creative element of air to stoke the flames of your inner hearth fire? These few days around the full moon would also be a great time for vision boarding for 2022. Wishing you all a blessed Full Moon! Dear ones, mama moon is about to reach the peak of her cycle once again and is turning full in the sign of Aquarius in the early hours of Saturday morning at 3:36am(bst). This full moon is also Lunar Lughnasadh and so we get to combine the abundance of the full moon with Lughnasadh's theme of abundance and really allow our minds and hearts to turn to all the things that we are grateful for. The sun moved into Leo on Thursday and so with this full moon’s placement in Leo season, we can open ourselves up to a feeling of lightness, play and expansion. This year has continued to be heavy, scary and incredibly challenging, Aquarius asks us to look for the teachings and blessings we have received during this time. What have we learned about ourselves and others? How has this time revealed the systems that need to be broken down in order for new ones to be built? Remember, Aquarius is the Zodiac’s revolutionary. Where is there a revolution brewing in you? Aquarius has this expansive quality of being able to zoom out and see the big picture, almost as if you’re looking down on earth from amongst the stars. If you’ve been feeling stuck, trapped, heavy - how could you zoom out and connect to this idea of a bigger picture? Aquarius is an air sign ruled by the planets Uranus and Saturn. Uranus is associated with revolution, social change and awakening and Saturn is associated with structure, time and boundaries. Add these together with the transformational element of air and you get this powerful energy of change - the breaking down of structures that no longer serve us and no longer serve the collective. The archetypes of Aquarius are the protester, the inventor, the rebel, the revolutionary and the visionary. They are never scared to use their voice to inspire change and to dismantle oppressive structures. This full moon we get to balance Aquarius’s outspoken, rebellious energy with the loving mother energy that we focussed on at the New Moon in cancer. Dropping from head to heart! During this full moon, ask yourself what are the oppressive structures in your life at the moment, perhaps placed upon you by society, others or even yourself? How could you use the power of this Full Moon to begin to break these down? Saturn also governs boundaries, so it’s another opportunity to check-in with your boundaries, this time particularly in relation to people/situations/places that are draining you and preventing you from serving the collective. If one person is always draining our energy and time and it’s preventing us from doing the work we want to do in our community or family then this is out of balance. What could we put in place to protect our energy and time? Leaning into changeAquarius as well as being an Air sign is also the water bearer and pours the refreshing waters of change over our life. Sometimes we resist change so much or we simply fail to acknowledge the changes that have already taken place. With this full moon being lunar Lughnasadh, a turning point on the wheel of the year, we have the chance to take a pause and reflect on who we are right now and if that person wants and needs different things to the person we were at the start of the year. Maybe we don’t want the things we longed for at the winter solstice anymore, or maybe we achieved certain things but they’ve turned out to be different to what we thought. I say this so often, but never be afraid to let life change you. Allow life and all it’s lessons, blessings, hardships and sorrows to flow through you.
AQUARIUS THEMES: New perspectives, social justice, social change, activism, enlightenment, awakening, new ideas, upgrading, truth, the greater good, the collective, the big picture, creativity, rebellion, community, trailblazing, innovation, human potential. If you'd like to shake off some of the intense full moon energies I've created this Aquarius playlist for you to enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/307EAp5srHHbp2Q2aLMovS?si=dc684d7efe654850 The wheel of the year is just about to turn and we will be welcoming in the first of the Harvest festivals, Lughnasadh, on August 1st. Lughnasadh is roughly translated to mean Lugh's Assembly (Lugh being one of the High Kings or Ireland and member of the Tuatha Dé Danann) and so we commonly associate this time of year with the many skilled God Lugh. However, Lugh's Assembly was actually founded in honour of his foster mother Tailtiu who died on August 1st. The story of TailtiuTailtiu (pronounced Tal-chew) was the daughter of the king of Spain and the wife of Eochaid mac Eirc - the last of the Fir Bolg kings of Ireland. Tailtiu was a beautiful and beloved Queen and Druidess - she was known as one of the most learned women in Europe. She reminds me of Hypatia, dedicated to knowledge of science and the mysteries. When Ireland was invaded by the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Fir Bolg were defeated and Tailtiu's husband was killed. Tailtiu survived and remarried Eochu Garb of the Danann and became foster mother to high born Lugh who was of Tuatha Dé Danann and Formorian heritage. Fosterage was very common in Ireland at this time, in particular in Royal families as a way of gaining alliances. Tailtiu being so skilled in the arts herself, then trained Lugh in all that she knew as well as battle and he went on to become a High King of Ireland and known as Samildánach, one who is skilled in all the arts. Tailtiu dedicated her life to the land and to her foster son Lugh. She worked tirelessly to clear and prepare the land for farming and in the end it claimed her life. "When the fair wood was cut down by her, roots and all, out of the ground, before the year's end it became Bregmag, it became a plain blossoming with clover. Her heart burst in her body from the strain beneath her royal vest; not wholesome, truly, is a face like the coal, for the sake of woods or pride of timber. Long was the sorrow, long the weariness of Tailtiu, in sickness after heavy toil; the men of the island of Erin to whom she was in bondage came to receive her last behest. She told them in her sickness (feeble she was but not speechless) that they should hold funeral games to lament her - zealous the deed." - https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T106500D/text033.html Lugh was so devoted to Tailtiu that when she died he was devastated and worked hard to carry out her wishes. Before her death, Tailtiu had already chosen her place of burial at Teltown and this is where the funeral rites and celebrations took place. As mentioned previously, Lughnasadh roughly translates to Lugh's Assembly and was the funeral rites and celebrations that he set up in honour of his foster Mother. This went on to be called Áenach Tailteann and was a festival that took place each year on August 1st (which was the day she died) and lasted for many weeks. These festivals were mostly famous for their sporting and art competitions - the sporting part of this event became so famous throughout Europe it is thought to have inspired the Greek Olympic games. The festivals also comprised of chants and laments sung by the druids to honour the dead, handfastings and arranged marriages, and fairs selling food and wears. This also became a time when laws were decided and disputes settled. Áenach Tailteann was also to be a time of peace as declared by Tailtiu herself:
In terms of the wheel of the year, Tailtiu's death signifies the death of the growing season and the start of harvest. Hers is a story of motherly love, sacrifice for the greater good and dignified and loving rulership. Tailtiu teaches us the importance of grace in the face of adversity and the importance of leaving a legacy of peace. Tailtiu's name is thought to mean 'Great one of the earth'; she is Queen, Mother, Protectress, Druidess, Teacher, and Goddess of the arts.
I really hope you enjoy connecting to Tailtiu this Lughnasadh and that she blesses you with her wisdom, grace and abundance! We are heading into a full moon lunar eclipse tomorrow and mercury retrograde is just around the corner so we thought it would be nice to share some self care tips to help you navigate these intense energies. It's more than likely that as we get closer to the eclipse our emotions have been coming up to the surface and we might also be picking up on other people's energy too. It's really important to keep on top of energetically clearing your space on the lead up to a full moon and in particular an Eclipse. Use sacred smoke or essential oils to cleanse the energy of your home and take a cleansing Full Moon Salt bath - salts are also great for energetic cleansing: FULL MOON BATH Combine dead sea, Epsom and Himalayan pink salts and mix together well. Add in fresh Lavender from the garden and a few drops of Clary Sage, Juniper and Lavender essential oil (not suitable in pregnancy). Add the essential oils to a base to help disperse them in the water - a bath oil or milk work really well. Surround your bath with candles and crystals and enjoy a good soak. CRYSTALS Again, focus on crystals that will help you navigate the intense energies of the Eclipse but also to connect with shadow work and the Earth element to ground you - Onyx, Obsidian, Hematite, Pyrite, Clear Quartz and Smoky Quartz. CACAO CEREMONY Creating an at home Cacao Ceremony is a beautiful way to honour the Full Moon and will also help you to drop from head into heart. Cacao also helps us to ground and become present to our body. Sipping on Cacao whilst choosing oracle cards, meditating and journaling is a really powerful practice and then when the energy of the Cacao builds you might like to take yourself into a movement practice such as the Moon Salutations or have a good old dance to our playlist below :) PLAYLIST If you need a bit of a dance around to release pent up energy here's a Lunar Eclipse playlist we made for you to enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4AI0Mf5o6Dtgi6DYadQkNq?si=z1jszRvDRweiKrafxnpu3A Navigating Mercury RetrogradeThere can be a fair bit of anxiety in the lead up to Mercury Retrograde and it's beauty is often overlooked and a lot of this is to do with that fact that this is a time for slowing down, letting go of our reliance on technology and for getting our affairs in order - in our fast paced, productive world, these are not always things that we want to do or are encouraged to do. Mercury Retrograde is when it appears that the planet Mercury is travelling backwards. Though this is simply an optical illusion and Mercury isn't in fact moving backwards, it has an energetic effect of reversing what this planet rules. Mercury rules communication, travel and technology and is often referred to as the trickster. During the few weeks when Mercury goes retrograde we can expect the flow of this planet in reverse - delays, confusion, misunderstandings and technology to more than likely let us down. Mercury is retrograde from May 29th until June 22nd - the retrograde pre-shadow began on May 15th and the post shadow ends on July 7th so it's a fair chunk of time to be dealing with these energies. But it's not all bad, Mercury Retrograde can actually present us with an opportunity to slow down, resist the temptation to start anything new (projects started during a retrograde can be often hard to get off the ground) and instead focus your energy on getting everything up to date. It's a great time to get on top of admin, catch up on your chores, re-organise your home or office and do some spring cleaning. Mercury Retrograde also teaches us the value in being present and mindful, as it's easy to get into misunderstandings with people at this time, take special care when communicating with others - speak clearly, truthfully and from the heart, say what you mean. This is a great time to check-in with your throat chakra, if you find it hard to say what you mean, it's likely to create confusion and havoc during this time so ask yourself why you find it hard to be clear and honest with your speech? Being honest, direct and clear is a great habit to get into whether Mercury is retrograde or not. Slow downOne thing you often find during Mercury Retrogrades is that travel plans can be scuppered or delayed and that everything just takes that little bit longer - it's like the world around us is buffering! This can be incredibly frustrating but can also be a prompt to fall in love with the art of slow living. In a world of internet streaming, amazon prime next day delivery and the instant gratification of social media, we have forgotten what it means to live slowly and patiently. These days people get irate if you don't reply to them straight away or if they have to wait more than 24 hours for something to arrive! The world is getting less and less tolerant and more and more anxious. So, again, we can embrace this energy and slow down. Ask yourself about the demands that others place upon you and your time and how you can create new boundaries moving forward. If it's an option you might even choose to take some time to do a digital detox.
Honouring Mercury Retrograde as a time to recalibrate, slow down and be mindful can mean that you even end up looking forward to it. You can mark it in your diary and be careful of what you plan during this time and schedule in plenty of down time and time at home to potter and get organised. It's a wonderful time to catch up on your journaling, or add to your moodboards for the year. We really hope this blog has been helpful, travel well dear ones! Dear ones, our next full moon is just around the corner and we will be welcoming in a lunar eclipse in the sign of Sagittarius. May's full moon is referred to as the flower moon, the milk moon and the corn planting moon and will reach fullness on 26th May 12:13(bst). Eclipses can be intense and we can probably already feel the effects of the upcoming Mercury retrograde which is taking place on May 29th. This full moon is also a super moon so definitely up your self care and grounding practices in the days before. Retrogrades and eclipses can provide us with the opportunity for shadow work. Ask yourself as you head into this lunar eclipse, what shadow parts of myself are making themselves known at the moment? “There is a special quality of stillness in a person who encounters their shadow wholeheartedly. Your body may relax in their company because it understands, in the subtle communications of their presence, that nothing is excluded in themselves, or you, from belonging. Such a person, who has given up guarding against the shadow, who has come to wear their scars with dignity, no longer squirms from discomfort or bristles at suffering. They no longer brace in avoidance of conflict. They carry a deep willingness to dance with the inconstancy of life. They’ve given up distancing as a strategy, and made vulnerability their ally.” - Toko-pa Turner Sagittarius is a masculine fire sign, ruled by the planet Jupiter and the 9th house of Philosophy and long distance journeys. Jupiter is often referred to as the great benefactor, it is the largest of the planets and has the largest number of moons so has this beautiful expansive and abundant quality. Sagittarius moon is a wonderful time to focus on manifesting your dreams, cultivating gratitude and joy, and elevating your thoughts. With it being an eclipse we can ask our self what is holding us back from manifesting our goals and dreams. It’s also the perfect opportunity to check back in with your new moon intentions and tend to them with the expansive qualities of Sagittarius. Sagittarius has a childlike curiosity about everything and will always look beyond the ordinary, everyday appearances - they seek adventure, truth and crave independence. I see them embodying the Huntress archetype. Sagittarius themes: freedom, expansion, knowledge, abundance, joy, travel. philosophy, light, growth, limitless opportunities, adventure, curiosity, meaning, direction, focus. For this full moon we will have the sun in Gemini and the moon in Sagittarius, these two signs compliment each other really well as both are to do with the mind. Sagittarius is known as the Philosopher of the zodiac and can help to ground Gemini’s constant quest for knowledge and information and it's somewhat flittish tendencies. This full moon helps us to see the balance between intelligence and wisdom. Do we spend too much time absorbing information but then not actually integrating it into our life? For example, maybe we have been reading about certain topics for a long time, like meditation, but don’t actually put them in to practice. Intelligence comes from the gathering of knowledge whereas wisdom comes from putting that knowledge into action and gaining insight and experience from it. That’s where doing the work comes in! It also invites us to ask whether we feel like we constantly need to be doing another course or qualification in order to feel ready to step forward into our future? Sagittarius wants to learn, understand and gather knowledge and wisdom. They want to learn from others, travel to other lands and gain insight into how other people think and experience life. I often think of Sagittarius as the travelling storyteller or Bard - welcome at everyone's hearth to fill the room with wonder and enchantment. Embrace your inner bard and expand your mind with books, podcasts, blogs and conversations. Use your journal to record the things you've been learning. Start or join a book or philosophy club. Enroll in new studies. The world is your oyster! The image associated with Sagittarius is the Centaur holding a bow and arrow aimed at the sky and the constellation is the arrow. The symbol of the arrow reminds us to check-in with our direction in life. Is the direction we are currently headed in in alignment with our true desires and our integrity? Do you feel like you have the reigns of your own life? Or are you just along for the ride? How could you take the reigns back? Another key theme associated with Sagittarius is freedom. What does freedom mean to you? How does that word make you feel and where in your life do you feel restricted right now? Sagittarius Self CareSagittarius rules the hips and thighs. On Sagittarius moon days it’s important to look after these parts of the body. Due to the optimistic and joyful nature of this sign, uplifting Citrus oils such as Bergamot, Orange and Mandarin are lovely to use and these oils help to lift our mood and connect us to hope. Why not add some of these oils to a base oil and make yourself an uplifting leg massage oil.
Step outside into nature and carry that Sagittarian curiosity with you. Marvel at all the seasonal changes taking place in your local area, look up when you'd usually be looking down and leave your phone at home. Hope you've enjoyed this blog and wishing you all a wonderful full moon! Dear ones, we welcome in our next new moon on Tuesday 11th May at 7:59pm(bst) , the new moon in Taurus. The previous new moon in Aries carried that energy of the new born child, curious and inquisitive about everything and fired up by passion. Taurus now helps us to ground that Aries energy by inviting us to slow down and connect to it’s element of Earth. Taurus is a fixed sign, giving it it’s notorious reputation for being stubborn but the flip side of that is they are incredibly loyal and reliable. Taurus is a very loving sign, ruled by the planet venus, with a deep connection to mother earth it gives us permission to enjoy the abundance of nature’s gifts. Taurus themes: Love, beauty, abundance, gratitude, sensuality, sexuality, re-wilding, grouding, pleasure, being present, blossoming, expression, creativity, truth, honesty, loyalty. Taurus is a feminine earth sign ruled by the planet Venus, the planet of love, beauty, wealth and abundance. This new moon invites us to look at our self love and self worth and to experience life through all our senses. We can ask ourselves in what ways do we deny ourselves the pleasures of this life? And what are the reasons for this? Do we feel undeserving? Do we feel shame in relation to pleasure? We are so often shamed for seeking and experiencing pleasure or conditioned to feel guilt when enjoying ourselves, its time we reclaimed pleasure as an expression of the Divine. Pleasure, love and enjoyment are all our birthright! Taurus invites us to be fully in our bodies and awaken all our senses. It’s an incredibly sensual and affectionate sign. How can you be in your body more? Dance, move, give yourself a massage, run an aromatherapy bath, go for a walk, place your bare feet on the ground and get present. Taurus rules the throat and neck and one of the struggles that Taureans face is either an overactive or underactive throat chakra. An overactive throat chakra can lead to that Bull in a china shop effect of speaking our truth in an overpowering and overbearing way, an underactive throat chakra can mean that we rarely ask for what we want or are honest about our needs and wishes. We can ask ourselves, when my needs aren’t being met - how good am I at asking for what I need? Being able to vocalise our needs and wants is such an empowering act of self love, it is saying to ourselves and the world that we deserve to be loved and respected. The way that we love ourselves teaches others how to love us. New moon in Aries asked us 'Who am I?1 and new moon in Taurus asks us 'what do I need?'. We can also spend some time thinking about the inner dialogue that we have with ourselves. What kind of conversations are we having with ourselves on a regular basis? If we were to read aloud the kinds of things we said to our self would we be shocked? If someone else were to speak these things to us how would it make us feel? Would we tolerate such words? Communication, truth and honesty are key themes for New Moon in Taurus. How are we being present and honest in our relationships with others? We can check-in with our own stubborn tendencies and notice if they’re getting in the way of harmony in our relationships. As mentioned previously, Taurus rules the throat and neck so when the moon is in Taurus take special care of this area of the body. Taurus also invites us to get grounded and prioritise self care - with all that is going on right now and being bombarded with so much information/news it’s so important to have time where we’re moving from head to heart, where we can feel present, grounded and connected. Support yourself with rose quartz and rose essential oil and try this recipe for rose moon milk: Rose moon milkMoon milk is an Ayurvedic recipe to help with sleep and stress, so a perfect comfort drink before you hit the hay. It contains the adaptogen Ashwaghanda which is known for its ability to calm the nerves, ease anxiety and aid sleep. Before taking any herbs or superfood powders always check the contra-indications and whether or not they interfere with medication or aggravate certain health conditions. If in doubt, consult your health care practitioner. You can make this recipe without the Ashwaghanda and it’ll still be yummy and beneficial for helping you unwind and get to sleep and/or de-stress! INGREDIENTS Almond/Oat or Coconut milk 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp coconut oil 1 tbs loose leaf hibiscus 1 tsp dried rosehips 1 tsp dried rose petals 1/2 tsp Ashwagandha 1 tsp honey Bring a small amount of water to the boil on the stove and add the hibiscus, rose petals, rosehips, coconut oil and honey. Stir thoroughly and then simmer for 10 minutes so the herbs can steep and to get the max amount of pink colouring out of the hibiscus. Then add your milk of choice and the nutmeg and Ashwagandha, stir thoroughly and reduce the heat a lot so as not to burn the milk. Continue to stir over a low heat for a few more minutes. Then decant the latte through a sieve (to catch the loose leaf herbs) into a blender. Blend for a few seconds to make frothy and serve in your favourite mug. Rise as QueenNew moon in Taurus also invites us to connect to the archetype of the Queen. The Queen represents self confidence, self assuredness, strength and the courage to stand up for what she believes in. She also represents loyalty and dedication and so at this time of year we can ask ourselves how we're going to commit to our goals and intentions. How can you be loyal to yourself? What are you Queen of? We have spent a while connecting to the maiden of early spring and now with the passing of Beltane we transition into Queen who holds the space between maiden and mother. Queen themes: Sovereignty, grace, dedication, loyalty, compassion, power, truth, integrity, leadership, devotion, empowered. We have compiled a playlist to help you embrace your divinity and rise as Queen, hope you enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/25LS6aPhCEDOt6IK93hr4E?si=7180b34893624040 New Moon Online CircleWe are gathering online this Friday (14th May) at 7pm(bst) to welcome in this new moon and continue exploring our 2021 theme: The Wild Moon Series. This time we are connecting to the animal ally of Bear and our guiding Goddess is Artio the Celtic Bear Goddess.
If you'd like to join us either join our Patreon membership here: www.patreon.com/sistersofthemoon or you can drop-in for £5, email us at [email protected] to do this. New Moon Blessings to you all xx We are welcoming in the new moon in Aries on April 12th and with it the start of a new zodiac cycle. Aries is an action driven, independent, resilient, curious and resourceful sign. They are often referred to as the fire starter of the zodiac, they are the initiator - officially welcoming in Spring and with it the archetype of the Maiden. Aries is ruled by the planet Mars, the planet of strength, passion and the archetype of the warrior. This New Moon we have the opportunity to look to Aries for help building resilience in the face of adversity and tune into our sovereign maiden energy. We have used Pisces season to dream and allow our creative energy to be in flow, Aries now invites us to take action. How can we begin to bring our dreams to fruition? Aries is a Cardinal fire sign and is therefore great at getting projects off the ground and they’re also happy to go their own way. How could you infuse some of this powerful Ram energy into your own life and goals? Aries can sometimes get a bad rep for being selfish, and though this may be an aspect of Aries’ shadow side it’s actually a part of their archetype that can be really helpful to work with. Instead of viewing them as selfish, view them instead of just having the level of self love and self respect that means they take good care of themselves whilst at the same time taking care of others. Aries helps us to make time for our own needs and wishes which means we end up with more to offer the world around us. How is your relationship with yourself? Do listen to your needs? Do you feel nourished? Aries asks us to take a step back and ask ourselves ‘who am I?’, ‘What do I want?’, ‘What are my goals?’ - If we feel we’ve been getting lost in other people’s dramas and problems now is a wonderful time to come home to yourself in order to establish balance. Aries are very good at saying no, they have a clear idea of what they want and don’t want and aren’t afraid to say it. Do you struggle with the word no? Do you find yourself saying yes to things and then immediately wishing you hadn’t? We then have to dedicate so much time and effort into thinking about how to get out of certain commitments, wouldn’t it be easier to just be honest and say no in the beginning? People pleasing and worrying what other people will think of us is a huge source of anxiety and stress and a massive energy drain. Think of how much more energy and time you’d have for your goals if we let go of this need to be liked. PersephoneAs a maiden Goddess who initiates Spring, Persephone is perfect for working with the Aries energy. Persephone’s return from the underworld signifies the start of Spring and is associated with the Spring Equinox which took place a few weeks ago. We can take inspiration from her story and reflect upon this transition in our own life. What wisdom have we gathered in the winter months? Any hardships we have endured we can view as our own journey to the underworld and note how they have made us stronger, wiser and more sovereign! We can also remember that during her time in the underworld Persephone is training in magic under the guidance of Hekate, the Queen of Witches. Hekate is Persephone’s guide through the underworld, she is torch bearer, her light in the dark. You can view these parts of the story as your own inner archetypes - reflect on your inner Hekate, your inner archetype of the Witch that was active in the Autumn months as we travelled through Mabon and Samhain. Then reflect upon your inner archetype of Crone (Hekate in her crone aspect) that was active in the dreamy, winter months. What magic, wisdom and inspiration have you gathered from the dark half of the year? And how can you now allow this to infuse the upcoming light half of the year?How can you rise as Queen? Aries self careAries rules the head, sinuses and eyes so whilst the moon is in Aries it’s really important to look after these areas of the body. We’ll be more susceptible to picking up colds during moon in Aries days, especially if we’re already run down so wrap up warm, rest and take care of yourself. Think happy, joyful and empowering essential oils for working with Aries such as Mandarin. Mandarin really resonates with our inner child and has the ability to be both uplifting and calming. This works really well with Chamomile for helping with stress and sleep or you can blend it with something more spiritual like Myrrh or Frankincense. ARIES ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND Mandarin 2 drops Bergamot 2 drops Frankincense 1 drop Lemon 1 drop ARIES NEW MOON PLAYLIST Here is a playlist we've created for this new moon, hope you enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5hWCgbedGbVFsYn0epoLia?si=7I2eBZprR0yY0_RCtWfYsw And here's come gentle yoga to honour this particular new moon from our founder Michelle: Wishing you all a blessed new moon, try and make some time and space for journaling, meditation, self care and setting your new moon intentions.
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