This Saturday we have a new moon in Libra and with it a chance to embrace change as Libra is a cardinal sign welcoming in the season of Autumn. Libra's constellation is the scales of balance and it rules the 7th house of partnership so we can use this moon cycle to look at balance in our relationships. To create balance in our relationships we can ask ourselves do we need to be more open hearted or more boundaried? Is there a balance between love for ourself and love for others? Where are we leaking energy? Where are we missing out on opportunities to connect with others? How good are we at receiving? The combination of Libra's association with relationships and it's element being Air makes this an ideal time to work on our Heart chakra. The Heart chakra rules not only the heart but also the respiratory system so making time to connect with this chakra's air element via Pranayama practices would be really beneficial at this time. Libra's ruling planet is Venus, the planet of love, femininity and harmony and invites us to make peace with others and let go of past hurts and resentments, this is also perfect for Autumn Equinox too (please see previous blog post about equinox releasing rituals and meditations). Libra is a fair, just and loving sign and provides us with an opportunity to examine our love for others, is the love we have for others conditional on them behaving a certain way? Is our love for others clouded by attachment? How could we love more openly with less strings attached? Do we judge ourselves and others too harshly? It's also time to check in with our self-love, do we feel deserving of our own love and affection as well as other people's? Do we always place ourselves at the bottom of the list? In order for the heart chakra to be balanced there needs to be equal amounts of love pouring in and love pouring out. How is your self care at the moment? If you feel your heart chakra is depleted at the moment, like you are giving too much without receiving in return, practicing Padma (lotus) mudra can really help with this as it redirects prana back into the heart chakra. Libra and it's associated season of Autumn also encourages us to make peace with change, surrendering to what is. Journaling about where you feel you're resisting in your life at the moment can be a really helpful practice and then trying to tune into the lightness and freedom of Libra's air element to help you move past this resistance. Look to nature at this time of year and you will see so much effortless change taking place around you. Remember, for change to take place, the old way of being has to die. What can you shed like autumn leaves to help you make space for the new? Libra and the bodyLibra rules the kidneys, hips and bladder. When the moon is in Libra it's important to not do anything that would place these parts of the body under extra stress. Restorative or yin yoga sequences for the hips would be especially nice over the next few days as the hips are also where we hold a lot of past emotions. Dedicate some self care time on your mat for a releasing practice. Adding in mantras is another beautiful way to connect to this signs Air element, try this mantra for balancing the heart: OM MANI PADME HUM Libra GoddessesAphrodite, Venus, Themis, Astarte, Green Tara, Hera, Mother Mary. Aromatherapy for LibraEssential oils to assist the respiratory system: Eucalyptus, Pine, Ravensara, Frankincense, Fir.
APHRODITE BODY OIL Here's a recipe blend for connecting with our inner Aphrodite Sweet Almond oil 25ml 1 drop Rose absolute 2 drops Sandalwood 2 drops Jasmine HEART CHAKRA OIL A dreamy heart chakra oil blend to bring comfort and balance back to your heart space: Sweet Almond oil 25ml 1 drop Rose absolute 2 drops Ylang Ylang 3 drops Bergamot 3 drops Geranium To make it extra special add some rose quartz chips and dried rose petals to the bottle to infuse over time.
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Happy Autumn Equinox dear ones. We can officially welcome in the season of Autumn, the season of snuggly jumpers, pumpkin spiced lattes, cosy socks, crunchy leaves, crisp walks in the countryside and the beginning of slowing things down as we head in to winter. Today, along with the Equinox we have the sun moving into the sign of Libra and the moon waning towards the dark Moon. We have two major themes at play here - balance and letting go. The Autumn Equinox, also called Mabon, marks the balance between light and dark, it offers us an opportunity to pause and take stock before things shift as we make our way towards winter. If we compare the seasons to the four main phases of the moon, you can think of summer as being like the full moon phase - a time of high energy and light. Autumn is like the waning moon - the energy and light begins to dissipate as we make our way into dark/new moon time when the moon doesn't appear at all and there is little by way of light and energy. Dark into New moon time represents winter, that complete retreat inwards and the spring is represented by the waxing moon and then the cycle starts all over again. In these busy modern times we have become so disconnected to these rhythms and cycles of nature that we have shifted in to an almost permanent state of yang which just isn't sustainable. Staying in this yang energy for too long means we don't give ourselves time to re-charge and in most cases results in burn out where we're forced to stay in a yin energy whilst our body (and spirit for that matter) repairs itself. We have to work hard these days to keep this sacred connection to mother earth with so much influence from the outside world to stay the same all year round and to wear our busyness like a badge of honour. We're constantly stimulated by artificial light which disconnects us from the ebbs and flows of the moon and the seasons. Before electricity we would have naturally shifted in to this slower pace in Autumn because quite simply the decrease in daylight each day would have shortened the working day. Here at Sisters of the Moon we are passionate about connecting people to these natural cycles and rhythms. Below, we have compiled some of our favourite recipes and rituals for Autumn. Autumn Equinox MeditationFind somewhere to sit quietly where you won't be disturbed and find a comfortable position for your body, feel free to do this lying down if that's more comfortable for you. Spend the first few moments just sitting with your eyes closed focusing on your breath as it moves in and out. Begin to bring to mind these four phases of the moon. You can visualise the moon in the night sky and focus on this journey from dark moon to full moon and back to dark moon. See if you can start to sync this with your breath, on no breath picture an empty sky then take a breath in and visualise the moon appearing and growing in size, hold your breath for a moment and picture the full moon in all it's glory and then breathe out and focus on the moon waning and decreasing in size, when you run out of breath once again picture the empty sky. Do a few rounds of breath this way. Start to really tune in to this ebb and flow, this rise and fall of your breath and of the cycles of nature. Begin to turn your attention now to the seasons of the year and think about their similarity to these moon phases - dark moon = winter, waxing moon = spring, full moon = summer and the waning moon = autumn. Then bring your focus to this moment in time. Start to think about the change in weather, the change in light throughout the day and the beautiful colours that are appearing as the leaves are beginning to die. See if you can tune in to this sense of waning energy, of things beginning to slow down. Turn your focus to the trees and how they are getting ready to let go of all that no longer serves them in order to make way for new things to grow and then bloom again in the spring. Can you start to picture yourself as a tree, visualising yourself covered in these autumn coloured leaves. Start to focus on the leaves and imagine now that each leaf on your tree represents something that you want to release and let go of. Bring your focus back to you breath and begin to deepen your breath once again. As you do this, imagine that with each exhalation these leaves begin to fall from your branches and float to the ground. Breathe in deeply, exhale deeply and imagine these leaves falling to the earth. Each time you do this feel yourself getting lighter and lighter as you release all that no longer serves you. Then spend some time focusing on this feeling of relief and lightness. Start to draw your mind inwards again and feel your awareness resting at your heart centre. Begin to turn your thoughts to the new things that you want to cultivate and give your attention to developing during the quiet, reflective winter months and see if you can visualise those as seeds of possibility and potential. These aren't things that we would necessary act on as now is a resting time but things might be the seeds of ideas or intentions. Rest both hands over your heart space and take some deep breaths here. Slowly start to bring yourself out of this meditation. Go to your journal and write down your experience from this meditation, what did it bring up for you? What did you want to release and what did you want to cultivate? You can look back on these musings in months to come and check back in with your intentions. A Ritual for Letting GoAs mentioned, Autumn Equinox is a time of release. If we look at what nature is up to at the moment you can see that she is shedding her leaves in order to make space for new growth next year. Here is a simple ritual to help you do the same. You will need: Autumn leaves or dried flowers Hole puncher container Journal somewhere quiet and private outside Gather up your autumn leaves and dried flowers and hole punch them so you begin to make confetti. Place your confetti in a container and head out into nature, somewhere you can be alone and where you can throw your leaf confetti. Stand in front of where you want to throw your leaves, pour the leaves into your hands and close your eyes. Imagine that each one of these pieces of leaf or flower represents something that you want to let go of. Strongly hold these things in your mind. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, throw your leaf/flower confetti out in to the world and feel all of these things leaving you. Afterwards, write a list of all the things that you are grateful for receiving since the time of the Spring Equinox and allow your heart to be filled with joy and warmth. Mabon Journaling PromptsWrite down the word BALANCE on a page of your journal and write down all of the things that come to mind when you think of that word. - Ask yourself how you could bring balance to your body, your mind, your emotions, your spiritual life and your working life. - Identify what in your life at the moment could you do with more of and what could you do with less of - write a list of things that you love about this season. This might also be nice as a moodboarding practice. - write a list of things that you want to let go of - write a gratitude list as you reflect on the summer months - Oracle cards - choose an oracle card or two and write down your insights on what you've chosen -Reflect on Virgo season, how have your travelled through this season. Have you stayed true to your Virgo new moon intentions? Any insights? HyggeFor us, one of the best things about Autumn is getting our cosy on! Now is the time to stock up on candles with scents that warm and delight, we're in love with the scent of Vanilla and White Pumpkin, gingerbread, Jasmine and orange with Clove. You could also get crafty and have a go at making your own candles using eco alternatives such as soy and beeswax. Check out the amazing magazine Willow and Sage for lots of inspiration. A big part of our Autumn self care routine is coming home from work and lighting candles, turning on the fairy lights and turning off the main lights to tune in to the darkening of the days. Autumn GarlandBeautifying the home at this time of year is a really grounding experience, especially as we know we're about to spend a lot more time indoors. Why not have a go at making an Autumn wreath or garland with leaves, acorns and pine cones that you find out on your walks along with some delightful smelling dried fruits such as apples and oranges. To dry your fruit, cut apples and oranges into thin slices and place them on baking parchment on a baking tray. Place in the oven on a low heat (about 50°C) for 2-3 hours. Get OutsideRemember that Equinox is all about balance, it's important to balance our indoor cosyness with plenty of time outdoors soaking up as much natural light as we can and breathing in the fresh air. The countryside at this time of year is just absolutely stunning, go exploring and try leaving your phone at home. Gather beautiful autumn leaves and nuts and try creating an Autumn mandala when you get home. Turmeric LatteTurmeric is fantastic for protecting the body against illness, it has high levels of antioxidants and is also highly anti inflammatory so is also good for arthritis. Here's our recipe for a Turmeric latter: 1 tsp of organic Turmeric powder Coconut milk 1 tbs of coconut oil 1 tsp of maple syrup to sweeten Cinnamon for sprinkling Add your turmeric powder to a mug and add a tiny amount of boiling water to it so that you can mix it in to a paste, leave to one side. Heat the coconut milk on the stove (don't bring to the boil) and then add your turmeric paste in to the milk. Once you've gotten the milk up to the temperature that you want either pour directly in to your mug or if you want to make it frothy pop it in a blender for a few seconds. Stir in the tsp of maple syrup and you can also add a sprinkling of cinnamon to the top. WARNING - turmeric powder stains things bright yellow and it's hard to get out of things so be careful Pumpkin Spiced Latte Body OilThis gorgeous combination of essential oils not only recreates the smell of this autumnal drink but also helps to boost immunity, soothe tired and achey muscles and improves circulation:
25ml Base Oil of your choice 1 drop Clove essential oil 3 drops Orange essential oil 1 drop Cinnamon essential oil 1 drop Ginger essential oil 1 drop Vanilla essential oil We really hope you have enjoyed this blog post and we wish you a blessed Mabon. We will be returning in a few days with a blog all about the New Moon in Libra. See you then x Harvest Moon At the end of this week we have a full moon in the sign of Pisces taking place on 13-14th September. This full moon is known as the Harvest moon and is the full moon associated with the Autumn Equinox which takes place on Sept 23rd (the 23rd is also when the sun moves in to the sign of Libra). Pisces is a sensitive, feminine, water sign so expect to feel fairly emotional whilst the moon is in this sign. Full moons always heighten emotions so the Pisces influence will amplify this even more. It's definitely a time to go slow, be gentle with yourself and make sure you've got lots of self care lined up. Pisces the dreamerPisces is referred to as the dreamer of the zodiac and is often accused of being away with the fairies, vague and impractical and although that might be true there's a lot we can learn from Pisces when we understand them a little better, as they tend to be a fairly misunderstood sign. The symbol for Pisces is two fish swimming in opposite directions representing how this sign exists in two worlds - the physical world and the spiritual world. They have a wonderful connection to the dream world, the divine, the imagination and the ability to see beyond the ordinary and are deeply in tune with their feelings - this can sometimes overwhelm them. Pisces are highly creative and tend to be artists, musicians, writers, and dancers but also teachers and gurus. This full moon would be a wonderful time to let yourself dream, create and give yourself permission to feel. The sun in Virgo and the moon in Pisces offers us a chance to look at our own balance between these worlds. Virgo is a very practical, grounded, earth sign and Pisces is a floaty, water sign but what they both have in common is the desire to have a spiritual life, to be of service and to connect with something beyond the daily grind. As we looked at during new moon time, Virgo rules our routines and habits, an interesting question for this full moon is are our habits/routines/daily activities in line with our dreams? Or do we spend time day dreaming about what our life might look like but make no practical steps to make this happen? How could we combine the practical and discerning qualities of Virgo with PIsces freedom to dream and create? FULL MOON JOURNALING PROMPTS Pour yourself a cup of something comforting, grab your journal, light a candle and play some soothing soft music. Take some deep breaths and then work your way through these journaling prompts: - Write a list of all your dreams and goals or even better create a vision board - On a separate page write practical steps to making this happen. For example, if you have a dream job that you're not yet qualified to do, what steps do you need to take to get qualified? - Ask yourself if there's a balance between your dreaming mind and your rational mind or does one smother the other? Does rational thought stamp out the fires of creativity? Or does daydreaming keep you from bringing your dreams to fruition? What steps could you take to balance these things out? What role does fear have to play in this? If rational thought takes over is it out of fear of the unknown, not wanting to risk the safety of current circumstances? Or if you always remain in the dreaming state is that due to fear of trying and failing? Write a list of fears, be honest with yourself. - Spiritual progress is at the heart of both Pisces and Virgo and full moons are always a time for release and forgiveness. What are you still holding onto from your past that is hindering your spiritual progress? What is standing in the way of you having an open heart? - Due to the emotional nature of full moons and the moon being in Pisces ask yourself what your relationship is to feelings? Do you let your emotions flow freely? Or do you suppress them or berate yourself for being emotional? Ask yourself how you are feeling today. What's your response to the answer? - Virgo and Pisces both share the ability to trust their feelings and intuit, what's your relationship like to your own intuition? Do you trust it and follow it? Or do you ignore it? Spend some time working with Tarot or Oracle cards and give yourself a reading. Journal about your experience. - Write a list of all that you are grateful for since the new moon in a few weeks ago - Write a list of all the things you'd like to release that have taken place since the new moon The feetPisces rules the feet so on the days when the moon is in Pisces it's beneficial to take care of the feet and avoid anything that will put them under extra stress. It also reminds us to have our feet on the ground and to be present which we definitely need reminding of on Pisces days. Try and make some time to go outside and place your bare feet on the earth and take some deep breaths. Then play around with wiggling your toes, rising up on the balls of the feet and lowering back down and then one by one rotating your ankles. You could even do fascia ball rolling for the feet, this is a lovely treat for the fascia on the underside of the foot but also benefits the entire back line of the body - it's also a great stress buster! Pisces aromatherapyPisces foot bathTreat your feet to an aromatherapy foot bath. Here's our Pisces full moon foot bath recipe for you to enjoy: Himalayan salts Epsom Salts Dead sea salts Dried lavender flowers Bergamot essential oil - 2 drops Cedarwood essential oil - 1 drop Geranium essential oil - 1 drop Lavender essential oil - 2 drops *Not suitable during pregnancy Emotional healing body oilThis body oil recipe is to help you navigate the heightened emotions of both the full moon and the Pisces energy. This would be lovely applied to the feet before bed or to the heart space. Choose a base oil such as coconut oil, almond oil or apricot kernel oil. This recipe is for a 25ml bottle, if you want to make a larger bottle just increase the ratio: 25ml base oil of your choice Wild Orange essential oil - 2 drops Bergamot essential oil - 5 drops Cypress essential oil -n 3 drops Frankincense essential oil - 2 drops *Not suitable during pregnancy or if going out in the sun. Pour into an amber or dark blue glass bottle or jar and store in a cool, dark place. Yoga for the hipsDue to the emotional nature of this time, we'd recommend a gentle yoga practice such as gentle Hatha, Yin or Restorative Yoga with a focus on the hips. The hips are where we tend to store our emotions, releasing this part of the body along with the emotions you've been gripping onto will leave you feeling nourished and balanced. This will also help to bring balance to the Sacral Chakra which is connected to Pisces because of it being a water sign. We love Yoga with Kassandra's yin yoga for hips! We hope you've found this blog post helpful. Wishing you a wonderful full moon and we'll be back next week to talk about the Autumn Equinox! Moon blessings to all xo |
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