Dear ones, next week on Thursday 1st October we welcome in the Full Moon in Aries. This being the closest full moon to the Autumn Equinox makes it the Harvest Moon. We will have the sun in Libra, the sign of relationships and balance, and the moon in Aries, the sign of the self. At first it might seem that these signs contradict each other but when we look closer they actually help us to navigate our Autumn theme of finding balance. Libra is a sign that is always wanting to make peace and harmony, their focus on relationships and partnerships can sometimes mean their own needs and boundaries get overlooked. Aries is a self reliant, head strong fire sign with clear boundaries and an often devil may care attitude. Somewhere between these two signs is a wonderful balance of taking care of our relationships and community and taking care of ourselves. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and when the moon is in Aries it 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. This means you can also spend some time asking yourself if you feel your needs are being met, your voice is being heard and if you're being true to yourself. How could we add some of that powerful self reliant Aries energy into our life at the moment? Moon in Aries is a wonderful time to concentrate on our relationship to self, to check-in with our self love and self care knowing that these have a huge impact on our relationships. 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? The Warrior WithinAries is ruled by the planet Mars, the planet of strength, passion and the archetype of the warrior. This Full Moon we have the opportunity to look to Aries for help building resilience in the face of adversity and tune into our inner warrioress. This global crisis is forcing us all to dig deep, face our fears and do some real spiritual work - we can use this time to create deep transformation. Fire has both the power to create and destroy and we are in a situation where we can see these dualities playing out in both human nature and mother nature herself. As the old way of being begins to crumble around us, we have the chance to ask ourselves what new world we wish to create together, like the phoenix rising from the ashes. Aries 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. Aries can often suffer from being too much in their head and because they are a fire sign are often called hot headed. If you resonate with this and have been dealing with thoughts of overwhelm, it would be really helpful to dedicate some time for meditation to help soothe your mind and calm your thoughts. Journaling about what's overwhelming you could also be really helpful, especially in relation to the people pleasing and over committing that we just spoke about. Maybe it's time to scale back and admit we can't do everything? Full moons are a great time to take an honest look at what isn't working and let it go, we may have just started a new project or venture and for whatever reason it's just not in flow, sometimes we need to push through and sometimes we need to let go and accept that perhaps it's not the right time. How much are we clinging on to this particular thing out of fear of what others might think? “In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.” Aries GoddessesNow is a great time to call upon fire Goddesses and Goddesses of transformation such as Kali, Durga, Lilith, Brigid, Pele, Eos, Bast and the Morrigan. Set up an altar or a place on your altar for one or a few Goddesses, just seeing them there each day will help you to draw strength, guidance and power from them. You may even like to do a daily meditation with them or even a mantra practice. Durga's mantra is incredibly powerful for protection: OM DUM DURGAYEI NAMAHA Warming Body OilThis aromatherapy body oil will help you connect to the fire of Aries whilst at the same time help with the stiff joints, sore muscles and will help to boost your immune system: 25ml Base oil of you choice 1 drop Black Pepper essential oil 2 drops Ginger essential oil 3 drops Orange essential oil 2 drops Marjoram essential oil Essential Oils for SinusesIf you feel your sinuses are blocked, these essential oils can help to clear them. Use just a drop or two of one of these oils in a bowl of hot water, place a towel over your head and breathe the steam in: Ravensara Eucalyptus Peppermint We really hope you've enjoyed our blog. Don't forget you can join us for our online Sisters of the Moon Circle on Thursday night next week where we'll be exploring the theme - the Warrior Within. For more info please email [email protected] Free Online CourseWe are delighted to be offering this free online course to help you deepen your connection to the Moon. The moon moves through a different zodiac sign every 2-3 days and each sign is associated with a different archetype, element, charge and part of the body. Over the 30 days we will be sharing daily self care prompts for working with the moon on each day, this will also include which phase and zodiac sign the moon is in and the ruling planet of the day. This course will help you to create a much more intimate relationship with the moon as well as keep your self care practices active during these difficult and uncertain times.
This course will start tomorrow - 1st October and is free to join. Once the course begins you will then receive a daily lunar prompt every day for 30 days. Click here to sign up: https://seekingblissonline.com/courses/1304/about
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Happy Autumn Equinox dear ones! The Equinox takes place at 2:30pm(bst) tomorrow and we can officially welcome in 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. Tomorrow, along with the Equinox we also have the sun moving into the sign of Libra - amplifying the theme of balance as Libra is all about seeking and creating harmony in our lives. The Autumn Equinox, also called Mabon and Alban Elfed, 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 the dark part of the year. It is the second of the Harvest festivals and has long been honoured as a time to give thanks for all that we have received throughout the year. Autumn Equinox is also 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 but not before heading into her winter slumber. Mother Earth’s energy now is beginning to draw in and down, the majority of the activity will begin to take place underground. This is our cue to begin to do the same, to start to draw our energy from the outward expression of summer to the inward reflection of Autumn. It's a time to set new boundaries, to prioritize our wellbeing and to learn the art of saying no. Now, more than ever, with all that is going on in the world it's important for us each to take care of ourselves and each other. THEMES: Transition, letting go, balance, release, slowing down, magic, ceremony, gratitude, boundaries, journeying inward, coming home to self. 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: A Ritual for ReleasingAs mentioned, Autumn Equinox is a time of release, here is a simple ritual to help you release the old and make way for the new: 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. 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. 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. 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 The Magic of Mabon Online CourseIf you would like to deepen your connection to and understanding of Mabon then we are offering this online self study course called The Magic of Mabon. In this course you will learn:
Cost: $20.00 Click here to sign up: https://seekingblissonline.com/courses/1284/about Happy New Moon in Virgo dear ones! We are now shifting from the playful, fiery, sun ruled Leo to the more serious, grounded, earth ruled Virgo which seems to fit in with the shift from August into September and the new academic year. It's that time of year where we begin to establish routines again after the free flow of the summer months and start planning for the rest of the year. Routines, healthy habits and getting organised are all key traits for Virgo so use the energy of this new moon to help yourself begin to transition from summer into Autumn. As well as their love for an organized life, Virgos also have a deep connection to the spiritual, the divine and a higher purpose - this is due to Virgo being ruled by the planet Mercury, the planet of elevated thought, communication and travel. They also have a deep connection to the earth as they are an Earth sign. The combination of Mercury in an Earth sign gives us this sense of embodied wisdom. Virgo moon asks us how we can balance the Spiritual with the practical? How are we showing up for our spiritual life? How can we integrate our connection with the divine into our daily life in a practical way? Are our daily habits in harmony with our spiritual wishes? In your journal, write a list of ways that you can create spiritual habits, simple ways that you can connect to the Divine every day. Do you have an altar space? If not, is this something you could set up? Keywords associated with Virgo: intelligent, independant, focused, organized, spiritual, discerning, hardworking, grounded. Themes: Health, habits, routines, slowing down, purpose, sacred service, coming back down to earth Virgo and the BodyVirgo rules the digestive organs - the large and small intestine, spleen and pancreas and also the nervous system. Because of this, most Virgos tend to be very health conscious and careful about what they put into their bodies. This is the ideal time to have a look at our lifestyle and health habits as we head into the Autumn months - self care is very important to Virgos. With Virgo's love of being organised and healthy and winter on its way, now is a great time to check-in with our daily habits and start to make tweaks to honour the change of the seasons. We can ask ourselves if our current daily habits are leading us where we want to go? Are we choosing things that make us feel good, well and balanced or are we relying on quick fixes and instant gratification? What would it feel like to add in new routines to our day to honour the shortening of days? Perhaps a little bit of yoga first thing in the morning or a few minutes of meditation? Perhaps we could add in a new bedtime ritual of tv and phone free time and a calming practice like Yoga Nidra. How are we supporting our body at the moment? How are we caring for ourselves? Because of Virgo's connection to the gut, they also have very good instincts and are guided by their intuition. How often do we allow ourselves to be guided by our gut feelings? Do we listen to and trust our gut? Intuition is a powerful aspect of the divine feminine - awakening, trusting and being guided by your intuition is a powerful way to awaken the priestess within. Virgo ArchetypesThe Priestess One of Virgo's archetypes is the Priestess due to it's connection to the earth, the cycles of the seasons and also their connection to the divine and need to be of service. How could you use this New Moon to awaken your inner priestess? Do you celebrate the turning of the seasons? Is there ritual, meditation, and faith in something beyond the ordinary in your life? Do you feel connected to a higher purpose? If so, what is it? The Maiden Virgo's symbol is the maiden or Virgin and is often depicted as a maiden goddess carrying a sheaf of wheat - representing the harvest season but also the gathering of wisdom. What wisdom have you gathered from the year so far? The archetype of the Virgin and the Maiden is very much to do with the idea of being sovereign (the original meaning of the word Virgin) - being self assured, self reliant and deeply connected to our wisdom and intuition. Do you trust yourself? Do your trust where you're being guided to go? Or are you resisting? Earth Mother Virgos have a deep connection to the earth and often act in ways to be of service to the Earth Goddess - caring for the environment, living in harmony with nature's cycles and living with consideration and modesty. We can ask ourselves if we're living a balanced, eco conscious lifestyle or if we've fallen in to the trap of consumerism. This would be a wonderful time to inspire yourself with environmental groups, documentaries or even doing a permaculture course (don't worry there's plenty of online courses available). The Healer Virgo is ruled by the 6th Astrological House of Healing & Health so one of it's archetypes is the Healer. Also, because Virgo rules the harvest - the picking and sorting of crops - it has an affinity with healing herbs. This is a wonderful time of year to gather healing herbs for the coming Autumn months. AromatherapyEssential oils to use for Virgo are Marjoram, Myrrh, Frankincense, Bergamot, Valerian and Thyme. Here's a recipe for a solar plexus balancing tummy oil: 25ml base oil of your choice 5 drops Bergamot 2 drops Myrrh 2 drops Frankincense 3 drops Marjoram (not suitable for pregnancy, breastfeeding or if going out in the sun directly after using). Rub the oil on your tummy in circular motions, from right to left. Virgo GoddessesVesta
The Roman goddess Vesta is a maiden goddess of the hearth and home and represents self reliance, purity, sacred service and the archetype of the priestess. Inspiration we can draw from Vesta is developing or reconnecting with our own self reliance. Asking ourselves how much we rely on or are effected by the opinions of others. Virgos are known for their independence and strength of character. Saraswati The Hindu Goddess of knowledge, learning, and the creative arts. We can call upon Saraswati to empower our mind, to bless our projects and to watch over us as we study. She is another example of a self reliant Goddess. Sally Kempton refers to the 'Saraswati woman' in her book 'Awakening Shakti' - a woman who is perfectly happy to be alone, immersed in sacred study, self development and service to the divine. Does the Saraswati woman appeal to you? Pachamama Pachamama is a South American Earth Mother Goddess. She is a fertility Goddess and also oversees planting and the harvest so she fits in beautifully to this time of year where we begin to both plant hardy seeds for next year and harvest our crops from this year. She also oversees the sacred balance of things and can be wrathful when when we are taking too much from the Earth without giving back. In light of recent events throughout the world, this is the perfect time for us to deepen our connection to the Earth Mother and pledge ourselves to be in her service. What actions can you take over the coming months to be of service to Pachamama? Demeter Demeter is another maiden Goddess associated with harvest and fertility. She is a grain Goddess and also rules over the cycles of the seasons. We can ask for her help as we transition from summer to Autumn. Our fast paced world has lost connection to the sacred rhythms of the earth, we are expected to be the same all year round, our working hours don't change and in some instances (like christmas & new year) we get busier when we should be slowing down. It's up to us to tune into these natural rhythms and walk a different path, this is the way of the Priestess! Part of your journaling practice could include how you can start slowing things down for Autumn, ensuring you have plenty of time for rest and restoration. Mary Magdalene Due to Virgo's link with the Priestess archetype, it's a really nice opportunity to connect with the misunderstood and undervalued Goddess Mary Magdalene who was a High Priestess. We really hope you've enjoyed our blog. Don't forget you can join us for our online Sisters of the Moon Circle tomorrow night where we'll be exploring the theme - the Power of the Priestess. For more info please email [email protected] Dearest sisters of the moon, in the early hours of tomorrow morning (6.21am BST) we welcome in the Full Moon in Pisces. In Druidry, the September Full Moon is referred to as the Singing Moon, this is believed to be because of all the Harvest songs that would have been sung at this time of year. This Full Moon also sees us welcoming in a new month and for many people an uneasy transition back into 'normal' working life and children going back to school. In terms of the academic calendar, September signifies the start of a new year and this can be a nice thing to tune into as the wheel of the year is about to turn again, in just a few weeks we will be celebrating the Autumn Equinox! So, we are definitely in a state of transition in so many ways and this full moon in Pisces can help us to tune into it's element of water and go with the flow. 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 is the last sign of the zodiac and therefore carries with it a depth and maturity and, if we want, an opportunity to swim down into the waters of our unconscious and retrieve soul treasures. Pisces is a deep and magical sign, ruled by the 12th House of Self-Knowing and the Unconscious and the planets Neptune and Jupiter. Jupiter is the planet of expansion and Neptune is the planet of Universal Love and elevated consciousness. These influences mean that Pisces is always asking the big questions...Who am I? Where do we come from? What's the real meaning of human life? How can we be a conduit for the divine here on earth? Pisces is sometimes referred to as the Mystic of the Zodiac and provides us with a wonderful opportunity to tend to our spiritual life. This is perfect preparation for the upcoming New Moon in Virgo where we will be connecting to the archetype of the Priestess. "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin “There is a voice that doesn't use words. Listen.”- Rumi THEMES Emotions, dreams, spirituality, mermaids, selkies, sea witches, creativity, connection to the Divine, Soul Dreams, Sacred Contracts, The Divine Feminine, Intuition, Mysticism, Healing, Pisces is also 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 spiritual teachers and mystics. This full moon would be a wonderful time to let yourself dream, create and give yourself permission to feel. The sun is in Virgo and the moon is in Pisces - this 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. 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? Journaling promptsPour 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 we can use full moons and the waning moon afterwards as 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 Pisces self carePisces 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 FOOT BATH Treat 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 OIL This 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 HIPS Due 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. Pisces GoddessesMother Mary Morgan Le Fay Yemeya Oshun Mami Wata Danu Hathor Boan Pisces PlaylistAs mentioned in the introduction, Pisces are often artists, musicians and dancers - what better way to connect to your inner Pisces than to put some music on and have a good dance. Movement practices on or around a full moon can really help us to navigate the intense energies that are so often at play. Here's a playlist we've created for the Pisces Moon. Hope you enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/38hd3CAE295SB1umTYK8el?si=RXzGpxKkQbGaV1OLJW1m1Q Full Moon CircleIf you would like to connect with this full moon in a group, don't forget that you can join us for our monthly full moon circle. We are gathering tomorrow night at 7pm(bst) and will be connecting with Morgan Le Fay. You can join by either joining our Patreon platform here: https://www.patreon.com/sistersofthemoon
or you can email us at [email protected] to drop-in in to circle by paying a drop-in fee. Dear ones, mama moon has ebbed and flowed and once again we find ourself at the beginning of a new cycle. This Wednesday we are welcoming in the New moon in Leo, right in the middle of the Lion's gate portal (which closes on the 22nd August) so now is incredibly potent time to connect to your inner Lioness! Leo is about stepping into your power, your truth and your sovereignty and shining your beautiful unique light out into the world. It's also about letting your hair down and shaking off the heaviness of the last few months with all that's been going on and enjoying these late Summer days. Leo is a playful and joyful sign which can help us open up to a feeling of lightness and new possibilities. If you've been adulting hard of late and feel like it's all work and no play then now is the time to inject some fun into your life. Can you down tools for a bit and let yourself enjoy the fruits of your labour? This moon is a great opportunity to ask yourself if you're taking yourself too seriously? Have you been letting yourself get bogged down in the daily grind? When was the last time you belly laughed? How could you bring elements of fun and play into your life as we continue to navigate these challenging and uncertain times? Leo is often associated with our inner child, spend some time connecting to your inner child and inner maiden. What does she want to do? create? experience? What would you do if no one was looking? Leo is a fire sign, ruled by the Sun and epitomises self confidence, self belief and joy. It's about sharing our gifts with the people around us, being the light that we wish to see. When we start to think about birthing our ideas out into the world we can often be met with fears, limiting self beliefs and a million reasons why we shouldn't follow our dreams. The inner critic takes over and our beautiful ideas, dreams and wishes go into storage for another year. Sound familiar? Use this powerful Leo energy to give you the confidence to shine your beautiful light out into the world. Focus on Solar Plexus work during this moon cycle, it's in this chakra that we store our creative fire, our confidence and our self worth - it's often referred to as the seat of self. Both Leo's element of Fire and it's ruling planet the Sun, represent the Masculine and therefore our action and drive. In your journal, ask yourself what is holding you back from setting things in motion and taking action? Is it fear? Is it a lack of confidence? Is it a worry about what other people think? Do you think you don't deserve it? Use the playful and childlike energy of Leo to ask yourself - "come on, what's the worse that can happen? - maybe you try and it doesn't work out...is that the end of the world?" Again, we can reflect on whether we're getting heavy minded and taking everything too seriously. Remember what it felt like in your maiden years (maybe you're still in them) there's a lightness towards everything, a playful curiosity to try things and go with the flow of life. What happened to that girl? Is she in there still? “There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” - Erin Hanson The shadow side of Leo can be an imbalance of the ego, it can dominate and lead to an overinflated sense of self and can leave little room for thinking about others. On the flip side, we can have an ego imbalance the other way and always view ourselves as beneath everyone else, putting our own wishes and needs at the bottom of the list. Balance, as always, is key here and in particular looking at a balanced Solar Plexus Chakra. A key word for the Solar Plexus is HARMONY. A healthy Solar Plexus Chakra means we are in harmony with our self, others, and the world around us. We are not disempowered, we are not overpowering, we are EMPOWERED. In your journal, write down those two words, HARMONY & EMPOWERED. How do those words feel to you? Do you feel in harmony? If not, where is there disharmony? Do you feel empowered? If not, why? What do you need to feel empowered? Being empowered doesn't mean we hold power over others or external situations but that we have the power within us to stay true to our self, our values and our peace of mind regardless of what's going on around us. Ego tricks us into thinking that we need to dominate in order to be powerful, this is a patriarchal structure and one that the divine feminine seeks to destroy. Reflect on the societal pressures to the feed the ego, to dominate, to seek out power, fame and glory and see if you can notice this at play in your own life. Do you often compare yourself to others? Are you competitive? Do you feel like the only way to feel good about yourself is to diminish others? This is all the shadow side of the ego. The best way to override this is to come back to LOVE. Leo rules the heart and is an incredibly loving and generous sign. Check in with your heart and notice if it feels closed or open? Be a cheerleader of others, be happy for their success and delight in their happiness. "I cheer for people. I was raised to believe there's enough sun for everyone." - Tory L Eletto Have fun with creativityLeo is an incredibly creative sign and helps us to have a more playful approach to our own creativity. Sometimes left to our own devices, we won't be satisfied with just creating for fun but will need to turn it into a project of some kind. Why not give yourself permission to play, create, sing, dance? Get your paints our, collage, draw, write poetry. Don't overthink it. Connect to the experience of joy and freedom that being creative evokes. “You're not required to save the world with your creativity. Your art not only doesn't have to be original, in other words, it also doesn't have to be important. For example, whenever anyone tells me that they want to write a book in order to help other people I always think 'Oh, please don't. Please don't try to help me.' I mean it's very kind of you to help people, but please don't make it your sole creative motive because we will feel the weight of your heavy intention, and it will put a strain upon our souls.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear Leo's are the queens of self care! They delight in taking care of themselves and also love spoiling others. If the last few months have left you feeling emotionally drained and run down then it might be time to take a step back from everything and give back to yourself. Here are a few Leo inspired recipes and rituals to get you back on track. Dry Body BrushingLeo rules the heart and circulation so it's important on Moon in Leo days to take care of this area of the body. Dry body brushing is fantastic for lymphatic drainage and for helping with circulation. Start from the feet and work upwards towards the heart using upward brush strokes. Do the entire body and then afterwards apply this dreamy Leo inspired body oil: SELF LOVE BODY OIL Choose a base oil such as sweet almond or coconut oil and add the following essential oils. This recipe is for 25ml of base oil and is not suitable in pregnancy or if you're heading out into the sun (Citric oils are phototoxic and can stain skin in the sun). 4 drops Mandarin 2 drops Lemon 2 drops Ylang Ylang 3 drops Bergamot Leo GoddessesSolar Goddesses are wonderful to connect to for the New Moon Leo such as Amaterasu and Sekhmet, Sekhmet is also a lion Goddess so this ties in to Leo's symbology. Also turning to empowering Goddesses of strength such as Inanna, Hathor and Hera.
We really hope you've enjoyed this blog and we wish you a blessed New Moon! Dear ones, happy full moon in Aquarius! After a heavy season of eclipses and retrogrades, moon in Aquarius is like a breath of fresh air...can you feel the winds of change flowing through you? With this full moon's placement in Leo season and right at the start of a new month, we can open ourselves up to a feeling of lightness, play and expansion. Tonight's full moon is also Lunar Lammas so we get to combine the abundance of the full moon with Lammas' theme of abundance and really allow our minds and hearts to turn to all the things that we are grateful for. This year so far has felt 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 Archetype of Aquarius is 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. 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? Key themes associated with Aquarius: 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 How good are you at speaking your truth and sticking up for what you believe in? If this is a real struggle for you, journal about what it is that holds you back? Is it a fear of what others might think? Fear of repercussions? How could you claim back some of your power and stand in your truth more? Think of someone outspoken that you really admire. What qualities do you see in them that you would like to emulate? On the flip side, do you dominate with you truth and take up too much space with your opinions and views? If you feel like you're always poised for a revolt...how could you perhaps soften and come into your heart more? There is a beautiful practice in Buddhism called 'Accepting defeat and offering the victory' - it's about knowing when sometimes is more appropriate to be humble and back down out of love, compassion and wanting to protect peace. Other times we need to be wrathful and deliver harsh truths. Over time, we learn to be able to discern what is appropriate at which times. A good indicator is whether we're being governed by love or anger. Love will always serve peace whereas anger is destructive and destroys peace - even if the original intention was good, anger at the steering wheel can only cause harm. 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. Connecting to the Air ElementAir is thought, ideas, communication, sound, expression, consciousness, creativity, freedom, connection and is associated with the mind. Air element invites us to connect to the power of the mind - the mind is the creator of all our experiences and is the architect of our reality.
QUALITIES OF AIR Inspiration, innovation, connection, creativity, love, transformation, change, ideas, knowledge, free spirited, curious, joy, expansion ESSENTIAL OILS FOR AIR Pine, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Juniper, Ravensara, Lavender, Basil. CRYSTALS: Clear quartz, Citrine, Angelite, Aura Quartz, Fluorite, Selenite. BODY PARTS: Lower leg and ankles And here's our playlist for the Full Moon in Aquarius: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/307EAp5srHHbp2Q2aLMovS?si=jfg6cKwpRhm4-NE4VCJVJQ Dear ones, the Wheel of the Year is about turn once again. This time we are honouring the festival of Lammas. Lammas takes place on August 1st and is the first of the Harvest festivals. If you're new to working with the wheel of the year, it may well be that you haven't come across Lammas before. Lammas, also called Lughnasadh, is one of the cross quarter festivals - the others being Imbolc, Beltane and Samhain. Lugh is the Celtic God of Sun and August is his month. Lammas is the first of the three harvest festivals and like the other 3 cross quarter festivals, it's a fire festival. This time of the year is late summer and we can still have glorious sunshine at this time of the year even though the days have begun to shorten in their length. I like to view Lammas much like the morning after a great party when it's not quite time to start tidying up and you can sit contented, covered in glitter and still wearing last night's party clothes and enjoy replaying the events of the previous night in your head. As we soak up the late summer sun it's a time to bathe in all that you have achieved so far this year as the energy will begin to wane now as we make our way to the Autumn Equinox. Just like not being in a hurry to tidy up after a party - Lammas is about enjoying the last moments of Summer and focusing on a sense of both achievement and gratitude. One of the things we tend to miss out on in our busy modern life is giving ourself permission to enjoy the things that we've worked so hard for - the beauty of working with the Wheel of the Year is it provides us with the opportunity to stop, pause and connect - it invites us to slow down and really see what is going on around us and within us. LAMMAS THEMES: gathering, harvest, abundance, gratitude, maturity, fullness, accomplishment, celebration, late summer, holiday, slow living. A lovely practice at this time of year is to write a letter either to yourself or to a friend detailing the events of your year so far, what have been the highlights? What are you most proud of? As you write your accounts of the year, particularly focussing on the summer months allow a feeling of joy and gratitude to take hold within your heart. August is typically the month when most people go away on holiday so much like with the Summer Solstice, it's time to really kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labour knowing that these days of late summer are so precious as the wheel of the year will be turning again soon. I like to dedicate a lot of time in my garden at this time of year, really savouring it as I know I can't spend as much time in it during Autumn. Lammas is the time to begin gently gathering seeds to plant for next year, you might also be cutting things back in the garden and harvesting your herbs. It's a wonderful time to dry lavender which can then be used to make gifts for Yule such as lavender dream pillows or sachets to go inside the wardrobe. You can also infuse oil with herbs such as making your own Comfrey oil or Chamomile infused body oil. This is also a fantastic time of year for gathering berries which will now have ripened on the hedgerows - head out with a basket and look for elderberries which will come in very handy for making Elderberry syrup for Autumn colds. Blackberries should also be ripe for the picking and you could try your hand at making your own jam :) "I'm learning to live at a different pace, I'm learning to live from a different place, A place that is gentle, connected & strong, Like the roots of this Oak tree, singing it's song. No rush, no fuss, I am solid and here, Grounded, unbounded. No room for fear. This is the new way, the Warrior's tune, Give - love - but strong & true. I slow myself down, there is no shame, in taking time to tend to myself. I garden my soul - like I garden the soil... Softly, but surely - with my own bare hands." - extract from: Soul Gardening by Bob Hillary As with the other cross quarter festivals - Lammas is a time of community and celebration. At this time we can gather together with friends and family to give thanks to mother earth and to enjoy each other's harvest. You might like to host a Lammas party and invite all of your guests to bring dishes they've made with seasonal fruits and vegetables and herbs from their gardens. People will often bake bread at this time of the year to share too. Really savour all the foods that will soon be going out of season soon. Lay the table with an abundance of flowers and colours of Gold and yellow. HERBS: marjoram, thyme, lavender, sunflower, calendula ESSENTIAL OILS: sweet marjoram, lavender, lemongrass, sweet orange CRYSTALS: carnelian, citrine, sunstone, moss agate. GODDESSES OF LAMMAS Demeter, Tailtiu, Danu, Gaia, Eire, Lakshmi We really hope you find a way to honour Lammas in your heart and in your home this year, even though it's been a super tough year so far for us all, we hope you're able to find an abundance of things to give thanks for. If you're looking for more inspiration, here's our Lammas pinterest board:
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/sistersofthemoononline/lammas/ Dear ones we are heading into yet another eclipse! This Sunday we will have a Lunar Eclipse in the sign of Capricorn. The Sun will be in the watery, emotional and nurturing sign of Cancer and the Moon will be in the earthy, wise and masterful sign of Capricorn. Eclipses always offer us an opportunity to work even deeper with our shadows and bravely look at the aspects of ourselves that are holding us back from stepping into our power. Capricorn is a feminine Earth sign, ruled by the planet Saturn. It's a cardinal sign so has those qualities of initiation and the sense of energies shifting. Saturn rules organization, structure, time, boundaries and practicality. For the New Moon in Cancer we looked at our relationship to our emotions and we discussed themes such as allowing ourselves to be nurtured and supported and being a good mother to ourselves as well as those around us. Under the influence of the Capricorn Full Moon, we can ask ourselves what boundaries do we need to put in place to help honour our emotional needs? You can ask yourself, where are you leaking energy? Sometimes, it's unavoidable when we need to be there for others and offer support but sometimes it's due to a lack of boundaries and taking on other people's emotional baggage. As we shift into the second half of the year, how can you establish better boundaries? What would they look like? One of the difficulties for Cancerians is that they feel IT ALL, so much sometimes that it can cripple them, boundaries in this context is so helpful, making sure that we are tending to our own emotional needs as well as those of others. The shadow side of the Cancer's Mother archetype can be it shifting into the Martyr. When we shift into this state, we deny others the opportunity to show their love and support for us. Showing loving kindness to others isn't always about us doing things for them, its about opening up to receive their gift of love too. In your journal, ask yourself, are you open to receive? Due to Capricorn's placement in the Zodiac and it initiating winter in the Northern hemisphere, one of it's archetypes is the Crone, or the Elder. When asserting boundaries it can be really helpful to step into the power of the Crone and assert yourself. Think of all the wisdom that you have gathered over the years about yourself and what you need. You know what you're about, you know who you are and you know what you need, sometimes we just get too easily swayed by others. The Crone does not, her days of dedicating an ounce of energy to what other people think are behind her. How much does what others think of you affect the choices and decisions you make? How could you listen to your inner elder more and the noise of the outside world less? Connect to the wisdom of winter and the archetype of the crone, trust your deep inner knowing and guidance. Channel your inner Baba Yaga :) Capricorn is represented by the constellation of the Sea-goat. As always, we can draw powerful messages from astrological imagery. The Sea-goat represents the combination of the earthly, practical life (the goat) with the soul life (fish tale). This provides us with the wonderful opportunity to reflect on the balance between our work/worldly life and our soul life. Is our soul life something that we just squeeze in as and when we can? Or is it with us all day? What's our soul purpose and soul calling? Are we dedicated to it? Capricorns integrate their spirituality and soul purpose into their daily life. This is a beautiful quality and gives them this wise, grounded and magical energy. They also have the dedication and focus of the mountain goat and therefore are hard working and able to carry out their goals. Are we lacking in determination and focus? One of the shadow sides of Cancer due to it's attachment to home and nurturance is that it can get stuck, not wanting to move out of it's comfort zone in order to pursue a dream, a goal or an ambition. Is this relevant for you? If so, how could you tune into that Mountain Goat energy and climb your way out of that place of feeling stuck? The Dark MotherCapricorn moon, and particularly an eclipse, is a wonderful time to connect to the dark Goddesses and the idea of learning to love the dark and all the wisdom it contains. What wisdom is waiting for you in the shadows of this eclipse and how can you slow down enough to hear it? For the Cancer New Moon we connected to Mother Goddesses, for this Capricorn Lunar Eclipse we can connect with the Dark Mother Goddesses - the Crone Goddesses. Dark Mother Goddesses are there for those times when we need to make a shift, they will give us what we need but not necessarily what we want. They won't sugar coat things for us and they'll hold up a mirror so we can see what is left that needs to be healed. Think of Hekate guiding Persephone through the Underworld with the torch of her wisdom. DARK MOTHER GODDESSES Cailleach, Hekate, Kali, Vajrayogini, Baba Yaga, The Morrigan, La Loba. My body, my teacherFor both Cancer and Capricorn, intuition is a massive theme. During moon in Cancer we explore our intuition via our emotions, during moon in capricorn we can explore our intuition via our body, our body wisdom. Our body is often communicating to us, giving us signs about certain situations, we say things like I feel it in my gut, I felt it in my bones, I felt weak at the knees. Capricorn rules the bones of the body as well as the knees, so this is a really wonderful time to dive into the deep inner knowing of your body. What messages does your body have for you at the moment? How does this link in with the previous section on nurturing your soul life. Do you have a decision to make at the moment? Ask questions with your eyes closed and notice how your body responds to them? Journal about your experience. Eclipse self careIt'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). 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 of Capricorn - 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 Here's a Lunar Eclipse playlist we made for you to enjoy! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4AI0Mf5o6Dtgi6DYadQkNq?si=z1jszRvDRweiKrafxnpu3A Really hope you've enjoyed our blog. wishing you a powerful and magical Lunar Eclipse xx Happy New Moon in Cancer dear ones. We're so sorry we're a little late getting this to you but we're hoping you can still tune into this powerful new moon energy. Over the weekend we have welcomed in the Summer Solstice and the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Cancer just a few days after Mercury went retrograde so it's safe to say, things have been somewhat intense. Self care, rest and nourishment couldn't be more important at this time. Cancer is a feminine water sign ruled by the moon so expect to feel ALL the feelings and eclipses will tend to heighten that experience even further. A key theme associated with cancer is CARE - it's really important to achieve balance between the care that we give to others and then making sure we care for ourselves. How good are we at receiving care and support from others? How often do we let ourselves be vulnerable? Likewise, have we gotten in the habit of shutting ourselves off from others, feeling like we're unable to reach out and give care to others? In your journal write down your emotional needs. Are they being met? Think of ways that you could send love and care out into the world at the moment in a way that's not going to deplete you. Home is an important theme for cancer too as it rules the 4th Astrological house of Home and parenthood. One of the archetypes associated with cancer is the Mother. Rather just thinking about your role as a mother, (we all embody the mother archetype whether we have children or not) this new moon turn your attention to how often you let yourself be mothered? How often do you receive help, guidance and motherly affection? There is so much going on right now in the world around us and in our own lives as we navigate our way through unknown territory. It's so important to allow ourself space and time to heal and process the trauma of the last few months. How could you open yourself up to receive? "Our capacity for embodied pleasure depends on our ability to receive, which is like a muscle that can atrophy if it's been habitually contracted. A learned sense of unworthiness can act as a barrier against our well-being, keeping us from opening to the beauty that's all around us. Whether it's our ability to receive positive feedback and support, or to expect things to work out in our favour, we may be distrustful of goodness even when it stands on our doorstep. But this doesn't have to be a permanent condition. With practice, we can learn how to welcome beauty and receive pleasure wholeheartedly." - Toko-pa Turner The Healing Power of WaterCancer is a water sign so it's a wonderful time to connect to the qualities of water. Water is flow, emotions, intuition, creativity, adaptability and healing. Moon in Cancer days can leave us feeling sensitive, vulnerable and emotional and gives us interesting insight into our relationship with our emotions. Do we embrace our emotions and see them as guides and teachers, offering insight into what's hurting and what needs healing? Or do we consider them something to be ignored and pushed down? Remember, emotions are energy in motion, they need to flow through us like water. In your journal, ask yourself how you feel today. Sit for a few moments with your hands on your heart, breathing deeply and asking yourself that question. Allow the answer to come forward honestly, without judgement and then write down in your journal how you feel. You could even turn this into a daily practice, doing it first thing in the morning or last thing at night and really deepening this connection to your feelings. Water is also associated with the unconscious, the dreamworld and with intuition. As we have been examining our relationship with our emotions, let's also examine our relationship with our intuition. Again, do we embrace it as a guide and as a teacher? Or do we push it to the side, favouring logic and other people's opinions? Reflect on the last 6 months since the Winter Solstice and examine the moments when you've trusted and followed your intuition and when you've ignored it. In your journal, write about how it felt when you were living in harmony with your intuition. Did it feel like you were living in flow? Like you were being guided by something beyond yourself? How did it feel at the times when you ignored it? What was the result? How did it feel in your body and mind? Was there tension present? How could you learn to trust your intuition more? “Intuition is the treasure of a woman's psyche. It is like a divining instrument and like a crystal through which one can see with uncanny interior vision. It is like a wise old woman who is with you always, who tells you exactly what the matter is, tells you exactly whether you need to go left or right. It is a form of The One Who Knows, old La Que Sabe, the Wild Woman.” ~ Clarissa Pinkola-Estes Keep a Dream JournalOne of the ways our intuition tries to speak to us is through our dreams. Keep a dream journal by the bed and first thing in the morning write down anything you can remember, even if it's only an image here and there. Over the course of a few weeks see if you can start to spot patterns and themes. What do you think your inner knowing is trying to tell you? With so many planets in retrograde at the moment it's more than likely that old emotions from the past are resurfacing, trying to get us to learn from the past, accept, forgive, heal and move forward. Retrogrades help us look back in order to move forward. New Moon in Cancer GoddessesCall upon Water Goddesses and Mother Goddesses for this New Moon: Oshun, Yemaya, Mother Mary, Kuan Yin, Danu, Mami Wata, The Lady of the Lake. Also, check out this wonderful free Summit over on Motherhouse of the Goddess: FEAST OF THE SACRED WATERS TELESUMMIT Self CareCancer rules the chest, lungs, stomach, liver and gallbladder. Emphasising breathing practices as well as looking at our stress levels on moon in cancer days is really important. Try dedicating some time for Pranayama practices and a chest focused Yin Yoga to help clear the lungs. A depleted heart chakra can also lead to ill health in the chest so going back to what we were talking about before, looking at whether you are giving too much of yourself out into the world and how you could scale back to help your body rest. Padma mudra is a wonderful mudra to help bring prana (life force) energy back into the heart chakra. Essential OilsHEART CHAKRA BLEND
Rose, Ylang Ylang and Bergamot Either add a drop of each to a diffuser to infuse your living environment with these emotionally soothing oils or add a drop each to a base oil of your choice and rub onto your heart space. Just be careful with Bergamot as it's phototoxic so don't go out in the sun after applying to skin and be careful with Ylang Ylang which can have a somewhat hypnotic effect, best not to use before driving anywhere :) AMPLIFYING INTUITION BLEND Frankincense, Sandalwood and Lavender Add a drop each to a diffuser in the room where you sleep to enhance your dreams or diffuse during meditation. We've also created this Spotify Playlist for you to enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5v5JrtdABfwAkDKVpQjVjo?si=xxiD5rnTSmGbOuK4dE9wQw We really hope you've enjoyed our blog. New Moon blessings to you all :) Summer Solstice also called Litha or Alban Hefin takes places on Saturday 20th June this year and just like the Winter Solstice, marks a still point in the turning of the wheel of the year. Summer Solstice this year is interesting because it takes place on the same day as the Dark moon which creates this juxtaposition between the peak of the wheel of the year and the darkest point of the lunar cycle. At this point in the year the days are at their longest and from this point onwards the days will begin to decrease in length. Many people confuse Summer Solstice with the start of Summer but remember, Beltane is actually the beginning of Summer and Litha is Summer at its peak in terms of the position of the sun which is now at it's highest point. If we were to liken the wheel of the year to the phases of the moon Litha would be the Full Moon. We understand that after the full moon, the lunar energy wanes as the moon makes her way back to New Moon and it's the same with Litha, after Solstice, the energy will subtly shift to waning as we make our way towards the first Autumn festival in August. If you have been working with setting intentions and manifesting along with the wheel of the year then Litha is your time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. Litha's mirror point on the wheel of the year is Yule - the Winter solstice - so its also really nice to look back at the intentions you made at Yule and reflect on the year so far. I think we can all acknowledge that the year has definitely not gone according to plan. Who could have even imagined as we slumbered through the winter months what was awaiting us in the new year. In your journal, make a note of how you have adapted to all this change and any blessings you've been able to find during these strange and uncertain times. Look ahead to the Winter Solstice this year and make a note of any wishes, goals, intentions you have for the rest of the year. Summer Solstice is time to let your hair down and connect to one of its main themes - joy! In your journal, dedicate a whole page to the word JOY - what does it mean to you? What is your joy? And how can you make room in your life for more of it. Do the same with the word PLAY and WHIMSY. Really sit with these words and how they make you feel. What would life look like if you followed your whimsy? How often do you surrender to playfulness? Summer Solstice would have been another time where people would have gathered in celebration and merriment, and whilst we can't yet host or attend large gatherings you might like to host a small garden party to honour Litha. You could decorate your garden with festival bunting and fairy lights and create little sections for people to sit in and keep the appropriate distance. Or you could decorate your house for Litha and host an online solstice party if it looks like the weather is likely to scupper your plans. LITHA THEMES: abundance, gratitude, celebration, illumination, joy, magic, play, whimsy, merriment, community, motherhood, radiance AwenSummer Solstice is one of the three spirit nights of the wheel of the year, where the veil between worlds thins. The other two are Samhain and Beltane. This means it's another opportunity to connect with the Fae and with the elemental realm. There are many tales of folk who journeyed to the land of the Fae during Summer Solstice and returned with inspiration - the druid word for inspiration is Awen and features in much of Druid folklore. Fairies are known to grant wishes and bless projects at this time of year so be sure to leave them offerings and engage in activities that delight them like looking after the environment and caring for wildlife. AbundanceContinuing on from the abundance we celebrated at Beltane with Spring in full bloom, now we see summer in full bloom and can bathe in the abundance of nature. The days are long, the hedgerows are full of wild flowers and our own energy is at it's peak. Now is the time to really be in the moment and catch the joy as it flies - so many people say how quickly summer goes and sometimes the reason for that is that we don't mentally show up for it. We as human have such a habit of dwelling in the past or the unknown events of the future - at a time such as this when the future is so unknown it's so important to stay in the moment and treat each day as though it is the most precious thing in the world...because it is! Summer Solstice is a wonderful time to dedicate yourself to a daily gratitude practice, you might want to do this in the morning or last thing at night before you go to bed. Each day write down at least one thing that you are grateful for. Ask yourself each day, what was there an abundance of today? It could be - today there was an abundance of sunshine. Today there was an abundance of rain which has nourished the plants. Today there was an abundance of connection as I chatted to a few friends on the phone etc. Harnessing the power of the SunThe sun is the Yang to the Moon's Yin - it is action, creation, power and sustenance. The element of the Sun is fire - fire is creativity, passion, transformation, will, motivation, and is associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra - the seat of self. Reflect upon your goals and intentions and ask yourself where you need some more of this fire? Where needs more power and action? The Solar Plexus chakra is all about our self worth, self confidence and sense of empowerment. Ask yourself what fears or self limiting beliefs might be holding you back from going after the things you want. Summer DrinksDIY COLD BREW TEA Cold Brew tea is so simple to make and is a wonderful way to connect to the herbs/flowers in your garden whilst providing a refreshing beverage on those hot Summer days. You can either use fresh herbs from your garden such as mint, lemon balm or lavender and place the herbs in a jar or glass bottle filled with water and place in the fridge to brew or you can use any type of tea (loose leaf or bag) and simply add to the water. This is a different experience to boiling the water and steeping the tea and creates a much more subtle flavour. Leave the tea in the fridge overnight and it will subtly infuse with your herbs. All you need to do then is sieve out the herbs and serve in a jug with fruit slices! You can actually buy special cold brew tea making vessels such as this one: HARIO COLD BREW TEA BOTTLE SPA WATER This is a similar concept to the cold brew tea in that you are simply infusing your water with the subtle taste of the fruit as opposed to a smoothie where you're blending the fruit to drink. Grab a jug of water and then add whatever fruit and herbs you feel called to. Here are some combinations to try: Fresh mint, cucumber and lime slices Lemon slices with cucumber Rosemary sprigs with orange slices Mixed berries with rose petals Lavender sprigs (or dried lavender) with fresh mint Just make sure the fruit and herbs are clean before adding them to the water. LAVENDER & PEPPERMINT ICED TEA Boil the kettle and add a teaspoon each of dried lavender petals and loose leaf peppermint tea to a pot and add a splash of cold water to cover the herbs so as not to scold them with the hot water. Pour over the water from the kettle once boiled and leave to brew for 10 minutes. After 10 mins strain out the herbs and leave to cool down. Once cool, transfer the tea to a bottle or jug that's suitable to go in the fridge and leave in the fridge overnight. Serve the next day and enjoy a cooling and refreshing iced tea! Litha GoddessesAineAine is the Irish Goddess associated with Summer as she is known to be a Sun Goddess. She is also referred to as Faery Goddess or Faery Queen and is linked to midsummer, wealth, joy and sovereignty. GreineGreine is another Irish Sun Goddess who watches over agriculture and is associated with fertility and love. Like Aine, she is associated with the Archetype of the mother and is often referred to as the mother of all women. GaiaWho better to connect with at this time of year than Gaia - our glorious mother earth. Summer Solstice is a wonderful to make offerings to Gaia as well as give thanks for all of her gifts! SekhmetSekhmet is an ancient Egyptian fire Goddess associated with the Sun. She is both Protectress and Destroyer and is associated with healing, war, power and righteous anger! TapatiTapati is a Hindu Mother Goddess and is daughter of Surya, the Sun God. Her name means 'warming' and she bestows heat upon the land. She is also a Goddess of wisdom, knowledge and devotion. Create a Litha AltarCreating an altar for Summer Solstice is such a joy because you can really go for it with the abundance theme. Decorate your altar with freshly cut flowers and herbs from your garden and images of the Sun and Solar Goddesses. You might also like to add images, poems and words that help you to connect with being in the moment and keeping joy alive over the next few months. We would love to see your Litha altars! For some inspiration, here is our pinterest board: Litha Herbs, Crystals & Essential OilsHERBS: Vervain, St John's Wort, Elderflowers, Dandelion, Rose, Honeysuckle, Yarrow
CRYSTALS: Citrine, Carnelian, Fire Agate, Jade, Fuchsite ESSENTIAL OILS: Bergamot, Lavender, Wild Rose, Wild Orange Starchild Glastonbury do a wonderful Summer Solstice aromatherapy blend which you can view here. Wishing you a blessed Litha dearest sisters! |
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