Radically Holistic Beauty

Energy Healing ~ Working With Your Five Senses

We are made up of energy and connect to our world through energy. We hold energy in our body at different frequencies sending signals to different parts of our body allowing us to breathe, walk, talk, absorb vitamins and minerals and so much more. Many times we are inattentive to the amazing, magical bodies we live in; we, my dear moon family, are vibrating beings of beauty.

Energy is unseen, yet we know it exists and we have been able to harness its power in so many ways: solar, wind, water. And what about the Internet? We are interconnected with everything through energy in its varied vibrational frequencies. Water is a great example of this. We use it daily in all its vibrational frequencies: steam, ice and water.

Our five senses can be great teachers in helping us to connect to our energy centers. They remind us that we carry a whole lot of power inside to make the changes we desire. We need to learn to experience all of our feelings, good and bad, so that when we get stuck, we know how to move the stagnant energy.

Below are simple tools that you can use and get to know. Find the ones that resonate the deepest for you. And if you are focusing on a specific energy point, take note of which one of the senses it works with the strongest, it may be helpful. Now, please have fun with this!

 Below is a list of ways you can work with each chakra and please do not limit yourself on the use of each one for the specific chakra, this list is to support you not limit you!

Attending to the health and wellness of your chakras is a wonderful way to take care of yourself every single day. More than anyone else, you have the power to keep your personal energy clear, balanced, and vibrant.

For more information on each Chakra visit the website.

AND don't miss out on our BIG sale on our Self-Healing Tools… it ends tomorrow at 11:59 pm PST.

XX Debra
Moon Mama

Self-Healing Tools to Move Your Energy Forward

Dark Moon Energies ~ the wishing moon

Starting today we are under a beautiful Dark Balsamic Moon in Aquarius. When the Moon is in Aquarius she can bring up complicated emotions as Aquarius is a Moon that has a strong need for emotional freedom. And when we are under a Void of Course Moon the energies of discipline, submission, subordination and spontaneity fit nicely into rituals exploring the shadow sides of emotion.

The Balsamic Moon is rightfully called the wishing Moon as she holds the beautiful energy to lift our wishes into the winds of the coming New Moon. Some even say that wishes made under the balsamic Moon are more likely to come true because our needs are felt more deeply under her.  She teaches us to be more aware of our fears, self-doubts and difficult emotions at the close of the moon cycle. Can you feel the old emotional cycle breaking down? Remember my dear Moon Family, feeling invokes healing.

The deeper one can feel under her energy, the deeper the healing. Many times this process is unconscious and we can understand this, as seeds grow best when planted in darkness. When something within you is disowned, that which is disowned can wreak havoc. I love the weaving of the Balsamic energies to clear the space for creating openings for seeding New Moon Intentions.  

You may find yourself to feel sleepy under this Moon and giving in to the need to rest and dream is recommended! This can be a time to quit bad habits or break old patterns and here is a lovely ritual ~

Mourn a habit or attachment you want to release ~ then jump into bed for at least one irrational nap and let all of your feelings come up. Look at how you love this habit and why you hate it. Imagine life without it and feel the fear. Imagine yourself beyond the fear, happy, strong and free. Wander through the dark forest of all your feelings, without repressing them or getting stuck. Once you have explored them all, end with a simple clearing ritual ~ I love bathing, but you can use sage, bells, drumming etc. Now write what you want to release on a piece of paper and then tear or burn it up. Or empty an old drawer or clean a corner of your house and throw away what you no longer need. The energy in this area will sparkle! Breathe it in as an encouragement for the new you.

As the moon wanes, awareness of what you no longer need waxes. You can see better what is standing in your way ~ but you have to slow down in order to receive this information. After stillness, new visions find their way forward and this is the beauty of releasing old habits and baggage. Using this ending of the Moon cycle allows for rest, releasing and prepares one for seeding.

Here are a few additional rituals to use under this Balsamic Moon to guide you into your New Moon Intention:

With the New Moon in Pisces being a Water Element Moon lets keep our rituals focused on water and how we heal our body with water over these next four days. If you can find time, do one of the following rituals each day to fuel your emotional waters.

• Take a bath ~ tonight or tomorrow night to really take in the movement and fluidity of water. Let the waters help you to soften into listening to your body and heart for the releasing under this balsamic moon. Let yourself be guided by the invisible currents beneath you ~ inside of you. Since Pisces rules the feet, I also encourage you to take time to focus on nurturing your feet ~ in the bath or just using oil and rubbing the areas that call you. Tender places may give you insight into your body and what you need! Doing this before your seed day helps you to mark the beginning of your new cycle. 
• Drink lots of water, especially lemon water or hydrating drinks such as herbal tea, coconut water and cucumber juice. Dehydration contributes to stress, fatigue, anger and negative moods. Under this watery moon, lets focus on staying hydrated. The best way is to have a drink every ½ hour or hour. Know that if you wait until you are thirsty you are already dehydrated! If you are so inclined add gemstones to your water. A few lovely gemstones to work with under this Pisces Moon are amethyst and rose quartz. Bless your water (and gemstones if you add them) and give yourself some love and healing!
• Make a broth or soup with lots of vegetables to boost your immune system. And since the Pisces Moon rules the pineal gland, add seaweed, chlorella, spirulina, or beets to the soup to give extra support your pineal gland. While you are cooking speak kindly to yourself and bless your food. This is also a good time to eat grapes, apples, oranges and dates. Follow your cravings, but go easy on the coffee, sweets and salty foods!
• The spirit animal for Pisces is the Seahorse. The seahorse is known for its gentle nature. Call in the Seahorse if you are in need of safe guidance through rough emotional waters. The seahorse can also fire your imagination.
• With Mercury in retrograde, although this is going to be the easiest one of the year, it is important to be aware of how you are communicating to yourself through this New Moon, and to others.

As we move into the Moon in Pisces on Saturday evening, February 22nd at 11:37 pm PST you can begin to feel the Piscean energy of openness and receptiveness. 

NEW MOON IN PISCES

As we enter the New Moon in Pisces on Sunday, February 23^rd at 7:31 am PST (10:31 am EST) we can focus on her feminine, cool, watery energy. A Moon in Pisces will make us, sometimes painfully, aware of what we feel. She heightens not only our emotions, but our senses, intuition and imagination. As she ushers in the ending of the astrological year can add a richness to clearing the old energies.
We begin the New Year for Astrology begins with the New Moon in Aries ~ as we pay attention, we have many New Years to celebrate!

Pisces, a feminine, water sign, is ruled by the dreamy, romantic, nostalgic, magical planet of Neptune! The Moon and Neptune are in charge of fluids ~ both planetary and bodily. Neptune and Pisces also rule the feet, toes, and the lymphatic and endocrine systems.

Water elements bring you into your dreams and feminine signs signal a time to work with fluidity, movement, internal focus, to feel more than think, and to receive and be receptive. 

Here are a few thoughts to hold under this Moon time ~

• Are you feeling any sudden insights or new ideas?
• Are you feeling fluid in thoughts and dreams?
• As you turn inward can you feel your prayer/intention as well as speak it?
• Are you aware of what wants to move through you to create new space for your new intentions?

If I could chose to come back as an element it would be water ~ river, ocean, lake, stream! I hope you can take a risk of crossing the great river into unknown territory under this beautiful, watery moon. Let if flow.

New Moon Blessings,
Debra
Moon Mama 

Full Moon in Leo ~ Fire Up Your Core

photo from conscious reminder

Tonight at 11:33 pm PST and tomorrow, February 9th at 2:33 am EST we have our Full Moon in Leo. This Moon is known as the Snow Moon as it is the time of year that we can get our biggest snow falls. Leo is also the Moon of children and creation and this is a time where you may experience the unexpected.

The Full Moon teaches us to work in cycles to allow old growth to be moved out of the way so that we can make space for the new ~ a releasing. Maybe you don't need to make anything happen right now.

Leo Full Moons present us with a powerful time to see our relationships, our world, and ourselves more in light of how they actually are than how we would like them to be. Take time to return inward to gather your fire and creativity. It will give you the recharge to keep you centered in YOU when you are in the world at large. 

At this time of winter we begin to feel the rumble, the thunder within that is waiting to be brought forward into fruition. Spring is on her way. Don’t let the cold and snow keep you from sensing her budding energy starting to rise up in you. Enjoy the rising of the Light and the return of longer days.

Planetary energies are here for each of us to experience individually. We may feel them deeply and we may not feel them at all. Yet they are there like the air we breathe and they touch us and move within us and guide us. I encourage each of you to listen to your intuition and know that only the information that touches you in a deep place is your truth. It is like a returning home to the place inside you that holds your truth. Listen and learn from others, yet be sure to check in with you, with your inner home. 

So enjoy these energies and trust the feelings, love and energy that is playing with you. Take time to feel. That is what Grandmother Moon is about; and when she is in Leo, she is firing up your life with courage and strength and creativity. That is her beautiful message.

For your altar ~ royal blues, purples and orange; gemstones, amber, pyrite, emerald and whatever calls to you; and, grab some jasmine and sunflowers to bring you to your center and help you to remember your souls intention.

Your quality of life reflects how you are nourished; how you nourish others and the way you function in the world. Every level of our being requires nourishment ~ body, mind and spirit. This is a wonderful time to pay attention to your health and how you nourish yourself ~ here is some food for thought:

• MIND ~ we are bombarded daily with impressions from social media, movies, books, or magazines so that we end up carrying around too much “weight”in our heads. Eliminating what does not promote wholesomeness can get you to feeling better. Gradually eliminating whatever is not longer relevant -stuff, habits, relationships, or points of view ` helps to remove some of the excess off your lifestyle.
• BODY ~ bring awareness to what, where and how you eat. Choosing healthy foods and eating with intention sends a message to your entire being that it is worth nourishing. Finding time to move your body can clear cobwebs from an overfull mind by rerouting excess energy from the head to the body.
• HEART ~ nourishment of the heart calls for healthy relationships in your life. Nourish your relationships with care so that they can provide you and others with emotional sustenance.
• SPIRIT ~ nourish your spirit. Nature, rest, relaxation all bring us back to ourselves and when we do it with regularity, we clear the mind, calm the emotions and facilitate self-awareness. 

Contemplate these as you move through this this fiery Full Leo Moon and as you place your intentions in your Moon Water. Let the Sun’s energy warm your souls and the Moons energy help you to keep your personal power vibration high.

And don’t forget to put out your Moon Water Gems!

Full Moon Blessings,
Debra
Moon Mama

New Moon in Aquarius ~ Clearing for the New

Today, January 24^th, we have a New Moon in Aquarius @ 1:42 pm PST (4:42 pm EST). This is our first New Moon of the Year and can help us to set the tone of our year, and even our new decade. Tomorrow, January 25^th, we celebrate the Year of the Rat ~ the Rat is the first zodiac sign of the Chinese Calendar and so we have a lot of new beginnings this year of 2020. Rat is yang energy and represents the beginning of a new day. The Rat Year is a time to develop your abilities, to think out of the box and to be resourceful and creative. The metal element signals renewed ambition and a desire to fulfill unmet needs. And during a Rat Year you are encouraged to take care of yourself and not worry about others.

Aquarius Moon energy is Masculine, barren, dry and airy; ruled by Uranus and Saturn; and rules the calves and ankles.

A Moon in Aquarius reminds us of the sacredness of collaboration and collectivity. We can become deeply aware that what affects one, affects us all. It’s a time to search for new allies and to review and live our philosophy. On the other side, an Aquarius Moon can bring out the rebel in us! This is a great time to break out of a rut, try something new, and make sure everyone sees you for the unique individual that you are.

Let the energy of this Aquarian Moon help you to express your uniqueness and connect you to your creative side. In the evening, take time to list and reflect on the positive things that happened during the day. If you practice this regularly, you will rewire your brain for happiness and find that it will make you feel more connected.

During A Dark Moon (Seed Moon) you may experience the following:

Mind: Your mind turns inward, you feel contemplative. Your intuition is active.
Body: You can feel heavy or retain water and find yourself inactive or feel a slowing of your metabolism.
Physical Energy: Low ebb. You sleep well but feel inertia when awake.
Energy: Northeast
Emotion: Sensitive and can be easily hurt. You may feel more likely to quarrel. Misunderstandings of communication can occur as during a Moon void of course time.
WyMoons Mystery: It May be your Moontime. If not you can feel full and self-protective. You may have backache even if you are not fertile and find yourself not interested in compromise in relationships.
Dreams: You may have very symbolic or obscure dreams. And they may contain images of caves, shadowy places, blood and secrets. Many will have dreams of childhood.

Here are a few ideas on how to work with these New Moon in Aquarius energies~ 

• SPACE CLEARING FOR NEW IDEAS ~ Because it is a year of new beginnings one way to start this year out well is to do a deep house-cleaning and repairing broken items ~ there is a saying that broken equals broke! Clearing out the clutter makes space for creativity and inventive visions. You can clear your mind by changing your space. You can clear your mind by changing your space. So take a few hours today or tomorrow to clear a space: clean out your closets, your underwear drawers, the top of your desk or what ever makes you sigh and feel so wonderfully spacious. Create space for seeding your intentions under this New Moon.
• CREATIVITY ~ If you are feeling artistic ~ create a hanging vision board. Be creative and use colors, textures and anything that brings you happiness. Hang it in the bathroom, kitchen or bring it to work and hang it from a lamp or coat rack or on the wall! Just be sure to hang it so that it brings in the air element <3.
• DREAMING WITH INTENTION ~ Did you know that you have at least 4-5 dreams every night? Dreams can tell you a lot about your life and what your subconscious is trying to share with you. Joan Borysenko says, “ Intention is the doorway to recalling your dreams and making yourself available to the insights and guidance they often provide.” She believes that by placing a strong intention for remembering your dreams before going to sleep is equivalent to asking for guidance on life situations, to grow spiritually and to receive healing. This is a perfect time to start a dream journal and dream into your intention and year. Here are the steps she gives to recalling and journaling your dreams:
• Choose a journal ~ not just any journal but one that is appealing. She suggests that you even decorate the cover with an image from a strong dream that you remember to affirm your belief that dreams are important.
• Keep your dreams journal for dreams only. This keeps your intention to recall your dreams stronger.
• Place your journal next to your bed ~ be sure it is close enough that you DO NOT have to get out of bed to reach it! Also keep a clock, pen and light near (you can use a flashlight or I love the mighty bright book lights J.)
• Before you go to sleep write tomorrows date in your journal ~ a subconscious message to remember your dreams. Write an intention in your journal ~ she suggests something like “I will remember my dreams” or “I need guidance on….”. It could be about work, relationships, or whatever you are needing guidance on.
• Notice if you wake in the middle of the night what it is that wakes you up. Is it a full bladder? A snoring partner? Outside noises? Most likely, these disruptors will be incorporated into your dream. Before moving (hard for me!!) catch the tail of your dream and then grab your journal and give your dream a title ~ something fun! Adding a few short sentences and it will help you to recollect the dream in the morning.
• Upon waking in the morning ~ don’t move! Haha! Again hard for me to remember not to move! This helps you to stay close to the dream state and where recall is best. ASK YOURSELF what you were dreaming and even before you roll over and grab your journal, give your dream a title ~ “something snappy”, she says! You will need to give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning to take the time to remember and record your dreams (5-10 minutes).
• When you write your dreams in your journal use the first person, and add as much detail as you can.
• Last, if you want discuss your dreams with a trusted friend or family member. She suggests that you avoid analyzing each others dreams, but instead as Reverend Jeremy Taylor suggests, preface your comments with “If that was my dream…). Hearing from others can sometimes trigger greater insight into your dreams.
• Last, a few thoughts for your altar: aquamarine and pearl are nice colors and gemstones to use under this moon; and Myrrh is a lovely scent to support this Moon energy.

One of the most effective ways to create reality is deciding to take action by making a dynamic move forward, and on the other hand, sitting in one place, choosing to remain undecided can be the most powerful decision yuou can make. Spirit and heart are important elements in making decisions. Let this New Moon inspire you to clear your space, inner and outer, so that your decision making can support you throughout 2020.

Wishing you a beautiful New Moon, New Beginnings,
xxoo Debra
Moon Mama 

Full Moon in Cancer ~ Inner Harmony

Happiest of New Years my dear Moon Family. We are moving into a new decade and there is a freshness in these cool, crisp days that clears mind and heart and gives us a new perspective on our lives.

Tomorrow at 11:21 am PST (2:21 pm EST) we have a full moon in Cancer and at 11:10 am PST (2:10 pm EST) the peak of the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. Eclipses are not times to place intentions, although the energies can create emotional responses, so be acutely aware as to where you are and how you are responding. 

Many of you may have already worked with your New Year Intentions, however, with the Full Moon and Penumbral Lunar Eclipse tomorrow along with the movement and conjunction of Saturn and Pluto on Sunday you may want to open space to nurture them ~ or for those of you who have not finalized or created your yearly intentions or your 2020 goals, This next two weeks can be a beautiful time to discover them so that you can plant them in the fertile energies of the New Moon in Aquarius on January 24^th.

Under these planetary movements, I believe we have the ability to work on our relationship with ourselves. We can create harmony with others or seek out common ground with friends and family; yet, there is also a beautiful gathering that can happen between our inner selves. In bringing them together through inner conversation, we can create a strength and energy that allows us to take greater risks, cross into new territories, and follow our visions with a tenacity that is not as accessible when they are not in agreement. Take this intuitive and collective heart of the Moon in Cancer, the deep energies of Saturn and Pluto, and these next two weeks before the New Moon and see what clarity of vision for this coming year, this new decade forms.

Here are a few thoughts on ritual for you to ponder as you work with these energies over the next few days and weeks: 

Morning Meditation Ritual:

Evening Water Ritual:

• Select what you would like to add to your bath ~ it can be bath salts, essential oils (Vetiver, rosemary, cypress), herbs or gemstones. Some thoughts on gemstone themes below:
• Being in the Flow ~ Chalcedony & Moss Agate
• Self-awareness & Balance ~ Clear Quartz & Red Jasper
• Strengthening & Growth ~ Apatite & All the Calcites
• Openness & Expansion ~ Aquamarine & Apophyllite
• Gather your candles, diffuser, music, tea or what ever you choose to bring with you into your bath to better connect to yourself.
• Once in the water surrender into total relaxation. Be sure to have something cozy to put on when you get out.
• Sip your tea. Just be. Nothing more. Give yourself at least 5-10 minutes of connecting with the feeling of the water on your skin ~ how it moves when you move, the smells of the essential oils, the candle light, and your body and how it interacts with this setting.
• Listen. Maybe nothing will come yet maybe a conversation will begin and you can be open and listen and participate. Ask questions.
• Take 5 minutes to write before you loose the words or conversation, or if you like have your journal close to the bath and write things down while as they come to you (or record them during your bath and write them afterwards).

'Kitchen' Soup Ritual:

• Shop for your soup ingredients, be happy with all you encounter at the store, be kind, be joyful as you choose what you are to place in your water and body!
• As you cut the vegetables ~ be grateful to the earth and all those that touched them to get them to your table (farm workers, truck drivers, store hands etc)
• As you add them to the water, thank them for the healing they will offer your body with their vitamins, proteins and minerals.
• Bless your food prior to eating.

Pondering, Walking, Meditation Ritual:

• If you are someone who writes and keeps notes on your intentions and Moon Rituals, it is a good time to see what your intention was for the New Moon in Cancer under the Solar Eclipse of 2019. How has it come to fruition? Or what does it need for 2020? Use this for pondering on your walk.
• Go outside and get your earth walks in over these next two weeks. Ponder a word that you would like to carry through this year. And take in the colors and textures and beauty. I don’t love winter cold, yet, the winter beauty has captured me and stays with me all the day long! Here are a few pictures from my morning walk today:

These rituals are for you to use over the next few days and weeks ~ use them if you are drawn to them. Let them help you to create your year and desires.

Human awareness lights up the world and its starts with us all individually. Keeping our awareness in the present moment and bringing our inner selves into harmony give us a strong inner core. We need a strong core to bring our visions forward.

We place a lot of focus on the Full and New Moons; however, I believe the true work, the hardest work, is done in the space between them. As we step into 2020 with our hopes and dreams, let us find time to nurture ourselves. 

Don't forget to put our your Moon Water Gems!

Big, Full Moon Love to Each of You,
Debra
Moon Mama 

Winter Solstice ~ Wonders of the Soul

"The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is good as dead." ~ Albert Einstein

Today we celebrate the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of light in the year. The Solstice is exact at 8:16 pm PST (11:16 pm EST).

Solstice comes from the Latin words, sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to stand still. It was named Solstice as it appeared as if the sun and moon stopped moving across the sky ~ as if time stood still for just that mere second ~ and maybe it does! 

Although it is the longest night of the year, it is also the start of the solar year ~ the rebirth of the Sun. It can be a beautiful time to remember that our lives are part of a larger energy, always changing, always renewing.

I find myself drawn to ritual at these turnings of the wheel. To take time to move into the quiet silence of darkness, under the cold, winter beauty to reflect on my inner world. Each season has its own magic, spirit, energy, feel and rhythm. Winter is a time of slowing down and going within. It is a time when our seeds stay within us, the earth, and we find there is internal activity and germination.

It is a time of cold and snow, guiding us to soften, find the quiet place in the vastness of our landscape and connect with our inner space where the heart and soul entwine. This is a time to stir your dreams to move deep inside to the mystery within, where you believe that anything is possible. Your dreams and the way they unfold in your life are unique to you, like every snowflake that falls.

Recently, I was driving through Iowa and Nebraska and reveling in the quiet, powerful vastness of the snowy landscapes. How it quieted my soul.

I love the solstice energy and the stirring it evokes in me. Each year it is something new. Sometimes it is a deep connection and sometimes a stillness that lures me into new quiet spaces I can access throughout the coming year.

In working with this energy, I share these few simple rituals I will be practicing today and into the coming days: 

1. I will be doing a short tea meditation. You can make any tea that you like, the most important step is to be mindful in each step, preparing, sitting down, drinking, and finishing the tea. First, make your tea with complete awareness of the present moment. Give yourself completely to the process. Next, find a quiet place to drink your tea and once you sit down, just take a moment to sit with your tea. Notice the aroma, the color and the delicate balance that is went through to become the delightful cup of tea in front of you. Before you begin drinking, take a moment to give thanks to the tea. Now, taking small sips at a time, drink your tea with mindfulness. Savor each sip, really savor each sip. You can focus your mindfulness on the raising of your arm, the sip, the swallowing, the lowering of the arm and the deep breaths that follow before you take your next sip. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations are to be acknowledged then moving our minds back into the mindfulness practice. Once you are done with your tea give thanks again as you did in the beginning. This is a beautiful way to prepare for a creative project or meditation.
2. I will color a new Mandala, and create my own with gatherings from this fall. I do this to bring myself inward. I will play music that warms my soul and heart, and helps me to connect to myself, to the colors, textures and smells of my surroundings. Later I will revisit my mandala’s to interpret what came forth from my internal world to share with me in my external world.
3. Gayatri Prayer and meditation ~ I will be chanting this prayer before moving into a silent meditation. This is a prayer of light, the light that shines through all faiths, all beings, through the universe, through us, uniting us as one family. This will also be my twilight sadhana, morning and/or evening, for the next 40 days.
4. I am also dedicating this remaining ten days of the year to consciously bringing myself from my left brain, the linear, organizing, I am place, into the right brain, where I connect with the present moment and the energy of my surroundings through my five senses and body movement. It is here that I find a deep connection with the whole of humanity.

I hope you will take time to share in the deep mystery of the darkness, to experience the fluidity in that quiet place inside of you. And if you like, carry that practice forward daily or monthly.

Solstice Blessings,
Debra
Moon Mama

Full Moon in Gemini ~ Power of Breathing

 Photo by Aaron Thomas on Unsplash

Tonight at  9:12 pm PST (tomorrow morning at 12:12 am EST) we enter the Full Moon in Gemini. This Full Moon is the last one of 2019 and of this decade. For those of you on the East Coast this is also a 12 Moon since it is Full at 12:12 am on 12/12/2019. Beautiful energy to work with as 12 signifies the beginning. Hmmm, what will be starting for you? What is blowing in the wind to urge your forward towards a beginning that you have been contemplating for 2020? Be holding that beginning energy as you view her tonight or in the coming nights as we approach the last New Moon and Solar Eclipse of this decade.

Gemini is an Air element. When the Moon is in Gemini it is a good time to place attention on the breath. Breath is a noun defined as the power of breathing; life. It gives us life because without it we cannot exist. Breath, wind, air are the unseen energies of life. Under windy conditions we can find it harder to breathe, due to the turbulence that is created our air clearance is decreased and the air we breathe tends to linger near and around the nose vs moving into the lungs. This Moon is also known as the Cold Moon ~ did you ever wonder why you turn into a cloud-breathing dragon in the cold, winter days? When you exhale in the cold, the water vapor in your breath condenses into lots of tiny droplets of liquid water and ice (solid water) that you can see in the air as a cloud, like fog! Air is a magical wonder when mixed with water!

Nasal breathing is healthier than breathing through the mouth. This is primarily due to the fact that we exhale more slowly through the nose and this gives our lungs more time to extract oxygen from the air we have already taken in. 

Air is the element that connects all other elements. It has the power to shift and change the landscape ~ shaping itself into the space available or shaping space to its own nature. You experience the power of air through its movement ~ maybe through a soft breeze passing over your skin or the scent it carries.  Each breath is a cycle within itself. Your inhale represents the energy of receiving and your exhale the energy of giving. It is the wind beneath your wings, the power of your heart to direct you into right action. This power is the perfect balance between receiving and giving.

Thought:  What is taking shape in your life?

Here are a few ways to work with the element of air:

1. Step out into the cool/cold air to bring you back to your breath. Breathe through your nose as much as possible. Then as you breathe deeply connect to your heartbeat. This will help you to connect mind and heart, a beautiful connection to work with over the holiday season.
2. Do a morning meditation or mantra. A sweet and simple mantra to use is, ‘Breathe and breathe again’.
3. Use this hand mudra for calming and clearing the mind:
   
   Kalesvara Mudra
   
   
   Place the finger pads of your middle finger together; touch the first two joints of the index fingers and touch your thumbs. Bend your other fingers inward. Point your thumbs toward your chest and spread your elbows to the outside. In hale and exhale slowly 10 times. Then observe your breath and lengthen the pause after inhalation and after exhalation a little bit more. This Mudra calms your mind from its flood of thoughts and agitated feelings. The more calm you become the longer the periods between your thoughts. You become clearer supporting your ability to find solutions. 
   Affirmation: I connect to my breath and feel its calming energy.  

4. Calm your overactive mind with a drink a Valerian or Chamomile tea to calm and connect. 

Today, bring in the color yellow in your surroundings or on your altar. If you like, work with the gemstones citrine or yellow jade. And to help focus your mind use the essential oils of rosemary, juniper berry or clary sage. And don’t forget to put out your Moon Water gems.

Full Moon Blessings,
Debra
Moon Mama

Full Moon in Taurus ~ Earth Magic

November. I want to drink in the colors at sunset right now. They are so beautiful, soft, and earthy. The smells draw me down into my body with a subtleness that is palpable and makes me want to take a million pictures, but instead, I take it in through all of my senses imprinting the scene in my body. A few nights ago I ran back to my car to get my phone so that I could catch a few pictures to share in this blog. Its impossible to really capture all the colors, yet, I know you will feel the beauty. Taking in the Moon at these magical moments is something I treasure.

Tomorrow morning we have a Full Moon in Earthy Taurus at 5:34 am PST (8:34 am EST). Taurus is a feminine, fixed, earth sign, ruled by Venus. Under a Taurus Moon we can feel the benefits of slowing down and letting our roots grow deeper under her sensual creativity. It is a time to relish in the miracle of the Earths magic. Do you ever stop and think about the Earths magic? Her transformation from season to season? Her change of colors, temperature, light and sounds? It is something that we take for granted daily and yet we are all moving with her. Some migrate south, some of us begin our inward movement.  

Taurus is a feminine, fixed, earth sign, ruled by Venus. A Taurus Moon slows us down so that our roots can grow deeper under her sensual creativity. It is a time to cultivate the miracle of the Earths magic.

Connecting with Mother Earth under a Taurus Moon can help you to ground and find a stability that you hold inside. I have felt this stability, this grounding since yesterday. It was from a culmination of things; walks, ceremony, writing, and I woke with a feeling of being in my body, solidly, quietly, yet so content and full.

This is a Moon to reconnect with all that earthly, creative power.

Here is a short ritual:

• Go for a walk where there are trees, tonight or tomorrow night. Step in the leaves and breathe through your nose, this is so important and something we can find we forget to do when walking. Take in the deep, rich smells of the earth and her processes of letting go, seeding, decomposing. Use the earth to release and receive.

• Collect a seed from a plant, any plant, and bring it back and place it on your altar.

• Use this seed as inspiration for bringing you towards your intention for the next New Moon in Sagittarius. Let it be your reminder to allow yourself to create space for new energies to enter.
• This is a lovely time to cleanse your gemstones. If you can, place your gemstones onto the earth under the Moon for cleansing overnight. When you pick them up the next day, smell the earth and/or moonlight they carry before placing them back in your house, pocket or on your altar.

Each change of season reminds us that we too are shifting. Take in the signals and tune into yourself:

• Where are you letting go?
• What changes can you feel in the rhythms of your body?
• How are the shorter days (less light) helping you to move inward?
• What sounds are changing around you?

Stop. Breath. Believe.

Don’t forget to put your Moon Water out tonight gems ~

Full Moon Blessings,
Debra
Moon Mama

New Moon in Scorpio ~ Dark, Deep, Enchanting

 
Mandala design by Elena Noosh

Tonight we have a New Cazimi Moon in Scorpio at 8:39 pm PST (11:30 EST).

Scorpio is a fixed water sign ruled by Mars and Pluto. He is the eighth astrological sign and rules the 8th house: house of birth, death, mysteries and transformation ~ possibly, the house of your secret power. The number 8 is the symbol for balance and harmony and on its side is the symbol for infinity and a constant flow of energy and power.

As a water sign, Scorpio gains his strength from the deep, emotional realm. He can teach you to how to reach the clear life giving water found at the deep, dark space of your internal well, your unconsciousness.

In his research, Carl Jung identified that in our youth we are compelled to repress certain aspects of our personality. For example, boys can be discouraged to be soft hearted and can quickly learn the benefits of suppressing their compassionate side, which then becomes unconscious. Girls on the other hand are criticized if they are too assertive or independent and can rapidly learn to conform to social norms. As we mature, we find that we reclaim these hidden aspects of ourselves, by reclaiming our inner child; or maybe better identified for many of us as our innocence, playfulness or creativity. 

Our highest potential is hidden within our unconsciousness. Many times we can confuse the search for the self as being absorbed in self fulfillment. On the contrary, encountering the inner Self can be a deeply moving and emotional experience. When we move inward to connect to our higher Self, we can often find ourselves humbled because we are forced to recognize the limits of our own conscious ego. We find out how small our ego is compared to what humankind can be. And when we learn to listen deeply, we can tap into a powerful pathway to renewal and clarity. Lets look at meaning of the word deep as it holds such a strong essence for Scorpio:

• deep as an adjective means: extending far down from the top or surface; very intense or extreme
• deep as a noun means: the sea or ocean
• deep as an adverb means: far down or in; deeply.

The ocean is a dark unknown, yet filled with hidden forms of life; in dreams the ocean represents the unconscious. Fishermen and -women therefore symbolize the process of retrieving material from the unconscious. We carry hidden life within our subconscious ~ and now is a perfect time to go fishing sisters and brothers.

Mandalas often symbolize the higher or inner Self. The meaning of the Mandala in sanskrit is magic circle. Creating mandalas can offer a "safe refuge of inner reconciliation and wholeness", while at the same time provide a sacred space into which we can invite the Self. When we create Mandalas, whether creating our own or coloring a Mandala, we are making a personal symbol of who we are in that moment.

So lets dive deep and go inward under this New Moon in Scorpio. Here is a ritual for you to connect/experience your inner Self:

• Draw a Mandala if you can, if you prefer, choose one of these Mandala pictures  and print it out to color, or purchase a Mandala coloring book and pick a picture that you feel drawn too.
• If possible, draw or color your Mandala during the Cazimi Moon, starting at least 30 minutes prior to the New Moon and going at least 30 minutes past the New Moon (i.e. for PST, start at 8:09 pm and go until at least 9:09 pm)
• And then learn to interpret and understand the message of the Mandala you chose today at this beautiful site!
• Intentions can be so beautiful under a New Moon, this month I encourage you to let your Mandala guide you to your intention. Finding a way to connect to that deep space within you that holds all your beliefs, your beauty, secrets, love, and guidance.
• On the Crescent Moon on Monday, plant the intention that is revealed to you.

As so well spoken in the Book of Runes, "When in deep water ~ become the diver".

New Moon Magic,
Debra
Moon Mama

*** And for this New Moon we are offering 20% off our Garnet Gem Bracelet (the planetary stone for Scorpio) and the Amethyst Gem Bracelet (the Talismanic gemstone for Scorpio) ***