WHY THE GODDESS DIANA IS A FEMINIST ICON

As the heat of Leo Season urges us to sparkle and shine, the myth of the Goddess Diana shows how to stoke the flames of our wildness, says Rebecca Farrar …

goddess diana the numinous ruby warrington rebecca farrar wild witch of the west material girl mystical world
Photo: Kyle Loftus

As one of the few virgin goddesses, Diana represents being whole unto oneself, and her myth honors this wild and free part of our nature.

According to legend, she begs her father, Jupiter, to liberate her from marriage and motherhood so that she can roam free with her friends, the Nymphs and hunting dogs.

Diana’s name comes from the Proto-Indo-European meaning “to shine,” and derives from the same Latin root meaning ”daylight.” In Ancient Rome, she was celebrated with August’s festival Nemoralia, or Festival of the Torches. During the weeklong tradition, hunting was forbidden and dogs were instead decorated with flowers. Her followers carried torches to Lake Nemi, outside of Rome, and left offerings of fruit in the forest.

While she is often thought of as a Moon goddess, she is also an active, protective force of the forest, known as the Goddess of the Hunt. Diana’s independence and caring instincts create a beautiful balance between lunar and solar energies—something we can all model as we seek to integrate the masculine and feminine energies within ourselves, creating a more equitable world.

Diana links us to sisterly love, feminism, and action heroines. Her archetype is reflected in our own psyches as WILDNESS in its purest form, and our connection to creatures and nature alike … 

///

The asteroid Diana, discovered in 1863 by a German astronomer, currently sits at 20 degrees Aries, near Eris, the sister outsider. Together, these two asteroids in such a strong fire sign uplift and empower feminine energies.

Diana’s placement in our birth chart points to where we crave freedom and yearn to be barefoot running through the forest with our animal companions. It may also reveal where we are constantly on the “hunt” for something.

**To find Diana in your chart, go to  astro.com, enter your birth information, choose “Extended Chart Selection,” scroll down to “Additional Objects,” and type in 78.

Use the suggestions below to come more into contact with the many facets of Diana and her wild nature:

1st house // This placement suggests an identity empowered by the Diana’s protector and warrior. Try archery or another form of outdoor solo sport to awaken this natural protector energy.

2nd house// Diana had a deep love for nature and the Earth. Foraging for food or forest bathing would be fun hobbies to build a relationship with this archetype.

3rd house// Athena was known for her intellect, but Diana was in constant communication with her companions. Study bird communication, bird watching, or read about animal behavior.

4th house// Diana was well-known for being a protector of women and children. In this placement she is deeply intimate with the lunar and menstrual cycles. Pay attention to the Moon’s cycles and spend time at night outside, soaking up its light. (**Side-note: Ruby has her Diana here, so makes total sense she set up Moon Club!)

5th house// During Diana’s weeklong celebration, creating fire and more sources of light was an important element. Talents such as starting a fire or wood splitting are necessary wild skills to explore with a 5th house Diana.

6thhouse// Running around in the forest, it was important for Diana to know which plants did what. This location in the chart implies botany and plant identification as a way to honor the goddess.

7th house// Diana had lovers, both male and female, though wasn’t in a committed partnership, as her energy was instead more focused on appreciating nature. Experiment with art using sticks, pine needles, or tree bark for a woodsy aesthetic.

8th house// Spending most of her time outside, Diana was also deeply attuned to nature’s death and life cycles. With fall on the horizon, learn more about how different trees stay alive in winter and make it a point to notice the change in seasons. You may also want to study more about the many esoteric traditions that honor the Tree of Life.

9th house// The exploratory and adventurous side of Diana meant she was constantly on the move. Stray from the familiar forest trail and discover new ground, whether it be a new hiking area, tree climbing, or a forest on another side of the world.

10th house// With this placement, Diana strives to be sensible and to own her authority. She craves solitude and self-reliance. Take classes on wilderness survival or utilize the forest’s gifts for your quiet contemplation.

11th house// An 11th house Diana exemplifies her need for freedom and liberation from traditional roles. Focus on cultivating community with other wild souls who crave time in nature, such as communal hiking or camping.

12th house// Nature may evoke a mystical or flow state experience in this house. Imagination, such as photography or film, may be a gift, or even taking time to meditate under a tree.

goddess diana the numinous ruby warrington rebecca farrar wild witch of the west material girl mystical world
Photo: Ben Waardenburg

///

And no matter where the asteroid is in your chart, harness your own wild and free spirit with the suggestions below … especially potent during her festival from August 13-17th! 

// Food // Easily foraged foods such as mushrooms or berries, or seasonal fruits and vegetables.

// Workout // A run or walk through the forest, perhaps spending some time bird watching. If you are extra adventurous, an archery lesson would certainly make Diana shine.

// Watch // Hunger Games or Wild (Katniss and Cheryl Strayed both connect well with Diana’s spirit). Or try the documentaries American Revolution: The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggsor, and Maya Angelou’s And Still I Rise.

// Read // Rachel Carson (or other eco-feminist authors), Audre Lorde, Malala Yousafzai, and Gloria Steinem (because Diana loves activism and empowered women). Or try the classic, Women Who Run With the Wolves, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés.

// Home // Diana’s home is nature, so bring more of it indoors by decorating with pine cones and leaves, or wood art. She is also linked to forest creatures such as deer or rabbits. Adding touches, such as deer antlers or a papier-mâché deer head, will also do the trick.

HOW TO MAKE A BEAUTY VISION BOARD

Aquarius Season is the perfect time for radicalizing our routine and reimagining reality. Start manifesting the magic with a beauty vision board, says Eunice Lucero. 

beauty vision board eunice lucero ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world
Photo: Our Satellite Hearts

Everyone from Olympic athletes to Wiccan high priestesses has acknowledged the power of visualization for manifesting your heart’s desires. What we constantly pay attention to gets charged with energy, and we align with that energy, for better or worse.

Harnessing this energy for our beauty manifestation can be particularly potent—just watch as your visions materialize before your very eyes!

Being of mixed heritage, I had a touch-and-go relationship with my looks as a child. I always felt my “halves” were the wrong kind of each, and like a puzzle walking around with pieces that didn’t fit right. My skin wasn’t “Asian enough”, my nose wasn’t “white enough”, my abnormally light green eyes reminding my Catholic schoolgirl classmates of “the lizards on the street.”

It wasn’t until I saw pictures of Kate Moss’ first Calvin Klein campaigns in the ’90s—gawky and lost, with her trademark bird-like street urchin quality, quirky nose and stringy hair—that I really felt it was okay to not look like the rest of the world.

As I began plastering all my notebooks in cutouts of Obsession and cK one ads, my outlook started to change. My face—my strange, strange features—now suddenly made sense! And eventually, I became a beauty editor, hired on the spot after a detailed email on how makeup should enhance your quirks and not mask them.

Think of your beauty vision board as a constant reminder of your life map—your soul’s North Star. Look for photos of women you identify with, and ask yourself why you admire them. Chances are there’s something in them that reminds yourself of your own beauty, your own potential. Let’s get started … 

beauty vision board The Numinous Eunice Lucero

>>>

1// Clear your photographic space.
 Alongside other forms of detox, visual clearing is key to manifestation. Light up your incense of choice, and still your mind as best you can. Then, start deleting any images of yourself that aren’t aligned with how you want to feel, and empty the Trash Bin immediately. For actual photos, thank them and keep them for posterity in storage. Get rid of any photos that are particularly painful, hurtful or traumatic, and dispose of them outside your home.

>>>

2// Free-fall towards your vision
Take a pen and paper, and begin writing as fast as you can about anything that pops into your mind about your beauty visions. Stop as soon as you’ve filled the entire page—and be surprised at what jumps out at you.

I started one of my free-fall sessions with an emo entry about how my eyeglasses kept people from seeing my true self (hello, 15-year-old angst!), and then ended up rambling about how, in fact, I wanted to be free to see the beauty in the world without any hindrances. Quite a change in perspective, right?

>>>

3// Tap into the tingle
Speak in present tense, internalizing the feeling of already having or being what you desire. I personally love the phrase “I adore myself”—it sparks images of the Star Tarot card, a.k.a. the card of self-care (and ruler of Aquarius), as I instantly get flashes of being immersed in a divine spa session of some sort.

beauty vision board The Numinous Eunice Lucero

>>>

4// Collect in white heat. 
Applied to your journaling—“write in white heat; revise in cold blood”—means any form of self-censorship or judgment is not allowed, especially in the beginning. Same goes for vision-boarding.

Whether you’re going digital (Pinterest, Instagram) or old school (magazines, newspaper clippings) doesn’t matter; choose the media that speaks to you most clearly and let yourself get lost in that judgement-free zone!

>>>

5// Curate in cold blood. 
Now that you have a good pile, or have mentally and emotionally exhausted your intuition in the gathering process (in a good way), you’re ready to edit and map these images out.

Take a look at your images and see if there’s an underlying theme, color or concept. You can title them after certain events or occasions but even more powerful is to give them a state of mind. One I’m absolutely loving right now? “Why I’m a 2018 Beauty Icon.”

>>>

6// Display it!
Make sure you see your vision board at least thrice a day. Make it your iPhone wallpaper, display it on top of your work desk, tape it on the inside of your closet or gym locker. Infusing it with daily energy helps strengthen your alignment to these goals, and puts you deeper in sync with your personal road map. You can also prop it up on an altar and surround it with manifestation crystals (clear quartz, rose quartz, carnelian) for an added energy boost.

Finally, thanking your board when you first see it in the morning will realign your neurons into a gratitude mindset, opening you up to a constant flow of positive energy. 

THE 2017 SCORPIO NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO GIVE UP THE CONTROLS

The 2017 Scorpio New Moon asks us to risk the deepest dives so we can reap the reward of profound emotional truth, says Sandra Sitron.

sandra sitron 2017 scorpio new moon ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world
Photo: Jill Heyer

New Moon :: November 18 2017 :: 6:24 am ET :: 26 degrees Scorpio

A mountain is moving aside. It’s creaking and squealing on a hidden mechanism to reveal a dusty trapdoor leading into the depths of the earth.

Are you ready to take a risk and travel into the unknown region of your psyche? Are you willing to be vulnerable and face the challenges of the season?

The opening of this secret passageway is a rare occurrence. And if you venture forth, you’ll go deeper than you’ve ever gone before. It may be a frightening journey, but your guides are waiting.

Pause and consider how this metaphorical journey into the depths of your psyche is showing up in your life right now. However it’s happening, the overall message of this New Moon is to trust in transformation. 

These challenges may relate to emotional sharing and release, being truly seen for who you are, sexual healing, psychological transformation, forgiveness, and empowerment. Settle into a quiet place. Find a moment to set new intentions for these Scorpio themes.

If you want to go through the secret passageway beneath the mountain, you must let go of control.

And when you’ve completely faced your fear, you’ll find hidden resources of water— a thermal hot spring of emotional truth and intuitive trust … 

>>>

New Moon inconjunct Uranus
Removing a mask.
Remove a feeling of being separate. Accept yourself for all the ways that you are different. You don’t have to wear a mask anymore. Your true self — all the beautiful and gnarly parts — can be accepted by others.

Remove the mask and allow yourself the ability to get really close to another human without being afraid that you’ll lose a part of yourself.

>>>

New Moon trine Chiron
Watching water move.
Is there a place in your body where you need to relax? Imagine a rushing waterfall in that area of your body. For example, if it’s your jaw that’s tight try to spend a few moments imagining a sparkly, dancing, glittering flow of water and air just below the surface of your skin.

It sounds simple, but this kind of visualization can help you trigger somatic healing and emotional release. Let go of tension in your physical body and that may help you release old emotions. Lean into the process of letting go.

>>>

New Moon semi-sextile Saturn
Grafting a fruit tree.
Seek an unfamiliar way that you can support yourself in this transformational time. Maybe this new, unfamiliar way is as mundane as drinking more water. Maybe it’s something deeper, like letting yourself be wrong, or admitting that you don’t have all the answers.

>>>

The study questions below are to help you get deeper into what the 2017 Scorpio New Moon means for you. Use them as journal prompts. For the most accurate reading, look to which house holds 26 degrees Scorpio in your chart and use the question for that house. Do yours for free HERE. 

Aries or New Moon in the 8th house 
What are you ready and willing to release?

Taurus or New Moon in the 7th house
When do you know that it’s safe to unfold and reveal yourself to a partner?

Gemini or New Moon in the 6th house 
Your body is a finely tuned receiving instrument. What signal is it emitting? Don’t answer this question with your mind, answer it with movement.

Cancer or New Moon in the 5th house 
What needs to change so that you are able to giggle more often?

Leo or New Moon in the 4th house 
How can you honor your need for privacy and self-reflection?

Virgo or New Moon in the 3rd house 
Where does your curiosity want you to go?

Libra or New Moon in the 2nd house 
What are the feelings that more money and resources would provide? Can you use your imagination to embody those feelings today?

Scorpio or New Moon in the 1st house
What do you need to tell yourself so that you have free rein to grow and transform in the exact way that you want to?

Sagittarius or New Moon in the 12th house 
What is your self-love philosophy? Do you think humans should love themselves? Why? How? When?

Capricorn or New Moon in the 11th house 
What have you built that needs a renovation? This may be a mental concept, ideal, business structure, plan or habit.

Aquarius or New Moon in the 10th house
What idea or attitude will help you meet your goals?

Pisces or New Moon in the 9th house
If you were going to take a journey on a philosophical search for truth, where would you begin? What attitude would you have to embody?

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here.

5 WAYS TO FACE YOUR FEARS LIKE THE BUDDHA

Want to cross the threshold into immeasurable growth? Learn how to face your fears like the Buddha, says Angel expert and inspirational speaker, Kyle Gray

Photo: Chris Ensey

Let’s begin with a story …

One day the Buddha was meditating deeply in a hillside cave with one of his devotees keeping watch outside.

Suddenly, the devotee glimpsed a demon called Mara coming up the hill. Panicked, he began trying to figure out how to keep Mara away from the Buddha, dreaming up excuses about him being out for lunch or away shopping.

Lost in thought, he felt something breathing down on him and looked up to find Mara in all his demonic glory—tongue out, blue-skinned, frightening. “I’m here to see the Buddha,” Mara said. The guard didn’t know what to say when he was interrupted by a voice inside the cave. “Let him come in,” said the Buddha.

Mara entered the cave and stood before the Buddha. “I see you, Mara,” said the Buddha.

He looked at Mara right in the eye. He acknowledged him. He conversed with him. He accepted him. He allowed him to be there and found comfort in his presence. 

>>>

This story is a huge metaphor for Fear. You are the cave. Mara is your fear. The guard is your ego. And Buddha is the voice of your soul.

We seldom want to deal directly with our fears. But to live a life of integrity and purpose we must shed light on our own darkness, and be willing to feel exactly what we feel. Our emotions are our messengers and Fear is one of our ultimate assignments.

Here are 5 ways to face your fears like the Buddha and begin to uncover your true purpose in the process …

>>>

1// Fear reveals what we truly value 
Our emotions are constantly communicating to us who we are and helping us discern what is important to us.

Fear often arises when we really care about something. It’s a reminder that we want to do a good job, or make a good choice, or even be a good person. Whenever Fear rises up for me, it’s because I really want to deliver my best self to the world. Whenever it arrives it’s simply my higher self, asking me “are you sure you want to be this powerful?” And the answer is simple:  “Yes, I do!”

>>>

2// Fear is our assignment
Ultimately Fear is an assignment, and you can choose to deal directly or run. If you choose the former, you are standing on the cusp of your greatness.

When we agree to face our fears head on, we create space for the miraculous, and remove the blocks that have held us back from living a completely heart-centred life. Your Fear is giving you an opportunity to rise. It’s what I call ‘the spiritual emotional colonic’—giving you the chance to leave your shit in the past, once and for all.

>>>

3// Fear is just another form of Love
On the surface, it may appear that these two emotions are opposites—and we often get told this. That Love is the moment we remember we are one with the Universe—when we feel completely held supported and guided. And that Fear, conversely, is the moment we feel stuck, alone, and even lost.

But in reality, Fear and Love are both the energy of the Universe expressing itself in different forms. The energy that feels heavy, intense, and restrictive—what we might call Fear—is the same energy that can be transformed directly into the feeling of connectedness, support, and abundance. Use Fear to tap into Love by shifting your perceptions and realizing their interconnectedness. Which is that the presence of Fear shows us the path to Love.

>>>

4// Fear is an opportunity for dialogue
When the Buddha (representing our soul voice) communicates directly with Mara (the incarnation of Fear), he is able to penetrate through the Fear and see it for what it is.

When your Fear threatens to take over, you might stop and have a loving but firm conversation with it. Try the following:

Hello Fear. Thank you for being here and for reminding me how much I care about this situation. I see you, I hear you, I feel you, Mara. But today, I am choosing to believe the higher truth that I am one with the Universe. Because of this, I can let you go and surrender this whole situation. I know I am being led to where I need to be.

>>>

5// Fear is your birthright
When your Fear appears, you are being given the invitation to be strong, powerful, and real. Claim this for yourself—it’s your birthright.

All our emotions are messengers. Your fears are assignments. And all of this is ultimately because you have chosen (consciously or unconsciously) to be the most powerful possible version of you.

Know that when the voice of Fear gets louder it’s because you are on the verge of a miracle, and that the only way to experience that miracle is to sit with the Fear, communicate with it, make friends with you. You wouldn’t be experiencing this assignment if the Universe didn’t think you were ready.

Take the opportunity to rise up. In the words of Joan of Arc, “You were born for this!”

kyle gray ruby warrington face your fears like the buddha the numinous material girl mystical world light warrior

Kyle Gray is an Angel expert and an inspirational speaker. He’s also a Lululemon yoga and meditation ambassador, and international bestselling author of 6 books including Raise Your Vibration, Angel Prayers, and the brand-new Light Warrior. 

MOONERS & SHAKERS: WHAT IS A PHOTOGRAPHY HEALING SESSION?

With her Embrace The Light photography healing sessions, Moon Club member Tanya Alexis is helping others share the beauty of their energy with the world …

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

A photography healing session is …
The aura adventure begins at a location where feel you are your most authentic self: in your home, at the ocean, in the woods … anywhere you feel joy! We will find a quiet spot and you will spend 15 to 20 minutes receiving Reiki channeled through me.

After your healing session, we will spend the next 40 minutes photographing you at your most peaceful, at your most joyful—meditating, dancing, twirling, moving your body in any freeing manner that makes sense to you in that moment. During this time, I will shoot 36 frames of film.

Following the session, you and I will sit together while I rewind the film, holding an intention of authenticity and love. When the time is right, I will open the bottom of the camera to let the light in, to let your light in.

One to two weeks following our session, you will receive three to seven beautiful color photographs. A completely unique mixture of film, you, me, and light, they are not to be photoshopped. They will be yours to keep as a reminder of who you truly are, your vibrant spirit.

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

The inspiration for the idea …
My partner passed a few years ago, and on the anniversary of his death I went to the place we spread his ashes to pay my respects, to take photographs, and to grieve. The next day when I went to drop the film off at my lab, I opened the bottom of the camera thinking the film was rolled up. It wasn’t. I quickly closed the bottom, heartbroken that the images were going to be ruined. But they weren’t. Instead, I discovered something new to me, a way to create beautiful effects that expressed how I felt inside.

It would be another year before I used this technique intentionally. I was photographing a dear friend who happens to be a healer in Los Angeles. I felt compelled (as my intuition strongly suggested) to expose some of her film to light, to see if I could mix her energy visually onto the film. It created some incredibly powerful images, and I knew I wanted to create more work like this, perhaps find a way to incorporate photography into a healing session.

About nine months later, I photographed another incredibly powerful Los Angeles healer. This time, I wasn’t worried I was going to ruin the film. I just went for it, and after I saw her images—even thought my belly was filled with butterflies—I knew it was time for me to create a way to share this experience with others. It was time to encourage others to see their inner beauty, strength, and abilities, and to help them share these numinous aspects of themselves with others.

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

The work as a reflection of a personal healing journey …
When I received a phone call telling me my partner had been in an accident and had not survived, I was heartbroken. But even during the earliest days of grieving, I knew his passing was meant to break me open. The love we shared was palpable, and I chose to honor him, to honor us, by putting in the work to heal from losing him, and perhaps more importantly to heal all the aspects of myself.

I began meditating more. I wrote to him every day. I began having weekly energy work. I began being kinder to myself, making self-care a priority. During this process, I would take photographs to work through the various emotions that arose. I was just getting to a point where I thought everything would be okay, and then … my father passed. And my heart broke again, but it was different this time. I knew from the beginning of grieving his loss that it was in my power to heal myself.

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

Not long after my father passed, I took a Reiki 1 and 2 course, followed later by more advanced and Master Reiki training. I intended to use it solely as a way for me to continue to work through all that needed to be released and sifted through in me.

But the more I healed, the more I realized healing myself AND healing others was always meant to be a part of my path. And then, one day, I had lunch with an incredibly vivacious 91-year-old, and she asked me what I would want to do with my life, if I could do anything. I smiled, and in that moment, I accepted that this is my path.

The big mission …
Others judge us, we judge ourselves. If I can offer people a space to feel love and support for who they truly —solely from a place of love—and leave them with a reminder of how beautiful they are on the inside as well as the outside, my heart will be happy.

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

The Moon Club inspiration …
Moon Club is one of the reasons I feel so comfortable sharing my Embrace the Light project with the world. Knowing that like-minded souls are here to cheer me on and support me allows me to step outside my comfort zone with confidence. It’s invaluable to me as a creative, but also as a human. I am so grateful to know that I am not alone in my experience on this Earth!

>>>

Tania Alexis is currently booking Embrace the Light sessions in Los Angeles, and building wait lists for sessions in NYC, London and everywhere. You can email here here and follow her on Instagram here and here. Sign up for Moon Club and join our tribe of cosmic change makers at Moonclub.co

Tanya Alexis Embrace The Light photography healing sessions The Numinous Moon Club

START WORKING WITH YOUR SPIRIT ANIMALS TODAY

Whether it’s a beloved pet, a fluffy social media meme, or even a lowly housefly, animals are reaching out to you constantly to offer their assistance. Aria Mae shares how to work with your spirit animals and start receiving their medicine. Main Image: Mathilde Aubier

 

It’s the third raven you’ve seen this week. Or, your friend mentions otters just moments before you notice a billboard featuring their fuzzy faces …

Are these coincidences, or something more? Serendipitous events are actually the language of animal medicine. Animal totems can come to us in many ways—you simply need to open wide to receive the magic! It’s easy to forget that we, too, are part of the animal kingdom, and that out furry, scaly, and feathered friends are asking to communicate with us all the time!

If you have a specific animal that you feel wants to work with you, read more about how to work with your spirit animal here.

If you’re new to working with spirit animals, here are five ways to start working with their medicine right now  …

>>>

1/Pay attention
You could have an animal dream, vision, shamanic journey, or an encounter in nature … but there are also reminders for us in magazine ads and funny videos posted on Facebook. Yes—spirit animals are responding to technology by being present in virtual spaces!

Notice what element(s) the species is associated with, what the archetypal characteristics of this animal are, both in our culture and in other societies, and what kinds of messages you receive when you tune in to this species. 

When you track your spirit animals moments, you will see the patterns and signs of species reaching out to you.

>>>

2/Ask for Visions
Remember that you can ask your animal animals specific questions too. Seeking guidance for a big decision? Request their assistance!

While riding a bus on one of the most dangerous mountain passes in northern India, I asked my spirit animals for help. Immediately I had a funny vision—in my mind’s eye, I saw a tiger hopping around inside the bus, totally enjoying the harrowing adventure. It reminded me to let go in that moment and to enjoy the ride!

>>>

3/Build Uncommon Altars
There are so many species we don’t think of as “power” animals, and yet they contain huge medicine for our lives—think insects, worms, or other creepy-crawlies, predators we don’t romanticize, like hyenas, and birds we love to hate like starlings and vultures.

Pick something that really bothers you about these creatures, and ask: what are these spirit animals messages for me? Create an altar with images of them, a love poem, and something to represent their favorite foods as an offering.

As you pass your altar daily, feel gratitude for the role this animal plays in their ecosystem, and remember your own importance in nature, too. 

 

Image: Sean Gadoury

4/Cast Spells, in Love
Writing poems is a beautiful way to draw boundaries with spirit animals while also honoring them. I use this often for so-called “pests” like mosquitoes and ticks when I’m out in the woods. If you live near the ocean, you could do this for sharks or jellyfish …

For example: Ticks I love you/But I don’t need you/Find your food another way/Leave me in peace on this glorious day!

The trick is to hold the poem spell in love, not fear. Be grateful for your ability to enter the spirit animals’ homes, as you practice holding boundaries.

>>>

5/Own YOUR Animal Medicine
A beautiful thing about our relationship with other species is realizing we can give our own animal medicine back … We are spirit animals, too! 

What does your unique medicine look like? Do you want to donate your time to a farm sanctuary? Can you organize a fundraiser or give cash to a well-researched wildlife fund? Is it time to adopt a rabbit, rat, or donkey from a shelter?

>>>

And most importantly, have fun with it! Let yourself be in awe of the inchworm that somehow landed on your sandwich. Smile and wink at the ducks in the pond at the park. Surrender to the beauty of the housefly before you open the window to let it outside.

Keep this attitude of joy at the forefront of your journey with animal guides, and you will receive more than you imagined possible … 

Aria Mae is an Ancestral Healer, Priestess, and Spiritual Heart Surgeon. She creates heart-awakening medicinal experiences through her Magical Monday private retreats, three-month AWAKEN program, and group gatherings. Using a medley of family constellation therapy, shadow work, sociology, animal communication, tantra, mindfulness and love, Aria helps others mend what may have been deemed “broken” by life’s trials – forever activating the vibrancy of their heart’s intuitive abilities. 

THE 2017 SAGITTARIUS FULL MOON WANTS YOU TO DISCOVER YOUR MISSION

Since the May 25th New Moon in Gemini, we’ve been exploring different versions of the truth. With the 2017 Sagittarius Full Moon, we’re asked to put that exploration to work and rediscover our soul mission, says Sandra Sitron … Artwork: Andreas Preis

Full Moon :: June 9th 2017 :: 9:11 am ET :: 18 degrees Sagittarius

As the Sagittarius Full Moon opposes the Gemini Sun, we’re asked to explore how we form our beliefs. Get really honest with yourself. Ask yourself the hard questions so that you can create awareness: 

Are you feeling scattered because you’re caught up in the details? 
Are you comfortable with being inexperienced, the fool at the beginning of the journey? 
What’s your “why?” (aka mission statement) 
Are you willing to let things be messy, if it means that in the end you will understand something profound?
What do you need to see that you aren’t seeing? Is there an emotion or belief that has been hidden from view?

Gemini is the feisty sprite—the shopkeeper in the marketplace, the community leader in the town hall, the reporter getting the scoop. An air sign, Gemini wants to bring people and ideas together. It’s basic, logical and conceptual. Gemini zips through town, fueled by curiosity, collecting perspectives.

Sagittarius is the galloping centaur who wants to learn about the big picture. What is the point of being alive? What does it mean to be human and how have different cultures answered this question? What is love? What is time? Is there meaning to any of this?, asks Sagittarius. 

This Full Moon is high energy because the two opposite signs are seeking balance. Sag is seeking the higher truth, but the potential pitfall is that getting too attached to one truth can veer close to fundamentalism. Gemini is gathering information and making connections, which can become pointless without Sagittarius’ wide-angle perspective.

The aspects to this Full Moon want you to find a system that helps you expand. When you have a philosophical truth that you can center your life around, you can bounce back from challenges because you understand the arc of your own divine direction—you have perspective. Make it even more magical by remembering that it’s okay not to know everything.

The gold of this 2017 Sagittarius Full Moon is that it’s helping you create faith and meaning …

>>>

Moon conjunct Saturn
A tower of giraffes.
Giraffes symbolize the ability to obtain things that might otherwise be out of reach. You are ready to reach high, but you might need a different structure or system in order to do so. To reach higher you need to build yourself up. Watch out for self-criticism. Speak sweetly to yourself, just like the gentle giraffe. Surround yourself with others who are supportive. Remember that you’re not alone.

>>>

Moon square Neptune
Beam me up Scotty.
Are you ready to transcend? Are you ready to go beyond what you know? Can you trust in the process? During this Full Moon, exercise your intuition and creativity. Use your third eye to look deeper. Let your intuition, wildness, animal instinct, creativity, hope, and faith be your focal point.

>>>

Moon sextile Jupiter
Red parrot feathers floating down from the sky.
Parrots bring in new growth and new direction. Expansion and easy optimism are possible. How do you align with luck? You’ve got to fly higher to reach the vibration of luck. Reach up to grab the brightly colored feathers.

Speak, just like the parrot. And be sure your words represent your philosophy and that they reflect your positive intentions.

>>>

Use the questions below to dive deeper into the lessons of the 2017 Sagittarius Full Moon. For a more accurate reading, calculate your chart for free here and see which house holds 18 degrees Sagittarius …

Aries or Full Moon in the 9th House
How will you explore today?

Taurus or Full Moon in the 8th House
What do you need to let go of?

Gemini or Full Moon in the 7th House
What lesson is a relationship or the concept of relationship teaching you?

Cancer or Full Moon in the 6th House 
What healthy habit are you ready to make space for?

Leo or Full Moon in the 5th House 
How can you let your creativity shine out into the world today?

Virgo or Full Moon in the 4th House
What can you do to nurture yourself more?

Libra or Full Moon in the 3rd House 
How can you be more moderate in your thinking?

Scorpio or Full Moon in the 2nd House 
What belief or concept would help you feel worthy?

Sagittarius or Full Moon in the 1st House 
What’s your next step when it comes to building up your confidence?

Capricorn or Full Moon in the 12th House
What are your dreams trying to tell you?

Aquarius or Full Moon in the 11th House 
How can you make an impact in your community?

Pisces or Full Moon in the 10th House
What’s your mission statement when it comes to career?

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here.

THE 2017 GEMINI NEW MOON WANTS YOU TO GET CURIOUS

The message of the 2017 Gemini New Moon is to turn it on, tune in, and let curiosity lead to inspired possibilities, says Sandra Sitron.

2017 Gemini New Moon Ruby Warrington Sandra Sitron The Numinous Strong Eye Astrology
Get a brand new workbook for the coming Moon phase when you join Moon Club! Sign up here.

New Moon :: May 25 2017 :: 3:46 pm ET :: 4 degrees Gemini

This New Moon brings you to the entrance of Curiosity’s sanctuary. You may be hovering just outside an idea, searching for an entry point. Make a pact with Curiosity and let her guide you into the diamond encrusted center of your next big innovation.

Follow the trail that Curiosity carves for you. She’s an effervescent leader.  Blithe and animated, she’ll teach you all about Gemini New Moon magic. She’ll remind you that this is a time to learn. A time to sharpen your mind. A time to connect with those close to you. Siblings, friends, neighbors, co-workers, the community board, the local coven.

Gemini is the sign of the Twins and is responsible for two important Air element topics: mindset and social connections. It’s time to set new intentions in these areas of life. When it comes to mindset, how do you want to be curious? Where are you ready to learn? What is your next innovation? What inspires you? What beliefs will you expand, shift or invigorate in the coming year? 

And in the area of social connections, how do you want your friendships to feel? Which relationships will you put fresh energy into and which ones will you let go? What conversations need to take place? What connections need attention? What kind of local community organizations do you want to participate in?

Turn your brain on and up. Get off the couch, turn off the TV. Go connect some synapses. Show up to the pot-luck. Bring Scrabble. Curiosity will help you meet and mingle. She’ll remind you that every question you ask brings you into closer connection with the people around you and the world you inhabit. 

Curiosity has a Gemini twin sister, Inspiration. Curiosity leads you to the idea, and Inspiration takes it from there. Inspiration will stimulate your creativity. She brings gifts— ease, dedication, focus, and fun. She nurtures and guides you, helping you complete the creative work, live in your purpose, and invigorate your world. 

The aspects to the New Moon signify transformation, connecting to the feminine, spiritual awakening, and buoyant expansion. The Gemini New Moon asks you to bring curiosity and inspiration to these arenas. Set intentions for lightness and learning. Let your winged feet and mercurial mind carry you forward.

>>>

New Moon trine Jupiter
Balloons drifting high into the sky. 
Buoyant, bold, uplifting energy can help you reach for your dreams. Fill your balloons with positivity and watch them float to the zenith. This aspect removes limitations. With nothing in your way, what is possible?

The energy is harmonizing and expansive. It gives you the chance to open your world up to new realities.

>>>

New Moon square Neptune
A crystal forms under the crust of the Earth. 
You are incubating pure magic. This aspect funnels enchanted and ethereal vibes. Channel the energy to get closer to your spiritual truths. Ask to be transported beyond everyday anxieties or fears. Find connection to crystalline source.

There is another facet to this energy which can create confusion or fogginess. Set intentions for clarity and spiritual connection.

>>>

New Moon semi-square Venus
A rose blooms where no one ever goes. 
Consider your deep inner connection to your feminine nature. Is there anything that needs to be ironed out? Is there a subtle denial of the feminine that is impeding your ability to connect in the way you would like to? It may be time for a new mental pathway to be forged. A new altar to Venus could be created.

>>>

New Moon sesquiquadrate Pluto
The blacksmith heats the horseshoe.
The horse can’t walk on this shoe. A solution is necessary, so the blacksmith gets to work. Heat up your internal furnace. It’s time for a minor transformation. The adjustment needs to be made because of a frustration. Where are you frustrated and what do you need to change? It’s not possible to move forward without bringing through some changes. Get to work.

>>>

Use the questions below to dive deeper into the lessons of the 2017 Gemini New Moon. For a more accurate reading, calculate your chart for free here and see which house holds 4 degrees Gemini …

Aries or New Moon in the 3rd House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of communication and learning. What aspect of your life could benefit from a fresh dose of curiosity?

Taurus or New Moon in the 2nd House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of financial worth and self-worth. What new intentions will you set for your finances?

Gemini or New Moon in the 1st House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of identity. What is blocking you from thinking about yourself in a new way?

Cancer or New Moon in the 12th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of intuition, compassion, and spirituality. How can you make your spirituality a bigger part of your everyday life?

Leo or New Moon in the 11th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of friends, community, and the future. What social connections are you ready to invigorate?

Virgo or New Moon in the 10th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of career and the public sphere. What ideas would you like to share with the world?

Libra or New Moon in the 9th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of philosophy, beliefs, travel, and higher learning. What is your mission statement?

Scorpio or New Moon in the 8th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of evolution and union. What are you ready to let go of?

Sagittarius or New Moon in the 7th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of relationships. What conversation do you need to have with someone you are close to?

Capricorn or New Moon in the 6th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of health and habits. What positive habit will you begin?

Aquarius or New Moon in the 5th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of joy and self-expression. What inspires you?

Pisces or New Moon in the 4th House
The Gemini New Moon is in your area of home and family. How can you make your home into a mentally and creatively stimulating place?

Want more wisdom? Book a reading with Sandra here.

MOONERS & SHAKERS: THIS MOON CLUB MEMBER HAS DAILY LUNAR UPDATES FOR YOU

Meet cosmic creative Jayme Gray, one of the Moon Club members working the magic with her daily lunar updates on The Wild Moon Society

lunar updates lunar astrology ruby warrington jayme gray the wild moon society moon club the numinous alexandra roxo

 

“I think we can all agree that it’s time to do some Shadow work for ourselves and this planet.”

The Passion Project 
As far back as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the mysteries and energies of the Moon. Even at a young age, I was drawn to the unknown, subconscious, and shadow work. I found comfort in the night and felt as though the Moon’s presence resembled that of a grandmother’s hug.

I was raised by spiritually wise women who helped teach me the Ancient ways of Earth and the Cosmos. I had my natal chart read as a child, and have been seeing an astrologer ever since!  During my early 20s I studied my soul and dove deeper into astrology, spirituality, and the New Earth ascension process we are now experiencing. I was fascinated by the Aquarian Age that was making her way to the planet, and realized I had to help those around me.

Even though I studied and experienced many spokes of the Spirit Wheel, I saw the Moon as an opportunity to invite people back to themselves. This is what motivated me to start The Wild Moon Society! I wanted to get together with people on Full Moons, go live every week about the energy on the planet, and write helpful guides that folks could benefit from.

lunar updates lunar astrology ruby warrington jayme gray the wild moon society moon club the numinous alexandra roxo
Jayme’s Art for the Leo Moon

Unlocking the Ancient Calendar 
The Moon transits through the Zodiac Wheel every 28 day cycle, landing in each sign for about 2.5 days. This is the layout for the 13th Moon Calendar, which is how I view the year—and how we cycle on Moon Club. (I’m soo over the Gregorian calendar … anyone else? LOL!)

Like many folks, I was sick of feeling exhausted, out of control and downright crazy. Once I started to align my energy with the Moon, everything fell into place. I’ve used Lunar astrology for years to help me manage my energy levels and create abundance all around me.

The Lunar year helps us to unlock our hidden abilities, which empowers us to open up to the mysteries of the Universe. Doing this helps raise the vibration of the conscious collective, healing the planet as we go along. Working with the Lunar phases teaches us how to design our months for the best outcome of current life situations.

It’s time we bring back these Ancient calendars my friends! So get outside, look into the sky and absorb this cosmic wisdom …

>>>

What Everyone Should Know about Lunar Astrology 
In astrology, the Moon represents our subconscious, emotions, and shadows. These are foreign realms that are avoided by most people, including energy and light workers. I think we can all agree that it’s time to do some Shadow work for ourselves and this planet.

Regardless of what your Sun sign is, the Moon helps explain the surge of energy you’re subconsciously moving through and why you feel totally different than you did last week. After you get comfortable with a few Lunar cycles, you may start to notice patterns within each sign. That’s when the magic happens …

For example- I use Virgo and Capricorn moons to get organized and restructured. Pisces and Scorpio moons to get deep into emotions and feelings. I avoid arguments under Aries and Taurus moons, and instead wait for Libra to roll around. I cook up a storm on Cancer moons, use Gemini days to be social, and get dolled up on Leo nights!

lunar updates lunar astrology ruby warrington jayme gray the wild moon society moon club the numinous alexandra roxo
Jayme’s Lunar Art

The Moon Club Inspiration 
When I got the first email about Moon Club, I screamed and signed up immediately! Being part of Moon Club has offered me opportunities to listen to pioneers like Miki Agrawal, who have motivated my life. Not only was I feeling the need to be part of a community, but membership in the club also validated my energetic signals to start one here in Rhode Island.

In a world where we feel so disconnected and lonely, groups like this are changing everything. So find yourself a community that raises your vibration and inspires you to live your true authentic life.

Peace out Moon babes!

>>>

You can find Jayme’s Lunar writings, gatherings, and teachings at TheWildMoonSociety.com

Want to start working your own lunar magic? Read more about Moon Club here and join our community of cosmic creatives. 

MOONERS & SHAKERS: THE MOON CLUB MEMBER MAKING FASHION AS HEALING

Meet fashion creatrice Diana Wassef, one of the Moon Club members elevating the game with her poetically evolved approach to sustainable fashion as healing …

moon club members fashion as healing ruby warrington the numinous diana wassef emily cremona
Charles Cremona Photography for Diana’s Kao-Kabi Collection

With her eco-conscious “Kao-Kabi” collection for Emily Cremona, creatrice and Moon Club member Diana Wassef  is challenging the fashion community to dress our planet in sustainable threads. 

>>>

“From fabric selection to garment creation, these are healing garments disguised as ‘fashion.'” 

The Passion Project 
I wanted to create ​a sensory experience: one where you feel elevated and transformed … that feeling when putting on a robe after a Moroccan or Turkish bath. This is the feeling I imagined while creating the Kao-Kabi collection.

Kao-Kabi is Arabic for “my planet,” and with this collection I hope to meet the delicate needs of today’s modern wearer through garments that are kind to the skin and to our environment. I work exclusively with natural fibers, including bamboo, hemp, linen, and pineapple.

All the garments from Kao-Kabi have been bathed with Reiki light and love; from fabric selection to garment creation, these are healing garments disguised as “fashion.”

moon club members fashion as healing elevating the game ruby warrington the numinous diana wassef emily cremona
Charles Cremona Photography for Diana’s Kao-Kabi Collection

Dressing to Honor the Spirit 
When I was younger my style was very eccentric, layering my skin with lots of accessories and clothing that embodied a lot of mythology and symbology. This style reflected my fascination with the history of costume, and how each period influenced the image of how the self was portrayed.

After moving to Brooklyn in 2013, my transformative healing journey began: the cleansing and purifying process … shedding skin and tuning in to the core and essence of the delicious self. Now, I dress to honor my spirit by radiating the light within me outwards. In doing so, I find myself surrounded by similar radiant entities.

I really do enjoy wearing white, and a lot of that is influenced by my Kundalini practice. Yogi Bhajan’s idea about the color white resonates with me. Not only is white an auric color therapy, but wearing white is an exercise in awareness, as it takes more consciousness and care to keep white clothes clean!

The Futuristic Fashionista Vision 
Kao-Kabi offers a glimpse into the eco-conscious world I envision for fashion. Moving forward, I intend to create my own sustainable, innovative textiles from which my future collections will be designed—a sustainable material that honors our planet by being gentle to its resources.

moon club members fashion as healing elevating the game ruby warrington the numinous diana wassef emily cremona
Charles Cremona Photography for Diana’s Kao-Kabi Collection

The Moon Club Inspiration 
It has been a huge inspiration to be part of this community—Moon Club is a sacred space for all the Luna lovers out there. As the astrology fan that I am, I get an insightful dose of what’s happening astrologically, the Moon cycles, and their impact on us. Moon Club guides me with my creative process by reminding me to pause, clear my mind, and MEDITATE in order to dive deeper. 

We’ve had such incredible coaching sessions with innovators and healers, like Sah D’Simone sharing the “Happiness Equation,” and powerful female entrepreneurs like THINX co-founder Miki Agrawal—I’m all about the divine yoni power!!!!

I’d also like to share here the Forgiveness Mediation from Moon Club founding member Eddie Stern, which has been particularly inspiring for me in my creative process:

“For anyone I caused harm, knowingly or unknowingly, I ask for your forgiveness/For anyone whom has caused me harm, knowingly or unknowingly, I offer you my forgiveness/For any harm I have caused myself, knowingly or unknowingly, I forgive me.”

moon club members fashion as healing elevating the game ruby warrington the numinous diana wassef emily cremona
Diana Wassef in Her Element

Feeling ready to up your manifestation game? Read more about Moon Club here and start working your own lunar magic! 

MOONERS & SHAKERS: THE MOON CLUB MEMBERS MAKING WAVES

Get inspired by this month’s Mooners & Shakers, the Moon Club members making waves and fueling their passion projects!

HEBA TALLAH, LUMINOUS FEMME
“The medicine is in the remembrance. Cutting through the BS and the noise – going straight to the truth, and calling on it.”

luminous femme heba tallah ruby warrington the numinous moon club members making waves mooners and shakers

The Project 
A Luminous Femme is a woman who has remembered that her greatest power, beauty, and strength, have been within her all along.

She knows that her trials and tribulations are opportunities for more self-awareness, growth, and compassion. And she jumps into this journey of deeper and deeper self-love and self-awareness with gusto and no apology. She cultivates a deep love and respect for her Femmebody, for the way she waxes and wanes, and for her inherent superpowers along the way.

The Medicine
I have been called here to anchor the Light and the Divine Feminine (in the Middle East, no less) and across all borders on Mama Earth. I feel the deepest honor and gratitude for carrying this calling. And such reverence for this life!

Being a woman (or a human, for that matter) in today’s world can feel so draining, confusing, and sometimes downright infuriating. Claiming who we inherently, truly are—and our connection to Source that is right here, in our heart space, in our every cell, at any given moment—is the fast track to inner peace. The medicine is in the remembrance. Cutting through the BS and the noise—going straight to the truth, and calling on it.

The medicine is also in knowing that the divine feminine that is within us all is awakening en masse—and she is not to be tamed, or quieted, any longer. I created Luminous Femme as a container to facilitate a woman’s return to her inner core, which is already perfect and whole, and to remember how to live from that space on the daily. Because there’s nothing juicier or more healing for the world than a woman in her divine feminine element!

luminous femme heba tallah the numinous ruby warrington mooners and shakers moon club members making waves

The Birthing Process
It has been at least five years (more like my lifetime really) since I’ve had this luminous gift and voice pulsing inside, wanting to be expressed. This has meant healing myself and my blocks, my stories, and working through them all. It’s been knowing I had a message to share but having life keep throwing me curveballs to fill in all the blanks and help me get over whatever held me back in the past.

Discovering yoga at age 18, becoming a teacher 12 years later, and the journey it takes me on a daily basis is humbling and so fulfilling. My mat is my healer, my sanctuary.

The Moon Club Inspiration
It really feels like the coolest place to hang out on the web. I’ve been a Numinous reader for years and a lover of all things Moon related, which is a big part of Luminous Femme philosophy—cyclical living and connecting to the Moon phases.

When I see how this conversation is so normalized in the club, and the presence of all the women in the group who are so strong and healing and brave, it fills me up with so much juice and passion for this way of life. We’re all so connected and willing to do the work—to show up, to accept, and to self-realize. It’s not only deeply informative, it’s also so much fun, like a cosmic pajama party! It’s such an honor to walk this way with you all.

Discover more about Heba and Luminous Femme here. 

>>>

Feeling the inspo? Read more about Moon Club here and become a member to start working your own Moon magic! 

MOONERS & SHAKERS: MEET OUR MOON CLUB MEMBERS

Meet this month’s Mooners & Shakers, the Moon Club members using their spiritual practice to fuel their passion projects!

ABA GYEPI-GARBRAH 
“This was a lesson in openness, patience and curiosity. It was also lesson in being present.”

ABA Gyepi-Garbrah Aba Love Apothecary The Numinous Moon Club

The Project
Aba Love Apothecary is a handcrafted, small batch collection of plant-based skincare products and healing aromatics tailored for those who wish to experience the magic of plants in real life.

The Work as Spiritual Activism
I love this question. Thinking back to about my first experiences with aromatics, I made a choice to listen with all my senses and to let each essence unfold in their own time. This is how I began to create when formulating. I would approach each ingredient blindly and experience them without judgment. This was a lesson in openness, patience and curiosity. It was also lesson in being present.

It made me realize, wow—this is something we hardly give to others, sometimes not even ourselves. If we could practice the same openness, patience and curiosity with ourselves and others, we would be more connected to our uniqueness, our dynamism, all of our parts, sweet and not so sweet, and still value ourselves completely. This gave me a refreshed perspective, which I would gladly call my spiritual activism!

ABA Gyepi-Garbrah Aba Love Apothecary The Numinous Moon Club

The Vision
I see Aba Love Apothecary becoming a beloved brand known for its artistry in plant-based skincare & healing aromatics. To continue to support and collaborate with other like-minded women owned businesses. It’s also my wish to engage small farmers, growers and distillers of organic, wild crafted and sustainably farmed ingredients in US and abroad.

The Moon Club Inspiration
The most beautiful thing about Moon Club is that it inspires me to show up for myself wherever I am at, plan by the cosmic clock, and go with the flow!

Shop the Aba Love Apothecary here, and follow Aba on Instagram.

>>>

AMBER ADAMS
“Birth work is my calling. I have this ache in my heart that drives me forward.”

Amber Adams Doula Moon Club Members The Numinous

The Calling
I never planned to be a mother, so when I had a positive pregnancy test I felt my whole life crashing down. I had been preparing to move to New Zealand for a study abroad program in the fall, and having a human baby was definitely never something that crossed my mind. Despite my initial trepidation, I loved being pregnant and when it came time to give birth, I was relaxed and excited. I had never felt so powerful and divinely WOMAN as I did in those first precious moments after birth. Not only that, but because of my doula, I had felt for the first time in my life deep sisterhood and the magic of women helping women to give birth.

When my son was about a year old, my best friend and his girlfriend were in a similar situation, and I became their unofficial doula. She would come to me with questions and I had answers. I empowered her to follow her gut when choosing where to give birth and encouraged her to be an active participant in her process. I missed their birth, but three months later I attended my first birth as an official doula. After my second doula birth, I knew I wanted to be a midwife.

Birth work is my calling. I have this ache in my heart that drives me forward, pushes me through school, and keeps my feet on this path. I don’t think I could walk away from this work, even if I tried.

Amber Adams Doula Moon Club Members The Numinous

The Leap
I have been working at the customer service desk of a grocery store for the past 8 months. The pay is good and initially they offered enough flexibility that I could go to a birth here and there. Very practical…and ultimately very soul sapping. On February 18, I was lying in my bed with the simple intention of being very open, a sort of modification on a Moon ritual. There was a sensation of my heart opening and with it the thought: “Quit your job.” Along with the realization that if I truly want my life to become, then I must jump into the unknown.

The Future
I will be working toward the goal of owning my own birth center. My desire is to have a place where mothers of all stages can go for support, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. In the immediate future, I am expanding my birth doula practicing by adding childbirth education and placenta encapsulation to my services offered.

The Moon Club Inspiration
Moon Club has helped me by strengthening my connection to my spiritual self, as well as helping me to cultivate self care in my daily life. I love our community and how uplifting the entire Moon Club experience has been. My favorite part of Moon Club are the coaching events and live calls. I am always working on homework so having the calls helps me to get out of my own brain and connect in real time.

Discover more about Amber and her work at www.birthmindbody.com

>>>

ALMA GROOME
“As I have started to awaken spiritually, I’ve felt drawn to look outside of the conventions I had limited myself to in the past.”

Alma Groome The Numinous Moon Club
Alma Groome, with her oldest son Zachary

The Project
The Moon phase stained glass panels were the result of a friend encouraging me to make pieces that spoke to me. Six months ago I took a a class at a local glass crafters shop. I began with small sun catchers and little pieces but after a few months I began to lose the spark. On mentioning that, a friend asked me what type of projects I really wanted to work on, and I stated without a waver that I really wanted to do a big piece with all of the phases of the Moon. “Why don’t you then?” she asked. My only excuse was not having a window at home wide enough. She shrugged and replied “I have a window.” At that moment, a charge ran through me and it was all I could focus on until I had something on paper.

The Intention
The intention is simply to provide myself with a creative outlet, a way to express a side of myself I had long felt non-existent. I work in bookkeeping and Quickbooks consulting and consider myself a fairly linear thinker. But as I have started to awaken spiritually and explore the metaphysical realm, I’ve felt drawn to look outside of the conventions I had limited myself to in the past, to be open to new things and experiences, and to push my boundaries even, in those moments anxiety knots so hard in my stomach I can barely breathe.

Stained glass work, and this Moon phase piece in particular, has provided an outlet for me to let go and refuse to be bound by self-placed limits. It’s exhilarating, allowing myself to leap into things I never remotely considered as possible.

Alma Groome Moon Phase stained glass window Moon Club Members The Numinous

The Magic
Tonight, I delivered the phases of the Moon stained glass panel to its new home, hanging it in my best friend’s window and admiring the flow from left to right as the moon transitions from new to full and back to new again. The beveled edges caught the light brilliantly and projected rainbows of color. It’s an incredibly surreal to experience seeing something I created in another person’s home, to hear the excitement they have for it, and to know that it resonates with them on a deeper level than “that’s pretty.”

The Moon Club Inspiration
I knew in my heart the pieces I was being almost called to make were of the Moon phases, the triple Moon goddess, representations of the Divine Feminine, and sacred geometry. Being part of Moon Club, I have connected with a group of women who embrace these things as part of their path and inspiration. That connection has given me the courage to take hold of these ideas and go with them. In the past, perhaps I would have shied away from the challenge of being out of my comfort zone, but being a part of this community left me invigorated and inspired to go for it. I could not be happier with both the tangible and intangible results.

The Moon Connection
Recognizing a connection to the Moon has been a fairly new thing for me, and I’m very much still learning about what that can mean on a personal level. I’ve always felt drawn to the Moon often searching the sky for its position, phase, color, or the way the clouds might be playing against its reflection. Now though, instead of merely appreciating the beauty of the Full Moon, I’ve started to tune in to my feelings and emotions around each Moon phase, journaling to begin connecting the dots around each cycle. I look forward to continuing to expand my knowledge and deepen that connection.

Check out more of Alma’s stained glass work at her Etsy shop, and follow her on Instagram.

>>>

Woah, heart swells! Discover more about Moon Club here, and get inspired to bring your spiritual practice out into the world!

10 WAYS THE WOMEN’S MARCH INSPIRED ME

Written on the bus back from DC, Kate Atkinson shares 10 ways the women’s march inspired her…

10 ways the womens match inspired me Kate Atkinson The Numinous
Kate on the bus to DC

It’s been a hell of winter. As revered actress and feminist Meryl Streep so accurately said, opening the floodgates for women world wide: “In the last few months, at times, I’ve felt as if I “lost my mind.”

Melodramatic much? Not for me. I’m a news media professional. I thrive on absorbing information and understanding people, brands, and causes. And since 11/9, I’ve spent late nights burrowing into internet rabbit warrens. I have spent anxious hours trawling the web and raging with friends via text, levels of research I never conducted when I was at University studying for my BA in journalism.

“Why do this to yourself?” I have repeatedly asked myself. But for some reason, the outcome of a Trump victory stirred me up deeply. It awoke a furious sleeping anger I never even knew burned in me. I have psychoanalyzed it and self-helped it to death. Answers have been hard to come by. And as if my own mental struggle wasn’t intense enough, friends have come forward and told me they aren’t okay either. Some told of to sexual assaults they’d buried for years. Men who’d groped them as teens and made them feel insignificant—which they’d shrugged off as just another teenage learning curve.

The day after the inauguration, a friend and I got up at 4am and got on a bus to Washington DC to march in solidarity for not only women, but for all whose freedom and human rights feel at risk under the incoming administration. We were joined by 3 million marching globally, all of us saying: “ENOUGH.” And actually, “fuck you” to the patriarchy.

In the lead up, I read a media stories talking about this being a “flawed” protest, questioning why it was just for women, asking what purpose it would serve. I’d partaken in aggressive social media discussions and been reminded over and over (at times on a personal level) about the futility of protesting.

Well, this weekend was the most inspiring of my life. Read on for 10 reasons why:

10 ways the womens match inspired me Kate Atkinson The Numinous
Kate and her bus mates

1. HUMANITY = POWER
The reason the current state of affairs is so alarming, is that the bad guy appears to to be winning. Sexual assault and quite frankly, basic human values, are second to power.Or are they? The marches reminded me that WE are the power. Throughout history, we have been reminded of this by figures such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou. Collectively, we can move mountains. The only thing holding us back is self belief.

2. CREATIVITY AS CATHARSIS
I saw a woman brandishing a giant crocheted reproductive system. I saw giant moveable sculptures. Puppets, a tribe of Donald Trump horses. Paintings that could have been at MoMA. I made a new artist friend who GAVE me a sign, because she’d painted several to deal with her inner turmoil. I saw people on stilts, rappers, instrumentalists, singers. All using their talents to support the same cause. As well as the funnier signs—”WE SHALL OVERCOMB” being a fave—some really pulled my heart. A two-year-old with a sign saying “I love naps but I stay woke.” Creativity helps us heal. I will be painting, paper mache’ing, croche’ing and dancing more in the future.

3. OPEN CONVERSATIONS
So forgive me if I’m oversharing in my post-protest bliss, but I’ve had two pre-cancer operations on my cervix. And yes it was scary as shit. A while back I would have been ashamed to share this, now, absolutely ZERO fucks given. Why? Because why is that shameful? I’ve been lucky enough to milk my healthcare system at home in Australia. Other women in this country would have turned to planned parenthood. It’s a lottery of luck I wasn’t born in a red state. Just today, the NY Times reported that the death rate from cervical cancer in the US is considerably higher than previously estimated and the disparity in death rates between black women and white women is significantly wider.

This whole shit show has opened a dialogue for issues that matter. Who cares if you’re depressed? We do. Who wants to hear about your time feeling ashamed for that? We do.

10 ways the womens match inspired me Kate Atkinson The Numinous

4. REALITY IS UNDERRATED
Ever found yourself writing rants at a computer screen, diving deeply into the lives of people you don’t know? A few days before Obama left office, he said: “tired of having arguments on the internet? Try speaking to them in real life.” We CAN connect in person. In groups. We are not our computers and our phones. Make a friend. Have coffee. Share. Talk. I am overwhelmed by the blowing up of my phone by women in the last few weeks. Launching fashion brands, needing help in connecting people to do so, media professionals trying to create their own movements and how to all not normalize any of what is going on.

5. NEW FRIENDS
I went to a group pre-march meeting – sober – and I met new people I’m now emailing about doing more “good stuff.” Including Elizabeth Azen, one of the nastiest women around with new kickass brand The Dynasty @thisisdynasty. I also made two new artist friends on the bus and spent all day with them, cracking jokes with one common cause – equality . Repeat: we are not designed to be digital humans. One side effect of standing up for what you believe in is the rad new people you will meet.

6. YES WE CAN
It’s so easy to be a hater. It’s so much easier to say: “this is pointless, we are outnumbered, we can’t make a difference.” As the march showed me—we damn well can, and it starts with you! Show up. Read up. Stay woke. Get nastier.

10 ways the womens match inspired me Kate Atkinson The Numinous

7. FEMINISM ISN’T JUST ABOUT NEUROTIC BRA-BURNING BULLSHIT
Some men still struggle with feminism. Well—newsflash—I’m not really into some of the things those people “hate” about feminism either. I’ve accepted that being a woman means I’m expected to smile and flirt through life. I use this to my advantage and love it when it means I can get something for free. It’s like Madonna said, “I’m a bad feminist.” But equally, I’ve been shamed many times, personally and professionally, for being too outspoken. For not being “refined” enough. And feminism in 2017 is about an end to that BS. In our lives, in our careers. It’s fine to sexualize women. Women are damn sexy. But don’t patronize us. Like Carrie Fisher said: “Some women play hard to get, I play difficult to understand.”

8. SOBER STREET PARTIES ROCK
I’ve been to my fair share of bars and clubs. I’ve been a drinker many years. And you know what? This was the best dance party of my life. What could have felt like a wake, a day for tears, was the best “straight” high of my life. Need substances to lose your mind? Try raging down the street to the beat of a gazillion strangers from all over the country singing in time: “We need a leader, not a creepy tweeter!” or: “This is What Democracy Looks like!” with glitter, and signs, and animals, and carnival performers, and megaphones, and parked cars with their own dance parties. Try screaming from a place you never knew you had, a guttural cathartic place you used to roll your eyes if people even told you existed.

9. REMEMBER TO RAGE
The systems are broken. They are not working. People will tell you to cooperate. But it’s time to rage against the machine. The mantra: “Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me.” The media aren’t cooperating—neither should we.

10. IT BEGINS WITH ME
I’ve been on my own journey with self-care this last while. Not always easy. I’m not just talking about eating right and SoulCycle. I’m talking about that breaking that feminine perfectionist tendency for blaming myself, and giving myself a goddamn break. Move towards this, I am finding, and the whole world becomes more accepting of me. I haven’t mastered it. But none of us can participate fully, until we believe in what we are here to give.

So please keep marching girls who just wanna have fun(damental rights). I’m with you every step. Get nasty. Be nastier. Read, write, CREATE, and stay woke. And like the most badass feminist ever, the Wicked Witch of the West, once said: “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too.”

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PERSONAL FREEDOM

Beautifully simple and immediately accessible, Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements offers a practical guide to personal freedom. Kelsey J. Patel explores this tiny volume’s startling powers and invites us to use the tome’s teachings to make a pact with ourselves in 2017. Artwork: Charlotte Rawlings

The Four Agreements mouth close up The Numinous

In an endless sea of spiritual self-help guides, Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements is consistently at the top of must-read lists. Yet, for some strange reason, I resisted its call for many years. But like all necessary teachings, the tome finally found me when I was ready to be found. About a year and a half ago, I finally saw it on my bookshelf staring down at me, and I knew it was the moment to open myself to its wisdom. It was brilliant. I felt myself shifting with every turn of the page. The slender volume’s simplicity was startling and empowering, and I quickly made it a magically mandatory reading for my private practice clients. I delighted in watching their own shifts and aha moments that were so similar to mine.

In 2017, I invite you to practice these luminously simple tenets for a fully-engaged life.

***

The First Agreement: Be Impeccable with Your Word

TRANSLATION: Words carry a powerful vibration that creates your reality, and when used in alignment with the higher good they are magical, forceful builders of your most amazing life. Equally, they can erode your life or the lives of others when not used in alignment with this higher vibration. When you practice an aligned way of speaking, both internally and externally, you take full responsibility for your actions, and release any judgment or blame by speaking from this place of kindness and truth.

MY AHA MOMENT: This became a big deal for me when I noticed how I would always say things like, “Oh, you know me, I love to sleep in. I’m not good at waking up early,” or “I’m not very good at relaxing.” Suddenly I realized I was creating my reality with those words and phrases, and as I kept telling myself and others these stories, I came to believe them. Being impeccable with my word has taught me to distinguish between the things I’ve “always said” and the things that are actually true.

YOUR PACT: Listen closely to your words and the words of those around you. Write a list of the most common words and phrases you say about yourself that are somewhat judgmental or unkind. Then, write a list of the words and phrases you want to create, feel, and activate in your life this year. Start saying those words and phrases out loud and silently, and watch how things begin to unfold differently.

The Four Agreements mouth close up The Numinous

The Second Agreement: Don’t Take Anything Personally

TRANSLATION: We each come to the table with distinctive life experiences, fears, insecurities, and understandings of the world. Our role is not to take on anyone else’s personal experiences and energies, but rather to give ourselves permission to separate what is mine from what is yours. We can extend great love and compassion to others, but ultimately we must bear sole responsibility for our own lives.

MY AHA MOMENT: When teachers and students of mine would enter our shared practice space, I noticed that I would always unconsciously shift my energy to match theirs or feel myself shut down if they were being cold or short-tempered. This agreement allowed me to start compassionately showing up with other humans who were having a rough time while not letting this energy overtake my own. Whatever I’m bringing up for another person by being myself is not really any of my business. My business is to receive the words and energies of others and use them as a gateway to connect with myself and my own center.

YOUR PACT: Write out a list of the people you currently feel upset with for whatever reason. Start to envision the energy of their hurtful words or actions traveling back to their particular life experience. Understand that what they’re upset with is likely something bigger and deeper that goes way beyond you. Return to the names on your list and write a letter to each person that shares everything you feel. Reread your letters and explore how both their words, and your response to them, stems from each of your distinctive life histories. If you can lovingly send words and feelings back to the ones who have hurt you and not take their pain personally, you can claim your own feelings from your center.

The Four Agreements mouth close up The Numinous

The Third Agreement: Don’t Make Any Assumptions

TRANSLATION: So often, our minds run off with absolutes, beliefs, and assumptions before we actually know anything, and so much of our pain and suffering stems from this process. If each of us gave ourselves permission to curiously look at life without believing we already know the outcome, we would give ourselves the chance to experience our lives and each other in all of our surprising complexity.

MY AHA MOMENT: From assuming the pushy woman on the train is a rude person to assuming the annoying chatty guy on the bus is completely unaware of other people’s space, I’ve had many moments of superficial judgment that deny others their fullest complexity. One of the most difficult assumptions I made in my life was thinking that I could transform my mother’s severe depression and create her happiness. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I was able to realize that this assumption was causing so much of my own suffering in life. She is now happy and healthy, but all of her own doing.

YOUR PACT: Write out a list of the daily assumptions you make; from the way you assume things about people you don’t know to assumptions you make about your own life in its past, present, and future incarnations. Sit for a 10-15 minute meditation and look at each assumption one by one. Close your eyes, and see your assumption dissolving. Spend a minute or two on each item until you complete your list. How does it feel to let go of these absolutes and open up to the experience of living as it reveals itself to you?

 The Four Agreements mouth close up The Numinous

The Fourth Agreement: Always Do Your Best

TRANSLATION: This agreement serves as a pillar for the first three because it reminds us that we do not need to be perfect, not even when implementing the agreements. Instead, we can always do our best to meet ourselves exactly where we are. Some days your best will feel amazing and other days your best will feel drained. That’s ok. It’s about allowing yourself to do your best from whatever space you’re in without demanding anything more or less than what you are in that moment.

MY AHA MOMENT: As a business owner, I’ve been very hard on myself over the years. This agreement has given me so much permission to keep showing up, even when the business is not succeeding. I’ve used this agreement many times as I prepared to teach some of my very first classes and workshops, when I was nervous and frightened about how my teachings would be received. In those moments, I would take a deep breath and see this agreement scrolling across my mind and suddenly I could relax and just do what I came to do. Now, I have so much compassion for myself and have learned to let go of my desire to control any situation. I simply show up and do my best, and allow that to be enough.

YOUR PACT: Write this agreement on your mirror or post it on the fridge. Take this agreement with you, every day this year. Especially when you’re nervous or unclear or you feel fear coming up inside. Notice when you start to create demands or use phrases like “I should,” or “I’m supposed to,” and say to yourself, “I give myself permission to simply do my best in this moment.”

kelsey patel, kelsey j patel, don miguel ruiz, the four agreements

Kelsey J. Patel is the owner of Pure Barre Beverly Hills, a yoga instructor, leading meditation teacher, reiki master, intuitive healer, EFT specialist, and spiritual empowerment coach.

INSTAPOETS: AN INTERVIEW WITH MARKUS ALMOND

In a new series celebrating our favorite poets of IG, Kiran Gill talks to Markus Almond, author of Motivational Quotes To Get The Blood Moving, about the intersection of creativity and spirituality…

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.39.30 PM

 

The Numinous: You’re both a poet and a musician, how do these two worlds intersect? Is the creative process similar or different?
Markus Almond: They are pretty similar I think. Writing feels more natural to me. With music, I would have to fit a certain number of syllables into a melody and then sometimes make it rhyme. But with writing prose, I’m able to say exactly what I wanted to say without making it fit into an existing format.

TN: Where do you get the inspiration for your writing?
MA: The inspiration comes from different things depending on what I’m writing. Sometimes I’m just writing thinly veiled notes to myself or people I love. Other times, I’m telling a story or trying to pass on some sort of advice.

TN: What is your definition of spirituality?
MA: It’s that unexplainable power that you feel when you close your eyes and let go.

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.27.10 PM

TN: Do you have any daily rituals or practices to aid you in your writing?
MA: I meditate every day. And I listen to music in my headphones when I write. I prefer to write with the lights off and my office locked. It helps keep me focused on the task at hand. And I can usually only write at night after everyone else has gone to sleep.

TN: What was the impetus for putting your work out onto the Internet and becoming a published author?
MA: I was going through some personal stuff a few years ago. And I was so over-worked and tired of looking at a computer. So I bought this little manual typewriter and made a limited edition zine with some scissors, a glue stick, and a copy machine. It was the first thing I ever published. And people seemed to like it so I published some more, built a website and started writing books.

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.28.43 PM

TN: What life experiences have had the biggest impact on your work?
MA: Being a musician has probably had the biggest impact on me. That journey took me to so many different places (both spiritually and geographically) that there is just so much material to write from. I’ve got enough stories floating around in my head that it will take me the rest of my life to get them all down on paper.

TN: We love your existential take on self-help – are you a fan of any traditional self-help authors? Who and how has their work impacted you?
MA: Yeah, I read self-help books all the time. Right now I’m reading two books by Thich Nhat Hanh and also The 12 Week Year. I think books are like software for our brains so it’s important what we read. It can have a great impact on our lives if we read helpful things.

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.32.58 PM

TN: What do you hope your writing will inspire in people?
MA: Honestly, I hope that they’ll just email me once in a while and tell me I’m doing a good job. I don’t really write books for mass appeal or with the intention of selling a million copies. I write them because I enjoy writing. But still, it’s nice to know that people like them from time to time.

TN: What are the biggest challenges of being human? The greatest joys?
MA: Fear can be one of the biggest challenges. It can manifest itself in all kinds of weird ways. I think if you can learn to spot fear and get through it without stopping, you’ll go far in the world. The greatest joy of being human is probably different for everyone. For me, it’s those happy things that happen by accident. Sometimes lucky magic just crosses our path for no reason and that can bring a sense of joy.

Screen Shot 2016-02-26 at 6.39.30 PM

Read more at Brooklyntomars.com and follow Markus on Instagram @markusalmond