Learn how worship your body with the same reverence you show when entering a sacred space of prayer, says Kitty Cavalier. Artwork:Pedro Sacadura
As a little girl, I loved volunteering to clean my church after mass on Sundays. My family and a few other parish members would polish the pews, switch out the flowers on the altar, sweep the long processional aisle of dust bunnies and organize the hymnals. As a very devoted little Catholic girl, I felt like I was being given a backstage pass to my favorite concert. Tending and caring for what I considered God’s house was a huge honor and made me feel quite elite.
As time (read: puberty) went by, my beliefs about religion began to shift tremendously. As Mae West once said: “I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.” The church no longer felt even remotely like home – and as for many of us, my spiritual path since has followed more of a curve than a straight line. But there’s been one constant throughout: my body.
“My body is my temple” – it sounds so cliché. But let’s really think about it for a second. A temple is defined as “a space devoted to religious reverence,” and I can think of no greater house of worship than the cathedral of my very own heart. There is no holier a song than the sweet hum of my inhale and exhale. The light in my eyes mirrors the warmth of a candle’s flame. My skin houses and protects me like the smooth, lavish marble of the Taj Mahal, and the flush of my cheeks after an orgasm can put the ceiling of Sistine chapel to shame.
Yes, my body IS my temple. So today I’d like to share with you one of my personal favorite rituals to start 2016 off right: body worship. There is no way to do this ritual wrong. Just like learning a prayer or a hymn, a little heart, a sprinkling of soul, and practice is all it takes.
Suggested supplies for this body worship ritual:
Body Oil (such as coconut oil)
A mirror propped against a wall
A body scrub (like some sea salt mixed with body oil), or a loofah
A towel
Candlelight, incense, flowers, or anything else that helps you set sacred space
Music: click here for a free, hand-curated Body Worship Ritual playlist
1. Set Sacred Space Imagine you are setting space for the high holy days of your inner temple. You can light candles, burn incense, place rose petals on your bath mat, fold your towel as you would for a guest, play music, or anything else that evokes the spirit of the sacred for you.
2. Tending The Temple Grounds Step into the shower or bath. As you wash and scrub your skin, do so with the same care, attention and tenderness that you would show to the house of the Divine. Scrub and loofah your elbows and knees with the same softness and reverence you would show when walking into a sacred temple. Imagine that as you caress your body with soap suds, every bubble of soap is like a flower laid down in offering at the altar of YOU. When you rinse your body, feel the water wash away that which no longer serves you, and it’s healing power to make space for something new to enter.
3. The Sacrament of Body Worship Now you have prepared the temple, you are ready for ceremony and worship! Place a soft blanket or towel on the floor in front of your mirror. Position yourself naked by candlelight seated on the floor and bow to the beauty of your reflection. Take the body oil and warm it between your holy hands, using your breath to blow a prayer of gratitude into the oil. Then, allow your hands to be both pilgrim and priestess, as they slowly, reverently massage prayers into your skin. Approach each curve and corner of your body as a different room in the temple waiting to be explored.
4. Encountering Eternity When you feel complete with your body worship, get very close to the mirror. Stare deep into your own eyes and see if you can glimpse the part of you that is eternal, that never ages, and transcends time. Just like that sense of divinity we feel when we walk on sacred ground, that spirit is right there, woven into the fibers of your DNA. All that’s required to encounter it, is the courage to really look.
In which I get prescribed a 30-day “self-pleasure diet”…
Confession. There has been a sad lack of the above (laughter) in my life lately, and this is a shout out, please, for some inspiration when it comes to the pleasure principle. Don’t get me wrong, life is pretty freaking amazing right now. I have somehow made manifest a career that reflects all the things I care about, and allows me total creative expression on a daily basis. I’m writing a book. I just launched the most incredible project with an iconic London department store, and moved into a super-cool new apartment in NYC. I’m in a loving relationship, I have a beautiful new nephew (okay thank you for indulging me in a much-needed gratitude list).
But still, and it’s written into very the DNA of entrepreneurship, life has been feeling very much all-work-and-no-play lately (I haven’t, actually, taken a day off this year I don’t think). And as was discussed with my friend Lucy in London last week, co-creator of spirituality un-conference Higher Selfie, what’s the point of dedicating yourself to your passion and your purpose, if your passion and your purpose then turns around and tries to make you its bitch?
The subject came up when I went to see Sandra Lanshin Chiu for acupuncture last night. She said she could tell from the way my tissue was “clinging” to my bones how hard I’ve been working, and how little room for pleasure, laughter, and FUN, this had left. “You’re all in your masculine energy, and that’s great for getting stuff done. But you’re a woman and you have a yin body, you need to create some space for flow,” she explained (kind of nailing it). Okay so her prescription? “A 30-day self-pleasure diet.”
As in, exactly what you think! Whether or not I decide to take up the challenge and schedule a 20-minute masturbation break into my daily routine isn’t something I’m gonna discuss here, but I will say this is by no means the first time the conversation has come up lately. According to Sandra, “self-pleasure is one of the jewels in a woman’s self-care toolbox.” Another friend in London is writing a book on the topic, while a self-administered orgasm had been suggested to somebody else I spoke to recently as a “grounding” practice.
But yeah, any other suggestions for bringing the joy balance back into my life would also be very welcome. In the meantime, you will mainly find me trying to carve out some good old fashion vacay days and keeping busy with my gratitude practice.
Or maybe the answer is meditation? This week I’m also giving a shout out to Numinous contributor Ellie Burrows, who opened her dedicated meditation studio, MNDFL, in Manhattan last night. Okay, wow, we first chatted about this project in the spring (I remember cos it was the first day she’d worn open-toe shoes this year), and six short months later, enter a beautiful, chic and cosy space in the Village offering a “space to breathe” seven days a week. (Although how much space to breathe this project will allow Ellie while it gets up and running remains to be seen – see above! And enter my acupuncturist’s other suggestion – “a slow-entrepreneurship movement.”)
Most classes are 30-45 minutes, with a few juicy two-hour workshops thrown in (like the one on Love & Justice next Thursday) – and are categorized along the themes in the image below. Read the MNDFL manifesto and check out the full class schedule here. Ellie Burrows, we love you!
Amplify your psychic protection with this bath time Halloween ritual, says Deborah Hanekamp. Images: Zsuzsanna Dofka via Behance.net
As we enter the season of the winds, the veil between the spiritual worlds becomes thin. A time of strong psychic awareness, we open to valuable teachings from Great Spirit and our personal intuition. Energetically charged people and places, as well as lingering spirits, also become very apparent to the spiritually sensitive. For this reason, now is a time to work with extra psychic protection.
Dear One, understand this; the highest form of protection is awareness. And that love is the vehicle to awareness; become more loving, become more aware. Fear is the opposite of love, fear distracts us. But if in the midst of fear we can use our breath to go back to love and awareness, we are already so protected.
The below Halloween ritual bath and practices are tools to strengthen our connection to love, to awareness, and therefore protect us as we journey into winter.
:: THIN VEIL ESSENTIALS ::
Black Tourmaline, a crystal of high psychic protection, is invaluable during this time. Carry a small piece in your pocket or as a piece of jewelry. Sleep with Black Tourmaline under your pillow to protect your dream body.
Rosemary carries the protection of the divine feminine. Wear a drop of Rosemary essential oil on the crown of your head, and she will protect with the awareness of a mother wolf.
Connect to nature. Offer tobacco or white sage to a tree, stand barefoot on the roots and hold your back body to the tree. As your feet connect to tree’s spirit release any charged psychic energy you are holding through your feet, asking the earth to transform that energy into love.
:: RITUAL BATH FOR PSYCHIC PROTECTION ::
Ingredients 1 cup of Epsom Salt 4 cups of Nettles Tea infusion 1 tbsp of Apple Cider Vinegar A few drops of Rosemary essential oil A few drops of Rose Water or Rose Absolute Essential Oil
Crystals Fluorite, Quartz, Citrine and Black Tourmaline
Add all ingredients to a bath of water as hot as you can stand.
Ritual Light candles around the bath Smudge your self by burning white sage and cedar around your body, wafting the smoke towards you with a feather Step into the bath Take three deep cleansing breaths Place a candle directly in front of you and stare into the flame without blinking for five minutes. Let the flame clear your mind and bring you into psychic awareness Dunk your head under the water Place the Quartz crystal under you at the back of your heart, place the citrine on your solar plexus, hold the Fluorite in your left hand and the Black Tourmaline in your right Chant the sound “Aum” (Om) at least three times Soak in and enjoy the protective energy you’ve created
This week’s card is the Ten of Cups. Enter an abundance of unconditional love…but it has to begin with you, says Louise Androlia.
You can watch last week’s weekly tarotscope at the link – did Louise’s message resonate with you? Share in the comments below, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!
Happy Birthday! I would love for you to bring that Star energy you’ve working with into this next month, because being fuelled by light really suits you. Have you noticed this? That when you are able to step into a more expansive state of mind you just get more done? To stay in that high-energy frame of mind sounds so simple, but of course requires work – as with most things related to our well being. However, this month, I think you are up to the job.
I feel that the direct source to feeling your very best self over the coming weeks it through honoring your spirit. This, in short, means allowing yourself to do anything and everything that ignites your creative spark, makes you feel alive, and inspires you to step into your superpower. It may seem that right now you have SO much to do, and surely you should prioritize that? Yes, of course you have to get shit done! But the choice you have here is the ability to not prioritize stress. See the difference? We can still get through a to-do list, but without a punishing or restrictive edge.
Stop for a moment today and check in with anywhere in your life that doesn’t feel very expansive right now. Where do you feel stuck, blocked, or overwhelmed with negativity? This or these parts of your experience require as much love and nurture as you can muster, and your birthday month really is a fine time to be kind to yourself. I’d like you to make self-gratitude a daily practice, honing in especially on areas you feel wobbly. It might be that you wake up every day and say “I am grateful for my body” or “My talents are of value” – this could feel super uncomfortable at first, but you’re merely guiding yourself back to what you know is true underneath the layers of fear.
This is also a wonderful month for socializing and replenishing your stash of human FUN. Call your old friends, get out of your comfort zone, be in love with love, call in your spirit guides, and just try to flow with your awesome self. Note when you tune into self-doubt and judgmental thoughts, and don’t be afraid to question them! They are your thoughts which means you’re allowed to decode them a little, shake them up, and reform them – in other words, it’s in your power to make your life work for you!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Virgo / Virgo Rising – Five of Pentacles
Last month saw you experience a few blasts from the past, whether it was old shadows rearing their heads, or a meeting with a previous version of yourself. I know for some of you this was a much darker experience, where as others of you had a kind of rose tinted reunion with your own superpowers. Whether you are feeling ruled by the shadows or the light right now, the theme for this month is going to be the same: material and spiritual reconnection. The energy that feels significant for you is around faith in yourself and your journey. It may be that the last few weeks unearthed a wobble, and now you are seeking some grounding, within and without.
I want you to really know that you are supposed to be constantly evolving, and that this means you’ll need different support at different times in your life. Don’t feel concerned if your tried and tested feel good method isn’t really doing it for you right now – perhaps it’s just time to try something else? So, to tap into what this might be, allow yourself to take a scan across your current internal and external environment. What’s going on with your career, relationships, and family? How is your health and how are your thought processes? Are you going through a time of change? What is new? What feels scary? Are you having fun?
As you ponder these questions, take stock of where your general level of life energy is right now, and then, finally, ask ‘What do I NEED right now?’ It’s your job to simply listen. Your inner workings may surprise you here, and it’s important to allow your most nurturing self to speak to you, the one that may suggest rest over making another to-do list, the one that says try a massage over a spin class. Trust that your inner and outer experience is providing all the clues you need, and whatever feels right for you this month will be exactly what you need.
In matters of faith, however intuitive you are and however organized you are, you STILL aren’t supposed to know the outcome of everything that you’re juggling. Choose to trust that your life lessons emerge at the exact time you need to receive them. Until then it’s time to practice that leap of faith, and know that you aren’t alone. You are needed, help IS available, and time is on your side.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Libra / Libra Rising – Two of Swords
Anxiety and difficulty in regards to making choices is one of the most frequent things my clients come to me about. What should you do? Which direction should you take? What will the outcome be? How do you trust yourself? These thoughts are the norm, so don’t be afraid if you feel at a crossroads right now. How about considering that you aren’t supposed to know the exact right answer, because maybe this isn’t a case of correct or incorrect, of pass or fail. If you are in an active time, whether in your mind or outer experience, then things are truly supposed to feel a little less than chill!
So, instead of panicking about what you ‘should’ do, I want you to work on where you might be blocked from your intuition right now. Of course your decision-making doesn’t have to be a stressful thing, it’s likely many of you are just overwhelmed by having so many avenues to go down! Never a bad thing, but often in times of busyness, whether this manifests as chaos or excitement, our racing mind can get us feeling a little ‘out of body’. When we jump outside of ourselves like this, we begin to lose the connection to where life realy begins – yep, you know it, with OUR FEELINGS.
Remember that whatever feels the best to you will be the ‘right’ choice, because there truly is no right or wrong, just another opportunity to have faith in yourself and your journey. You may also use these next few weeks to get some down time. It’s often that when we find our selves at a crossroads, we’re being led towards a period of action, so it’s a great time to accept the stillness and simply recharge. Your way of resetting will be unique to you; it might mean retreating to nature or, equally, stepping back into the social scene and reconnecting with friends.
Try to release any pressures you’ve put on yourself to ‘have it all together’ or ‘get over it’ and allow yourself to just be. Time isn’t working against you, all is as it is supposed to be. Do some of what makes you feel more YOU – in fact, a lot of it, so much that you almost burst. Inch your way back to your mind, body and spirit. This human experience is your home, and by returning to yourself you will be in the optimal decision making space, when the time comes.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Scorpio / Scorpio – Eight of Swords
You’re going through an important transition right now my friends – it’s transformative, can you feel it? If you look to the planets, we’ve entered the final phase of Saturn’s journey through Scorpio, bringing some final tests and a chance to really clean up and surrender. The last two months have been leading up to the work you have to do in August, and we are all at a different stage of this journey. These next few weeks are the perfect time to really tune in with where you are restricting yourself. Is there anything from your past, be it physical pain or a forgotten dream, that seem to be haunting you right now?
Think – how can you address these things? You don’t have to dive in like a bull in a china shop, opening every of worms in sight, BUT it’s going to help to get really real with yourself. Try stating your fears out loud and owning them. Tell the world: “I am afraid of ***, and it’s okay”, and notice what body feelings accompany these thoughts, what starts running through you. You are safe to really show up for this clearing process, but it’s also an ideal time to ask for help. If you don’t know what you want, ask yourself what you need. Follow your intuitive guidance, whether it is requesting you find guidance online, or by emailing that person that keeps popping into your mind.
Be open to receiving and have no expectations. You more than anyone know that the things you need can come in forms you’d never expect. It also feels like perhaps there are some ghosts from the past that could be released. Remember that letting go and forgiveness are both acts of self-love, acts that do nothing other than clear space and free you up to move forwards.
By shaking off what you no longer need from times gone by, it will be so much easier to accept what is being offered up ahead. Finally, try to trust in simplicity this month. All the good stuff is going to be right there, laid bare, you won’t find sanctuary in drama or contradictions. Trust in what feels grounded and nourishing to you, whether that is in the people you meet or the work you commit to. Magic and intuition are alive and well in the present moment – and your direct link is through your feelings, so feel away babe!
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Sagittarius / Sagittarius Rising – Princess of Cups
I feel like you’re on a bit of a roll of awesome, or at least that this high vibe energy is available to you now if you want to access it. If there’s one thing the last year has taught you, it’s that feelings are okay and even important! In fact, tuning in to your more watery, emotional side has the ability to rocket fuel your dreams. Right? Well no change this month, because what I see as a great focus point for you in the next few weeks is… MAGIC. Oh yes, and before you stop reading because you aren’t into ‘woo woo’ – stay with me!
Can we redefine magic? It’s not just about witchcraft you know – although that’s totally cool with me too, I like to think of magic as an accessible energy that you can tune into, but one that is also within you. You ARE magic, it’s running through your veins and is available as a form of empowerment whenever you need it. So, how do you get in touch? It’s all through a willingness to expand your vision out of your comfort zone, to expand your thoughts beyond your restricted and limiting beliefs, and it’s found very much in the present moment.
The other way you can access magic is through a childlike sense of wonder, and this is precisely what August is gifting you. Wonder. We get a little distracted from wonder as we grow up, the ‘wow’ of learning new things for the first time diminishes as we keep moving through life. For any of you who have kids, you’ll know it’s easily returned to you when you get to show that little one new things all of the time – and that choosing to see things through their eyes, the vision returns to you. I want you to realize this sense of awe is here ALL OF THE TIME, no magic tricks needed, the world is kind of an amazing place, full of kind of incredible people, if you hadn’t noticed.
Yes, there are the shadows and a dark side to life, but it is our job to turn on the torch. Over the coming weeks, start to notice in what areas of your life magic reappears. It may be within your meditation practice, or in time spent in nature, but it also may also appear in spreadsheets and accounts, over dinner and discussion. There are no limits to finding the good stuff; you just have to believe it’s there.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Capricorn / Capricorn Rising – Ace of Pentacles
You truly are in the energy of new beginnings. Last month the focus was on feelings and personal connections, and for August there is a shift presenting itself in your more grounded material world. I’m just seeing large door that is totally wide open, with any perceived blocks dissolving away. I feel that you’ve entered a part of the year that’s been lined up for you to get very serious and unapologetic about how you want, how you NEED, your material world to support you.
Yes, this is a card that’s brilliant for career matters, suggesting that if you’re on the edge of sharing something new, at the point of quitting something that no longer works, or holding off on speaking up – it’s time. Get everything OUT. However, I’d like to focus more on the bright sparks of ideas and growth that I feel coming in for you. It’s as though you are pivoting on the edge of a very different life stage, one that is bringing more stability and light. This doesn’t mean life is a breeze of course, especially not for my mountain climbing Caps. Challenges though, are only in place to lead you to higher ground. Everything is taking you somewhere, and your main job is to not fight the change or battle the unknown.
Allow your days to take on a natural flow, one that is guided by your hero nature, but a flow that has no barriers. You are the only one who can truly stand in your own way at the moment. So, what do you need? If it’s more rest, then that is ALL that’s required. If it’s more time, you have it! This open doorway is created by your intentions to be kinder to yourself, to pursue more of your ideas, to really listen to your inner soul system.
What do you want to feed into the earth around you? What imprints are you about to make, what are you producing? Be enlightened by all that is new and appreciate the embarrassment and oddities of it all. Allow yourself to be humbled by the Universe on a daily basis, laugh, get messy, get involved, and be happy to get out of your comfort zone. Everything is ok, even the wobbles and the worries, they all have purpose. Pour nurture on your anxieties and feed your ideas with golden light.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aquarius / Aquarius Rising – Three of Pentacles
August is a pretty active month for you, as you have the space to put into play what you have been working on for the past three months. I feel that there has been so much brainstorming, so much creativity and fun, and also, perhaps, a LOT of questioning your own abilities. You can find it so easy to put yourself down sometimes, often more so than the time you spend raising yourself up. So, this has to be your first priority this month – self-celebration.
It is not stupid or egotistical to stop and admire yourself. I mean, come on, you are a perfect specimen of a human being – just LOOK AT YOU! But, yeah, on a more serious note, it’s kind of time that you accepted that you might have some skills, some unique skills, and something to share with the world. Yes it’s easy to say, “oh but so many people do the same job as me”; and yes, there will always be another artist, another actor, another lawyer and so on, but there isn’t another YOU, remember? This means that whatever you bring to the table IS unique, because it comes from you.
So as you being this month of self-appreciation, you will be required to flow into giving time to cementing your authentic voice. This means that you definitely don’t need to worry about comparing yourself to others or trying to imitate anyone, you just need to show up for YOU. It can be easier said than done of course, but it’s time to practice. With all that in hand, out in the real world this is a perfect month for collaborating and sharing the weight of your work, and your ideas. It might be that you’ve been keeping a lot inside recently and so know that just getting things OUT is going to step you forward into the next stage of, yes, your career, – but more so, of simply feeling good.
A good old-fashioned life brainstorm is in order, so gather your troops and get vocal. If you are someone who usually likes to hide in the shadows, experiment with raising your voice a little louder. You can also reflect this confidence with regards to your inner dialogue, by no longer allowing yourself to be intimidated by your fears. After all they are YOURS to do what you like with. So shift the conversation, own those anxieties, and then use them to march you onwards.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Pisces / Pisces Rising – The Emperor
Over the last few weeks you may have experienced a few ‘ah-ha’ moments, times of clarity, and a rush of new ideas. Within this headspace, some fears may also have been rising up very strongly, perhaps some that seemed to stab you in the gut and try to convince you that they were more powerful than you? Which is not true of course, but it is okay for it to feel that way – after all, you are a human being, just out in the world feeling those feelings. As the days progress the shift that’s in place for you now is one of empowerment and order. This month is about taking all those “ums” and “ahs” from July, and putting them in place, with a little planning. It’s actually a much more structured way of thinking than you might be used to, but totally in place to put some order into your chaos. Now, where this sense of process comes from is going to be dictated by what you need. If you currently feel like you are loose and swimming in a sea of uncertainty, then perhaps it’s time to ask for help? You do know that someone out there can listen and help you with the jigsaw puzzle of yourself, don’t you?
This doesn’t have to be your typical therapist; maybe you just need to dedicate some time to sharing with your best friends, getting stuff out, and reinterpreting ideas for each other. We all have some blocks to rules and regulations somewhere along the line, so note if any of yours are coming up right now. It could be that you are finding it a struggle to work amongst other people, and if so have a feel and think about how you could shift your perception. AND how you can protect your energy – this is always an important job for a Pisces.
The more you can be connected to your most authentic and positive self, the easier it will be to see through the mist. It’s easy to get distracted but this isn’t the month for wading through fog. Remember where you pull your light from and use that source, every day. Finally, If there is a certain someone in your life who seems to be over-stepping the mark, overpowering or even scaring you, then it’s time to reclaim your self worth and personal power; again by sharing, questioning, and speaking up. Don’t hide from your own voice, this month more than ever it’s valid and important.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Aries / Aries Rising – Ten of Pentacles
I kind of feel like you’re on fire right now Aries – as you should be of course, but wow your energy seems to have been on a constant high level recently. Are you feeling tired out yet? I want that to be your first check in right now, because burn out is SO easy for you because you are able to run on empty quite easily. So just tune in to what you might need as you fully embrace this second half of the year.
Now I put that at the forefront, because what I feel for you is that there is a strong energy focus on your material world right now. For some of you it really may be a dramatic shift in your career – perhaps you are taking on a higher position, or launching some of your most valued work into the public domain? It’s also going to be that many of you are at that point of leaving behind what no longer works for you, in business and in pleasure. It’s a super power feeling, and this is why your wellbeing has to be at the peak of your life priorities pyramid. Whilst you may think of self-care as a ‘luxury’, just know that you can’t do all the amazing stuff you want to if you feel crap. Simple, right?
So now that you’ve checked in, where are you headed? Things can start to manifest at an alarming rate now, so make sure your intentions for yourself are also on good from. I want you to think about the idea of your imprint on the world. If you had to make a manifesto for yourself and your personal brand right now, what would be on there? How would you sell yourself to yourself?
Take that as a writing task and it will help you hone in on what might be the most enjoyable thing to put your focus on right now. After all, I know you are spinning a lot plates, as per usual! On the more spiritual side of things, look out for those messages from the Universe. They come in so many forms, yes it might be that you’re seeing feathers and rainbows, but life also speaks to you via the more practical too. Coincidences don’t exist – that voice you hear that says ‘go there’ or ‘call them’ is worth listening to. In fact if you chose to listen and learn, the guidance is really right in front of you.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Taurus / Taurus Rising – The Chariot
THINGS ARE FINALLY MOVING! What things? Have a glance back to April and you might get some hints as to what needs the kick in the ass right now. Of course movement is only going to be present if you participate, so if you’re one of the one wishing away on the sidelines that something wild and exciting would happen for you, then you gotta at the very least dip your toe in. Why? Well the thing about life and time and all that, is that it really is always moving, and if you aren’t there moving with it, you’ll only ever feel like you are losing or wasting time. And time is of value, so, where are you going to place your drive this month?
Now that’s off my chest, we can get into the details; balance, freedom and intent. Freedom comes from stepping into that expansive state of mind I always talk about. You are the only one standing in your way right now and if you take a trip over to the Scorpio reading to see what your opposite sign is up to, you can apply the same advice. When you get out of your own way, a free flowing energy can come upon you. Feels good to think of that wide, open road right? That road can exist in all areas of your life; even the ones with challenges – yes, there can still be a flow when you have to get shit done, it just gets done easier!
‘Easier’ – that sounds nice too, doesn’t it? So what would you need right now to truly feel free? Explore that idea. So, balance; not your strong suit sometimes, but as always still a priority and I won’t ever let up about it. Accept that whatever isn’t working, whether it’s a health, love or work situation, needs a new perspective. That new perspective may not be one you’d chose first, after all, self-help is always hard work – but if something doesn’t feel good, isn’t it time you considered an alternative?
Finally – intent. This is the fun bit for you, and it’s about grabbling life by the reins and knowing that you have the map. Remove any fear of failure or you will never do anything. Know that you’ve got this, and equally that it’s okay to make mistakes. Mistakes aren’t an end point; they are a learning experience. Everything is building momentum, so dive in fully.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Gemini / Gemini Rising – Eight of Cups
The next few weeks are all about the residue of the past couple of months. So what’s come to the surface as you’ve gone on your merry way? The last few weeks have been a really strong cleansing period for many of us, and it may not have been comfortable. The first thing to do is to be nurturing with yourself. When some of our old shadows and ghosts reappear, it’s easy to perceive that we are going backwards. This is not the case; When things come to the surface it’s because now is the time to address them, as perhaps right now you are in the right space to be able to deal with them.
The brain chucks out information for us on a platter when the time is on and the pressure is off. So, this residue, how are you feeling it? Is it via your thoughts, from strange messages from the Universe, or is it in your physical body? Take time to listen and see what’s regurgitating, and within this know that now is a safe time to let those things go. You know that I refer to the letting go process as ‘surrendering’, and so we will work with that. I feel that you could be holding on to some guilt and it may manifest as you subconsciously not allowing yourself to move forwards.
You don’t need to hold onto pain as a punishment, it does not serve you and certainly doesn’t make anything better. If you need to forgive – be it yourself, others or a situation – know that it will set you free. In regards the moving forward process, this month is in place for you to work with your courage. The capacity for bravery is within all of us, it’s a natural part of us, to be courageous, to show up, to get involved. It’s time to accept your inner hero, to claim it and use it.
After all, why would you be scared to move forward in your life? Your life is perfectly designed for you, don’t ever hesitate to believe in that, not for a second. Nothing that you leave behind will be truly lost if it’s in any way relevant to your future. Safety lies within self trust, self-care and rest right now. Allow yourself to move at your own pace, just be wise enough to recognize where you’re treading on your own toes.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Cancer / Cancer Rising – The Empress
A happy and nourishing month ahead, as you step from the clutches of that Devil on your shoulder into the nurturing arms of the divine feminine! “Thank you” is a good word to utter today. Thank you for this new and fresh energy. This is a month that is truly ALL woman, full of babes in fact! You can take that really literally if you’d like, to start. Female company and energy is going to get you feeling good, so allow yourself to be embraced by the wise women around you, whether it’s in physical hug form or a good heart filling Skype chat.
On a deeper note, this is a perfect few weeks to check in with mother Earth, the natural element and your own wisdom. Over the last few months you’ve had a lot of going within, but not all of it has felt safe and wishing yourself out of body has felt like the easy option. It’s time to really trust that you have gained knowledge in all that’s been processed, and that your tool belt is now pretty well-equipped. You have what you need and will realize this when you allow things to simplify a little. Drama probably won’t cut it for you this month as you start to lift into your higher state of mind and discover that the small nurturing steps you are making really are filling you up.
The great thing is, you don’t need the mess and the complications anymore. It’s fully time to live in that clean and clear space. Your clutter, be it physical or mental, can be released. It’s safe to head to the recycling bin – I’m pretty sure we all have one of those within – so think, what do you no longer need to have playing on repeat in your brain?
Know that the wisdom you have gained recently is also in place for you to share and help others. Whether it’s some words that a friend really needs or via a service you provide, since we are never truly alone it means that your experience is also going to give solace to someone else. Therefore, it’s also a time to not hide your feelings. All expulsions of your water element are safe and okay. You may find that by avoiding that standard “I’m fine”, response you open up a new conversation with an unexpected person – I feel that the element of surprise is awaiting you. So open your eyes, wide.
Questions? Come and chat with me about how your month is going @louniverse
Here comes our monthly dose of intense lunar energy…but what does the Full Moon mean? Vedic (Eastern) astrologer Eve James unpacks the psychology (& why it make us cray-cray…)
To understand the Full Moon energy, we need to first look at what it represents. Without the Sun, there would be no light or life on this earth. There would be no solar system period, and the time when the Moon is most illumined with the effulgence of the Sun is termed the “Full Moon.” She sits directly across from him, receiving his light. They are face-to-face.
Now, take into consideration what the Sun and Moon represent in astrology; the Light of Self, or Divine “I”, and it’s Mind, it’s expression.
To conceptualize this, imagine the Sun as the ocean and the Moon as the movement of the ocean. The Sun is the natural Atmakaraka in Vedic astrology – the divine drop of consciousness within the infinite ocean of Consciousness, the individual soul or Atma (as said in Sanskrit), the imperishable essence or substance of Self, the ever-lasting Light, or the infallible Truth of that which we all most naturally are.
The Moon is the movement of that same substance, and it is this movement that creates numerous thoughts and feelings, which, in turn, inspire actions. This so-called movement of the soul is what we call the mind.
So when the Moon is receiving direct light from the Sun, she is face-to-face with the source of her light. In this moment she is fulfilled, and yet still full of longing to unite with this source, as the Moon is the signifier of longing, and all feelings of separation.
Full Moons stir us deeply because of this, and can inspire action driven by desperation or other incomplete or unfulfilled longings within our minds. Full Moons can also feel very good to us, depending on the placement of the Moon at our time of birth, and how fulfilled we feel inside as an individual.
When the Moon is directly receiving this light of awareness, it can feel very unsettling to those of us who experience our independent self as fragmented, or overly dependent on an identity that isn’t working in unison with who we really are deep inside.
Full Moons heighten our awareness of what is within our minds, and how separate we have become from our source of light and truth. They can also be very illuminating and energizing when it comes to marriage or any other activity resulting in union, as this is the time when the Moon experiences union with the light of the Sun.
In Vedic astrology, we consider the Nakshatra of the Moon to be very important, which is the portion, or “lunar mansion”, of the sky the Moon is aligned with (there are 27 of these in Vedic astrology, named for the most prominent star in each). When the Moon is full and receiving illumination from the Sun, her cup is full and so she is considered ready to fully express the mood of the Nakshatra she is aligned with.
That portion of the sky is amplified with emotion and there is a palpable charge in the atmosphere. Let’s say the Nakshatra is kind of like a scented flower the Moon is wearing. During the Full Moon, the fragrance is very strong and motivates people differently according to how much they like or dislike that scent, or how it mixes with their unique DNA.
The Moon on March 5th will be 100 percent full at 10:05am PST, and she will be aligned with Purvaphalguni Nakshatra, which is a sign of romance, music, arts, creative activities, vacation, and romantic union. This is an interesting sign however, because even though it’s hyper-creative and is associated with blissful marriage, etc, it also signifies the waging of war, or going into battle and using deceptive war strategies.
So despite its feminine, almost bohemian expression, it is also considered potentially fierce and destructive. Purvaphalguni is associated with fire and now is a time to honor or respect this element and be wary of it. This is why it is a sign of poetic and romantic love, passion and pleasure, all things that ignite a fire within.
At this time, we must be very careful of the fires we ignite with other people – be it romantically, professionally or socially. This is also an intense Full Moon politically, due to its association with binding unions (contracts and marriage) and it’s fiery underbelly. It is however a beautiful time for making deeper commitment to a personal relationship, or creating stronger bonds with those we wish to keep in our lives. It is also very good for performance-related endeavors, such as music, drama and the like.
Purvaphalguni is literally considered to be full of vibration and potential, and it can work miracles for releasing inner intention into the Universe and gaining union with that goal. So for those of you wishing to release a creative project into the world, this Full Moon is excellent.
But for the hopeless romantics out there, be very careful and think twice before igniting a new flame! Even though this is an auspicious sign for marriage, it can be a deceptive sign when it comes to fulfilling our heart’s real longing for union. The energy of this Moon can be motivational and intensely inspiring, but that same motivation can be put out as quickly as it was ignited.
This is also a perfect time to pamper or treat yourself to something you desire. Self-care and healing are both highly supported by Purvaphalguni, whereas it’s sister-sign Uttarphalguni (where the Moon will align next), is about self-sacrifice and serving others. This reminds us that we have to take care of ourselves and love ourselves before we can truly uplift others. So this sign is seen as innocently and harmlessly selfish, in the sense that it reminds us not to neglect our own needs.
With that said, best wishes – and may the Full Moon aid in you feeling nourished, within and without!
NEXT UP! Eve James chats to Numinous founder Ruby Warrington about the difference between Western and Vedic (Eastern astrology). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates on every new post…
You’d like to get to know the little spirit you’re bringing into the world before you meet them, right? Cate Emond shares some simple ways to communicate with your unborn child. Images: Aurélie Raidron via Behance.net
There have always been the obvious ways of connecting with our unborn children; see women talking, singing, or reading stories out loud to our baby bumps. And whatever stage of pregnancy you Numi mamas are in, there are so many things you can do to feel bonded and connected to the little soul you’ve created a home for.
When I found out I was pregnant I was excited, but despite this I also felt very disconnected from my body, and from the little life steadily growing inside me. I realized I was going to have to go deeper into myself and my spiritual practise if I wanted to start creating a bond. Below are a few of my favorite ways to create that connection, and communicate with your unborn child:
:: Prenatal Meditation :: Prenatal meditation is really no different from regular meditation, the only difference being that a) you, or your partner, are pregnant and b) you are specifically using this time to connect with a little spirit. It can be just as simple as taking 15-20 minutes of your day to sit quietly on your own in a relaxed setting with no distractions, to tune into the energy inside. But I prefer guided meditations because they help me to visualize the baby – especially this one, which that also incorporates some kundalini yoga, as well as this prenatal belly dance and meditation, whiCh has helped me feel more connected with my body.
:: Creative Journaling :: I’ve kept a journal since I was a child, and more recently I’ve realized it’s not just a place to record the events of your day or how you feel. You could use yours to write letters to your little girl or boy, write songs or poetry, or create collages and vision boards about your future life together – the possibilities are endless.
:: Intentional Dreaming :: Dreams are a great way to send and receive messages from spirit. Before going to sleep, either think of the message you want to send or receive from your baby or write it down and place the piece of paper under your pillow. Keep paper and a pen by your bedside and record whatever dreams or messages came back to you as soon as you wake up. If the messages or images seem unclear, meditate on them for a few days, focusing on the feelings they arouse in you. You can also try this handy dream interpretation method I learned years ago:
Write down the events of the dream in short simple sentences.
Next, go back and underline one word in each sentence that jumps out at you immediately.
On a new sheet of paper, using the underlined words retell the dream as a brand new story in the way that best makes sense to you (but don’t think too hard about it).
People are so unique, and though many symbols have common universal meanings, they can still represent different things to different people. The point of this exercise is to get an interpretation that’s specific to you.
Early in my pregnancy I had a few minor complications and I was worried about losing the baby, so one night I asked for a message before going to sleep. The dream I had was about killer bees taking over my city, and I saw images of myself hovering over a little baby boy, protecting him. The next image I had was of a mailbox securely posted to a tree. I like to think that was a clever way of my baby letting me know he was safely waiting to be delivered, and that I was capable of providing a safe and protective environment. Much of my anxiety faded away after that dream.
:: Connecting with a Birth Intuitive :: Because I was feeling so disconnected from myself, and my pregnancy, I decided to book a session with a woman who specifically helps expectant mamas and couples communicate directly with what she calls their ‘spirit babies.’ This might be a great place to start with if you need a little bit of an outside boost to help get you in the spirit of connecting with your little spirit.
While preparing for my session with Colette, I had fun dreaming up questions such as “are you okay in there” (is my anxiety that obvious?), “how can I love you best?” and “what aspirations do you have for this life?” No question is off limits, though she was quick to point out that it wasn’t about prediction, simply connecting. It was an interesting experience, and I would recommend it for the reasons mentioned above, as well as just for the fun of it.
:: Angel Cards :: You can use any type of oracle card, but personally I love the Messages From Your Angels Oracle Cards by Doreen Virtue. The messages are comforting, clear and simple to understand. I tend to do single card draws because I like the focus of a single message, but there’s no right or wrong way to do it. If I have one I ask a specific question, but if not I just ask for a general message and then I shuffle and wait for the right card to pop out.
:: Self Care :: Okay, maybe not technically a way to bond with your baby, but it is one of the most important things to remember during pregnancy. We spend so much time worrying about how we’re going to care for this brand new life, that it can be easy to forget to care for ourselves, and if you’re neglecting your own needs you’re most likely going to feel miserable. Not the most conducive environment for feeling bonded to the little human inside of you.
One of my favorite takeaways from my session with Colette was the idea of “grand-mothering” ourselves. She asked me to: “remember how grandma loved you…how grandma paid attention to you and gave you advice and support [when you were young]. This is the kind of self-love that is recommended for pregnant women.”
So bake yourself some chocolate chip cookies, snuggle up with a blanket and a cup of tea, and journal, or meditate, or do whatever feels right to you in the moment. There’s no right or wrong ways to communicate with your baby, but he or she is most definitely listening.
How do you communicate with your unborn child? Pregnant or not! Share your stories with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
You can read more from Cate Edmond on her blog, and connect with her on Twitter.
