Spring Archives - the Numinous

APRIL GODDESS GUIDE: OSTARA

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Rebecca Farrar

With the cosmos bursting into Spring bloom, it’s prime time for channeling Ostara, says Rebecca Farrar. Find out where you’re ready for renewal, with her April Goddess Guide …

rebecca farrar ruby warrington the numinous april goddess guide 2018 material girl mystical world joe robles — *Photo: Joe Robles*

Ostara, aka Spring Equinox in the Pagan tradition, is named after the Germanic goddess of spring, fertility, and the dawn. Also spelled Eostre, which is where our words for “East” and “Easter” both come from, her name means “to shine.”

And while Ostara and the zodiac sign Aries come from different traditions, her symbolism has become intertwined with Spring renewal practices in the West, and both archetypes help us welcome the new season with gusto. One myth recounts that Ostara found a bird dying from the cold and changed it to a rabbit to keep it warm (Easter bunny anyone?)

Astrologically, Ostara is currently hanging out at one-degree Sagittarius, offering regrowth that expands our current sense of vision. She’ll be retrograding through July 9th back through Scorpio and joining Jupiter, reminding us that the shadow aspects of ourselves still need digging before our new story can fully emerge.

In our personal natal chart Ostara represents where and how we are renewed. In the shadow expression, she may represent the places we avoid darkness or shadow in favor of new beginnings.

As a harbinger of spring, she is a pioneer who welcomes us into the dawning of ourselves personally and collectively.

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Find out where you’re ready for personal renewal, rebirth, or even perhaps a full-blown reboot …

**To find Ostara in your chart, go to astro.com, enter your birth information, choose “Extended Chart Selection,” scroll down to “Additional Asteroids,” and type in 343.

PRO-TIP: If the asteroid is next to your Sun, Moon, Rising, or Midheaven, the archetypal energy of renewal and “dawning” will take on an even more potent, personal meaning for you.

1^st house// Take time to explore or revisit your personal mission or create a new exercise/physical health routine.

2^nd house// Finances, a sense of security, or earning power may require you to reshape your goals.

3^rd house// Learning and education are emphasized- try out a new class, perhaps one related Spring themes.

4^th house// Work with ancestors, heritage or emotional inner security as a way to revitalize your family connections.

5^th house// Find a renewed desire towards your personal creativity or even performing in the spotlight.

6^th house// Adjusting day-to-day habits and routines can help you find a personal sense of rebirth.

7^th house// Be on the lookout for new business partnerships or perhaps revamp your love life by seeing it with new eyes.

8^th house// During a season with fewer inward hours, vulnerability could offer a new way to access your depths.

9^th house// Plan a trip, or explore other ways to find renewal by creating a sense of adventure.

10^th house// Your “legacy” may take on a new meaning during this phase- explore it by finding common threads between all of your skills and talents.

11^th house// Feeling stuck around a sense of community may invite you to dive into new groups or alternative networks.

12^th house// Try a new meditation or explore playing instruments to access flow-state potential for a much needed rejuvenation.

rebecca farrar april goddess guide 2018 ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world — *Photo: Sarah Gray*

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And no matter where the asteroid is in your chart, here are ways to work with Ostara this Aries Season … (I for one will most likely be listening to Celene Dion’s “A New Day” on repeat while eating eggs!)

// Style // Go for flowy tops and skirts with sun rise, sherbet colors like corals or orangish hues.

// Food // Eat eggs dishes- quiches, frittatas, omelettes, etc.

// Workout // Yoga sun salutations facing East at sunrise.

// Home // Put flowers in the sunrise area of your home or add something bright to the Eastern-facing part of your space.

// Healing // Get enough Vitamin D from the sunshine, Light Therapy, or flower essences. And practice strong self-care and self-parenting by paying extra close attention to your inner child needs.

THE CANCER WAXING MOON WANTS YOU TO TRUST YOUR DIVINITY

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Jennifer Racioppi

With some big fire energies lighting up the cosmos right now, the watery Cancer Waxing Moon asks us to temper the urge to act out by embracing humility and coming home to our own divinity, says Jennifer Racioppi …

alia wilhelm jennifer racioppi ruby warrington the numinous material girl mystical world cancer waxing quarter moon — Photo: Alia Wilhelm

Waxing Quarter Moon // March 24 2018 // 11:35am EST // 3 degrees Cancer

With the Spring Equinox’s arrival, and a pack of Aries planets reigning in the cosmos right, the impulse towards new beginnings and fiery initiations is strong.

But before you burnout, tap into the waters of this Cancer Waxing Moon.

In sensitive, security-driven Cancer, it’s time to trust the invisible hand guiding your life without having to force a fresh start. With Mercury retrograde in the mix, patience goes a long way.

Embrace humility and trust that surrender and loving kindness are the absolute best medicine for this Waxing Moon …

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// The Cycle //
This particular Waxing Moon harkens back to the last New Moon in Cancer, which happened on June 23, 2017.

So look back to see what you committed to at the time of the 2017 summer solstice: what’s blooming now based on intentions set then? Pause. Evaluate. Appreciate. As we step into this new season, remember seasons of the past. Everything is connected.

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// Transits //
With four planets forming a stellium in Mars-ruled Aries, accentuating the need for change, momentum builds. Yet, with Mercury retrograde occurring in Aries until April 15th, temper this “me first” attitude.

With Venus squaring Pluto, and the Moon forming a cardinal T-square with Mars and the Sun, and soon to oppose Saturn, the universe serves up a whopping dose of tough love. Stay centered.

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// The Square //
This Waxing Quarter Moon’s cardinal T-square presents a challenging crossroads; like gridlock traffic, the desire to do “something” meets a cosmic roadblock preventing from forwarding momentum.

With the Sun in Aries and the Moon in Cancer, the need for action battles the need for security. Trust in the Divine, and your higher self, rather than catering to the needs of your ego. The release point of this T-Square is in Libra, the sign of equanimity, justice, and balance. Tuning into these values supports your inner strength now, as does paying attention to what feels beautiful.

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// The Opportunity //
How can you cultivate presence and look for the beauty despite the ensuing challenges at hand?

With the Moon traveling through nurturing Cancer, accept the invitation to come home to yourself. Feel into your body and your presence, and feel your emotions.

Trust in humility, surrender your issue to a higher power, and let go of the addiction to knowing your answer to the problem at hand.

This too shall pass. And it’s not always up to you. Stay humble and allow the invisible hand that guides your life reveal to you what you most need to know.

For more Moon wisdom or to book a coaching session with Jennifer visit Jenniferracioppi.com. And make sure to join her this Saturday, March 24th at Maha Rose for a Waxing Quarter Moon Ritual to celebrate rebirth & rejuvenation!

THE MAGIC INGREDIENT: CHAGA MUSHROOMS ARE SUPER HEALING & SUPER DELICIOUS

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Ysanne Spevack

Feeling the Spring fever? Ysanne Spevack whips up an immune boosting pudding with chaga mushrooms that’s equal parts powerful and subtly healing. Main Image: Mariano Peccinetti

April is an invigorating time of year, with spring’s changing moods inviting us back out of our homes and into the streets. The month also brings indecisive weather, from thunderstorms to sunshine. To face this fluctuating weather and to address the rising allergen percentage in the air, our immunity needs a natural boost right now.

Enter chaga mushrooms, a humble type of mycelium that grows on trees. More like a tree fungus than a regular mushroom, chaga is probably best known and most widely used for its scientifically confirmed anti-oxidant qualities that protect against cancer, and also for its use for people with HIV. Chaga doesn’t beat around the bush when it comes to antioxidant qualities.

That said, chaga is equally powerful when eaten to reduce seasonal allergies, and it has a soothing effect on the respiratory system. What’s more, chaga mushrooms have a subtle flavor that lends itself well to sweet recipes. It has a woody taste with an undertone of vanilla, so blends well with anything containing vanilla.

Chaga grows right here in the US and is always wild, never cultivated. You can find it on birch trees anywhere along the East Coast that experiences a cold winter. And if you’re not ready for a trip into the woods, you can find it ready-powdered online at High Vibe or your local independent purveyor of high-quality medicinal superfoods.

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Chaga Chia Pudding Recipe
by Ysanne Spevack

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 medjool dates
1½ cup water
2 tbs hemp hearts
2tsp powdered chaga
½ tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup black chia seeds

Method:

Remove the pits from the dates using your fingers, and drop them into a blender. Add the water, hemp hearts, chaga, and vanilla, then cover and process at the highest speed for 45 seconds.

If you have a Mason jar, pour the chia seeds into it, and pour the liquid into the jar. If you don’t have a Mason jar, any kind of 2 cup lidded container will work.

Secure the lid, and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, to ensure the seeds are all thoroughly wet and aren’t clumping together. If you see obvious clumps, open the lid and break them up with a fork.

Set aside on the counter to gel for at least three hours. After that duration, it’s either ready to eat, or to refrigerate. Consume within 3 days.

Discover more about Ysanne Spevack HERE.

ARIES SEASON 2017: A BOND GIRL FOR YOUR MARS SIGN

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Bess Matassa

In their sensory exploration of Aries season 2017, Cara George & Bess Matassa of Mojave Rising pick the sounds, the color palette, the styles, and the flavors for the month to come…Homepage image: Maciej Bernas

Aries Season Mojave Rising The Numinous Capoeira fashion — *Mario Testino for Vogue*

Strike a match, stoke the flames, and break into bold blossom like the hothouse flower you were born to be. As the astrological New Year begins, it’s a deliciously innocent moment for rediscovering the strength in exactly where we stand, and then leaping open-handed into the fierce future.

The zodiac’s lusty little lamb schools us in the true wisdom of inspired action that springs seamlessly from our creative cores. So sidle up to the starting line dressed in nothing but your unapologetic desire and the unbridled urge to just say “yes.”

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The keyword: Innocence.

The song lyrics: “We’re heading for something/Somewhere I’ve never been/Sometimes I am frightened/But I’m ready to learn/Of the power of love”—Celine Dion, “The Power of Love”

Check out our Aries Season Playlist, complete with heartfelt rockers, lyrical honesty, and disco infernos.

The color palette: vernal, just-born hues, and stripped-down southwestern shades: sparkling eggshell whites, ripe and ready bright greens, and the sun-bleached reds and oranges of exposed desert living.

Celine SS17 Aries Season catwalk looks Mojave Rising The Numinous — *Celine SS17*

The style: masculine minimalist meets Victorian garden. Botanical print tees paired with high-waisted blue jeans, functional lace adornments, loose locks, slim-fitting motorcycle jackets, and low heeled boots.

The scents and flavors: deliciously simple, and farm-fed fresh. Think goat’s milk ice cream, violet candies, and barnyard scents of grass, hay, and dirt.

Grass fragrance Aries Season catwalk looks Mojave Rising The Numinous — *Grass Cologne, $19, The Library of Fragrance*

The healing: fiercely fun and invigoratingly frictional. Think capoeira, salsa class, blind dates, and finger painting.

Want more juicy cosmic insights and sensory explorations? Arrange an astrology reading or private event with Mojave Rising here or follow them on Instagram.

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Sensuous Invitation of the Month: Bond Girls for Your Mars Sign

Ruled by Mars, Aries season urges us to harness our potency, sexual desire, and action-oriented instincts. Your Mars sign is your birth chart’s muscle car—it describes your personal style of power play, and how you drive towards what you want.

Below, your sign-by-sign guide to starting your engines. Shake it, stir it, and serve it up!

**New to your birthchart? Discover your Mars sign here!

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Mars in Aries: Aries season invites you to fight cleanly, and to sink your teeth into frictional encounters in a way that feels innocently invigorating. Bond Girl: Goldfinger’s Pussy Galore– the ferocious leader of an all-female flying circus, Pussy was rough, tumble, and absolutely ready for Bond.

Mars in Taurus: Aries season invites you to honor your steady, sensual brand of power, and to root deeply into your ability to use your material resources to create change. Bond Girl: A View To a Kill’s May Day– the bombshell of a bodyguard who uses superhuman strength to lift men over her head with ease.

Mars in Gemini: Aries season invites you to revel in your capacity for curious action, seek inspiration through communication, and tackle life from multiple perspectives. Bond Girl: Diamonds Are Forever’s Bambi & Thumper– the nimble pair of acrobatic vixen who come at James from all angles.

Mars in Cancer: Aries season invites you to emotionally assert yourself and celebrate empathetic action that honors both your own feelings and your ability to fight for others. Bond Girl: Thunderball’s Domino– the snorkeling seductress with deep family ties.

Mars in Leo: Aries season invites you to playfully seize power with a sparkling, generous heart that delights in shared strength and creative collision. Bond Girl: Diamonds Are Forever’s Tiffany Case– the jewel-smuggling Vegas showgirl with hair as high as her bets.

Mars in Virgo: Aries season invites you to capitalize on your measured responses, and to align your actions with the subtler rhythms of your environment. Bond Girl: Miss Moneypenny– Bond’s stalwart sexpot secretary who acts with integrity and outlasts them all.

Mars in Libra: Aries season invites you to tap into your ability to go after high-minded ideals, to collaborate, and to contemplate movement before making the leap. Bond Girl: Casino Royale’s Vesper Lynd– Bond’s absolute equal and one true love.

Mars in Scorpio: Aries season invites you to relish in your darker, carnal desires, and to harness your primal power through their full release. Bond Girl: Goldeneye’s Xenia Onatopp– the ruthless assassin who crushes Bond between her powerful thighs.

Mars in Sagittarius: Aries season invites you to expand your actions wider and wider as you embrace wild visions big enough to criss-cross the entire globe. Bond Girl: The World Is Not Enough’s Dr. Christmas Jones– the border hopping nuclear physicist who gives Bond a run for his money.

Mars in Capricorn: Aries season invites you to savor your self-sufficiency, and rise up from an inner authority that answers to absolutely no one. Bond Girl: Octopussy’s Octopussy– the luxe, eponymous lady who reigns supreme over a self-sufficient island of femme fatales.

Mars in Aquarius: Aries season invites you to shoot your potent love beams straight into the unknown future as you break past limitations with tenacious trust in your innovative approach. Bond Girl: Moonraker’s Holly Goodhead– the feminist astronaut who sends Bond into outer space.

Mars in Pisces: Aries season invites you to fully delight in the concept of allowing as you celebrate empowerment that comes from letting it all be exactly as it is. Bond Girl: Dr. No’s Honey Ryder– sporting nothing but a saltwater-soaked bikini and a hunting knife, this shell-collecting sweetheart is both innocent and independent

Want more juicy cosmic insights and sensory explorations? Arrange an astrology reading or private event with Mojave Rising here or follow them on Instagram.

SHADOW EMOTION: HOW TO WORK WITH ANGER

Posted on May 17, 2016November 4, 2018 by Erin Telford

Mars retrograde stirring up any suppressed…rage (um, Lemonaid)? You can use your anger as a powerful tool for transformation, says Erin Telford…

Anger is my favorite shadow emotion. It’s powerful, it gets things done and it is excellent at creating boundaries and change.

But anger is also one of the most misunderstood and underutilized emotions. As women, we are socialized in both overt and covert ways to be nice, not make a fuss and not rock the boat. When we are taught by our loved-ones and by our culture to bite our tongue in service of keeping the peace, we can get very disconnected from trusting our feelings and from feeling safe to work with this emotion when it flares up.

The thing is, most of us have never seen a healthy expression of anger. We associate it with road rage, throwing things at people, screaming, crying, cursing, fear, abuse, physical threats, danger, and out of control people. These are all examples of unhealthy anger. It’s not an emotion we appreciate so we try our very best to suppress it out of existence.

But it’s actually unexpressed or suppressed anger can get ugly. And beyond the stigma, all anger is, is a catalyst for change and an opportunity for some honest communication. Anger can actually work for you if you work with it.

Anger in its purest form simply says: “I don’t like this. Something needs to be different about this situation.” It’s a call to action! You don’t like it? Okay, change it!

One of the best examples of healthy anger is peaceful protest. This is anger put to work—a group of people turning their collective anger into action to create change. We are seeing this right now in politics, the environment, and human rights. It is impossible for anyone with a beating heart to turn a blind eye to what is going on in our world. We are riled up, expressing our opinions and getting involved!

We can all do this in our personal lives as well. Anger is a very powerful force and if wielded with grace and finesse, it can move mountains. Where we get into trouble with anger is when we push it down, causing it to build.

Anger is connected with the season of spring. This is because it speaks to the catalytic energy surge required to turn a seed into a plant, to push it’s little head above the soil and reach for the sun! Spring, our liver, and by association the energy of anger, are connected with upward and outward growth.

So what happens if your growth is inhibited? What happens when someone tells you “no”? A ridiculous new policy is created at work? What if you are simply just trying to walk down the street and everyone is in your way? You didn’t get the apartment or the job or the acceptance letter, a flight is delayed, a class isn’t offered, you didn’t get the promotion?

These are ways that an obstacle interrupts the smooth flow of our life. We don’t like obstacles. We don’t like no. We don’t like interruptions to our plans.

And so our natural reaction can be anger. Which is totally fine. We are upset.

But to deny this is to block our access our personal power. When we feel guilty about what we feel or label ourselves as being “negative” when we feel angry, we miss out on an opportunity to out-create our circumstances.

Rather, if we can sit with our anger, can look at where it’s coming from and why we feel it, we can polish it into a nugget of transformational gold. If we have been hurt or upset by another person, rather than lashing out, we can advocate for ourselves and clearly state our needs to that person. If someone continually disrespects or hurts us, you may need to use that anger to create a change in the terms of that relationship!

You may have heard that anger turned inward results in depression—an oversimplified expression, since depression has many roots and takes many forms—but there is some weight to it.

When we repress our anger toward a partner, friend, loved one or co-worker by not sharing our truth, we are betraying ourselves. We are inadvertently communicating to ourselves that our feelings don’t matter and we are not worth standing up for. Self-betrayal is the most painful betrayal of all and can decrease self-esteem and confidence—leading to depression.

So we stay snippy and unexpressed and we self-medicate even more or our tense up even more, or our digestion suffers. It doesn’t have to be this way. Use your anger as a call to action to change your circumstances.

Breathe it out. Dance it out. Run it out. Write it out. Scream it out (not at someone else!) Sing it out. Create it out. Talk it out. Paint it out. Boot camp it out. Express it out.

You have to feel it to heal it. You have to let it out to transform it. Just don’t be afraid of anger.

The more you know your triggers and can feel when it’s rising in you, the more gently and safely you can manage this emotion. Anger is so powerful and properly harnessed it can do so much for you. Think of anger as your inner Mama Bear, your inner Kali, and your inner badass.

And let it be fuel to create powerful change and transform your life.

SHE’S ELECTRIC: READING FOR THE ARIES NEW MOON

Posted on April 5, 2016March 11, 2019 by Hannah Ariel

The Aries New Moon is here to spark the next current of your personal evolution. Hannah Ariel explains how to max out the electrifying cosmic energy…

If there is one astrological phenomenon we can count on to be even more invigorating to our consciousness than the monthly New Moon itself, it is the annual New Moon that takes place in a CARDINAL FIRE sign; a New Moon in ARIES; and, this coming April 7, a New Moon conjunct URANUS in Aries, at that.

Over the past five years, all moon cycles beginning in Aries have, to some extent, sparked our Uranian capacity to become agents of radical change in our own lives. Since 2011, not one person can say they haven’t experienced some type of an inner revolution. A fundamentally microcosmic life altering realization, that has led to the total reformation of a past ideal.

Along the way, each Aries New Moon has been a tipping points in our ability to creatively break out of seemingly impossible-to-change, consistently stuck-in-our-own-way patterns. And in exchange for freeing ourselves from the old, each Aries New Moon cycle has helped us find new and immediately effective ways to develop new parts of ourselves. Like, innovative, far-reaching, freaky-deaky-ridiculously magical parts of our beings. Everything from the way we think, to he way we make decisions and navigate our relationships has been somehow challenged over the past five years, as if begging for an upgrade.

On April 7 2016 we will experience once more the shockingly electric energy of Uranus conjunct the Moon in Aries – but this time even more powerfully so, as Uranus will be right by this Moon’s side. The impact it will have on us as individuals depends on our willingness to continue to confidently divert from the norm, from what has been before, and embrace what are revealed as exciting new ways of being.

Before you read any further – pause, and think back in time to one year ago. Who were you then? What understanding did you have of yourself? How has that person changed since then? Now go back to just six months ago. How had you begun integrating those changes? What or who were you in the process of becoming more of? Now, come back to this very moment. How have you completely TRANSFORMED since one year ago? What has fundamentally changed?

The question NOW, is what will the part of you that remains do next?

See, an Aries New Moon is all about YOU, the individual; YOU, as a traveler through space and time; YOU, as the hero/heroine of your own personal journey; and all that YOU have brought into existence. And as it is your tale that is dynamically unfolding, it is only you who knows what comes next.

There’s no doubt that there will be some degree of serendipity at work – IF, that is, you tune into your story and what it’s telling you. This is a time to come alive with excitement about where these changes in your personality are taking you. And you can trust that whatever you have built on is here to stay this time around. For the first time in since Uranus entered fiery Aries, SATURN, the planet of karma, the planet that structures our whole reality in real time, is in a visionary fire sign of SAGITTARIUS.

In aspect to one another, this Aries New Moon is positively ensuring that we will be creating more stability for ourselves with the eventful actions we are taking now as an expression of our individuality – the true source of all fantastic Uranian breakthroughs.

To work with this energy on an even deeper level, we can also look to decipher the intention that lies behind the very degree that this Aries New Moon takes place – the 18th degree of Aries. The Sabian Symbol (a deeply symbolic channeled image) for this degree as stated in Dane Rudhyar’s Astrological Mandala, is: “An empty hammock stretched between two trees. A constructive alternation of activity and rest, referring to the ability to balance outer vitalistic activity and withdrawal from such activity… which suggests a middle path between total involvement in instinctual or social drives and withdrawal in silence – thus living rhythmically.”

And so this Aries New Moon is an invitation to stretch your consciousness to hold both polarities: the part of yourself ready for immediate action, AND the part of yourself that knows how to hold back to develop your ideas in private.

As much as this is a time to act on all the electricity that is being stirred up externally in your life, it will also serve you to consider ways you can tap into the quietly imaginative recesses of your consciousness, where your most unique and the magical solutions can take shape. Uranus in Aries energetically brings the future to the present moment and embodies the very idea that when every individual takes action from a place that includes a vision of the far-flung future, the present moment becomes ECSTATIC and can “contain multitudes.”

The key to unlocking the gifts of this Aries New Moon will be to proactively seek an electrifying source of inspiration from within you, to be open the many possibilities you hold, and to align with the adventure of who you are becoming. And to remember all you have gone through to become who you are now. The answers to what kind of actions to take in light of your current circumstances will spring forth as soon as you allow yourself to embody the power of both creation and recreation.

As an empowering mantra for ALL sun signs at this time, I’m including the below poem – some carefully selected bits and pieces from sections of Walt Whitman’s brilliant Song of Myself:

(3.) There was never any more inception than there is now
(20.) I exist as I am, that is enough
And I know the amplitude of time
I am afoot with my vision
(51.) The past and present wilt – I have fill’d them, emptied them,
And proceed to fill my next fold of the future.

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)

To book a personal reading with Hannah contact: [email protected]

BE AT PEACE: READING FOR THE LIBRA FULL MOON ECLIPSE

Posted on March 21, 2016March 11, 2019 by Hannah Ariel

The Libra Full Moon Eclipse of March 23 2016 is a cosmic opportunity to take control of our story and our view of the world, says Hannah Ariel.

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.” –Salvador Dali

Are we having fun yet? Each day since the March 8 Pisces Solar Eclipse we’ve been tested with every experience – to trust that is divinity at work every step of the way. We’ve been asked to ride multiple waves of consciousness at once, to yield to our experiences, and yet not be knocked about by all this transcendental energy into a confusing state of helplessness.

The past two weeks, each one of us has individually endured a very personal journey of self-discovery, as we made our way through the Piscean waters. We’ve been subtly guided to hold more faith in ourselves, in our own life path. And throughout this process, we’ve experienced flashes of visionary magic. All we believed was lost, all that has been obscured from plain sight, is now present.

As the Sun has just entered Aries, we now find ourselves emerging from a deeply mystical communion with this energy. And with a newly found sense of conviction, we are ready to move between worlds; to take a visionary leap from our inner depths, and out into the open with fiery inspired action.

This year, the Spring Equinox is more than just a marker of the seasons, bringing a potent opportunity to find center gravity between the Eclipses. We can always trust lunar eclipses, like those of March 8 and March 23, to bring massive revelations, this week’s Libra Full Moon Eclipse is exceptionally creative. When it comes to serving the future, right now it is about being in alignment – finding the pathway that will bring the many facets of your inner world, out into harmony with the world. This Lunar Eclipse in Libra is your time to Spring forth!

As soon as the sun entered Aries on March 20 it became important to acknowledge a point of view that is your own – a point of fearless enterprise within yourself. Inquire deeply into what this means to you, for the energy of this Libra Full Moon Eclipse is to bring this to life. Remember, the Solar Eclipse in Pisces fell on the South Side of the nodal axis, which meant it was possible to find ourselves going overboard, drowning in the collective, giving away our energy, losing proper boundaries, feeling all sorts of ecstatic highs and disorienting lows asking to be brought into balance.

Conversely, this is a North Node Lunar Eclipse, where anything we feel can actually be channeled, consciously and precisely, into actions that will create a more harmonious future. Going forward, our experiences will be infused with a great sense of relief that we are moving forward, we are finding ourselves with healthy revelations about our storyline. Simply by being true to ourselves.

With this eclipse we are reminded how powerful it is when we can truly meet our genuine self at a soul level, and, enchanted by what we find, move into the future with a sense of utter alignment.

“Textbook” Libra is always at work to experience a form of optimal harmony. Libra views life as a masterpiece, and strives for perfection. And if we are to be mindful of anything we’ve learned the past two weeks, spiritually speaking, our ideas of “perfection” often have little to do with our actual experience of life. Our experiences run far deeper than any such framework can imagine.

And so, this Lunar Eclipse is not quite about being aligned with what looks beautiful from the OUTSIDE but from what truly FEELS right for you from the inside. To draw from your own perspective, from your own insight, is the goal going forward. To find a truth within that everything else can spring forth from. THIS is where true harmony resides, and where life can begin to fulfill you. THIS is the spot to drop the anchor this eclipse season. This is where we have a chance at finding inner peace.

This is also the place where we learn how to truly fulfill our bonafide creativity, which this Libra Full Moon eclipse is also ALL about. Mercury will be conjunct the Sun in Aries offering us inspired, authentic ideas we can confidently move forward with as it will also be fueled by Mars in Sagittarius in positive aspect. Even more crucially, that recognize this is a Venus ruled Lunar eclipse – expect revelatory experience in regard to Venus matters of love, beauty and abundance, particularly the relationship between you and the way you view your life as a divine work of art.

Venus, the ruler of this Full Moon, will be conjunct Neptune just a few days prior. Although Venus has annually made a pass at Neptune since 2011, Neptune has now reached 10 degrees of Pisces for the first time in 200 years. 10 is a number of mastery; it amplifies our ability to use our creative powers to achieve harmony from within ourselves in relation to the world surrounding us. This is an incredible time to consciously give life to unexpressed dreams – the unseen dimensions of your personality that would like to receive more energy.

So get ready to let go of your fantasy of perfection, as this eclipse will shed light on any perspective that does not contribute to your growth. Jupiter in Virgo and Saturn in Sagittarius will also be squaring around this time– there is pressure to really work with what we’ve got, further encouraging us to let go of any fantasies of perfection and get grounded in the day-to-day. Especially in the way we relate to our spiritual self, and the path we are taking on this Earthly plane.

Also for reference, take note: this Eclipse is the last of a two-year cycle, the last Full Moon Eclipse having taken place in Aries on September 27 2015. Think back to what you were feeling compelled to act out on then. Any bells ringing? How is the energy of these events reverberating now? Events since then have all been at work to bring you to this point, to find our how you can begin feeling at peace with yourself.

FINALLY. As soon as we end one relationship we begin another, to ourselves, to our stories, to our lives. This Libra Full Moon eclipse is just the beginning of yet anther re-definition of how we learn to see our lives as a masterpiece, imperfections and all.

For a private reading with Hannah contact: [email protected]

#NOFILTER: HOW TO HARVEST YOUR OWN SPRING WATER

Posted on August 25, 2015March 11, 2019 by Alexandra Derby

Want to feel truly ALIVE? Then it’s time to harvest your own spring water, says Alexandra Derby.

We are literally made up of water, around 60% of our entire body, just like that of Planet Earth. After breathing, oxygen, the second most fundamental element to our existence is water. And so the water we drink is one of the biggest contributors to our state of overall health, happiness and wellbeing.

The juiciness of our cells, our bodies ability to flush out unwanted toxins, the vibrancy and elasticity of our skin: all reasons why it is so important to drink the best water possible. But living in big cities we are given very little access to natural, unadulterated water. So if you are serious about pursuring the most vibrant life possible, then it’s up to you to take matters into your own hands!

I’ve been on a quest to drink the best water possible since the birth of my daughter three years ago. As a geeky Virgo, my search led me to the study of structured water – what Gerald Pollack describes as the ‘fourth state of water’ – as found in natural spring water.

We know from our science lessons at school that water can be solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam). In its forth state, the molecules of Pollack’s structured water form a crystalline lattice aligned in a Flower of Life pattern.

And spring water is naturally structured into a coherent crystal lattice by Mother Earth, who, left to her own devices, structures EVERYTHING into a coherent crystal lattice (including us humans!) so that all living things can vibrate together in harmony.

But what does this mean for our bodies? Well, in a word, coherence. The blood and cells in your body resonate perfectly with this state of crystalline unity. In effect, this means you can program your body with unity consciousness by simply drinking water!

Some things I have tried in my quest to quench my thirst for structured water:

Drinking spring water from bottles. Glass is best as plastic leaches into the water and adds to the plastic waste pile that will only end up polluting our oceans.
Filtering tap water. I’ve tried Brita filters (downside is the jug is plastic and you have to replace disposable plastic filters); an elegant glass water filter with Japanese charcoal (sadly discontinued from Design Within Reach); and Berkey filters (excellent, but made of metal – glass is always best container for water).
Charging my water. Combined with a filtration system, this really makes a difference to how the water feels in your body. I have tried tesla plates (a tuned anodized aluminum plate that works to bring bioenergetic fields back into balance and harmony); placing crystals in my water to structure it in resonance to their crystalline field; and giving Reiki to my water by cupping my hands around it before I drink it.
Blessing my water by saying: “Thank you. I love you.” As Masaru Emoto demonstrated with his hauntingly beautiful images showing how water crystals resopond to intentions, music and specific words, the most powerful coherence and greatest beauty was shown when the water was acknowledged with Love and Gratitude – “Thank you. I love you.”

BUT the day I convinced by husband and kid to drive upstate and harvest our own spring water, naturally structured water, was the day I fully understood what the saying ‘you can taste the difference’ really meant!

I knew I really had to do something more about the water I was drinking when I kept dreaming of how I needed to drink spring water. So, following my intuitive voice I found a website with just the information I was looking for.

Findaspring.com is an amazing resource mapping all of the natural springs accessible in your area, along with detailed directions. The huge and passionate natural spring water community keeps the comments updated for each spring with information about the quality of the water, accessibility, and whether the spring is dry or not.

Typing the address of our local spring into google maps, we headed off one Saturday morning with a couple of three-gallon glass bottles and a sense of adventure. As we drove further from the City, I began fretting we would never find the spot – but we kept going, and right on cue saw a car pulled over to the side of the road with a man lifting water bottles out.

There was a small gathering at the spring. An extended Polish family were filling up about 15 five-gallon bottles that would last them for months, they said. There are no legal limits on the amount of spring water you are allowed to harvest but it is recommended to harvest five gallons at a time.

Getting my first taste of the beautiful crisp water that was gushing out of the pipe from the ground can only be described as pure magic. I knew for sure then that water is Sacred. This water was so sparkling that mini rainbows were reflecting off the droplets on my cupped hand. My body tingled with delight, I literally feel ALIVE. This water had come straight from Mother Earth, unfiltered, untouched by any processes, straight from the Source.

The first week of drinking the water we harvested, some surprising things happened. We decided to focus on using the water for drinking, as we had not harvested enough to bathe in. And so we used it in all our smoothies, nut milks and any recipe that needed unheated water.

The first thing I noticed was that heaviness that I used to feel from water sitting in my stomach was gone, as if the spring water was being taken straight into my cells. I felt light! I felt vibrant! And then… all sorts of old emotional patterns starting rising to the surface.

I realised that in drinking such pure water, all the toxins I was carrying, not just physically but DEEP emotional toxins, were being pulled to the surface to be purged. It felt like I was being guided through a process of letting go of anything that no longer served me. I felt I was being ‘cleared out’, so as to be a vessel for greater light, and greater balance. Wow. What a reminder that water is Life.

How do you make sure you’re drinking the purest water possible? Connect with us and share your tips on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

ROUND THE MAYPOLE: WHY BELTANE IS THE SEASON TO BE SEXY

Posted on May 1, 2015March 11, 2019 by Elyssa Jakim

Does the Beltane maypole really represent the phallus? Elyssa Jakim uncovers the Pagan roots of pole dancing, and has some sexy tips for spring… Image: Ania Powalowska

The wheel of the year is turning toward Beltane. Traditionally celebrated on the first of May, this wiccan/pagan holiday conjures up the famous image of the maypole. I wasn’t told until recently that the circling maypole is an inherently phallic symbol—decorating and dancing around, well, a large penis. So much the better! Beltane is about fertility, sexuality, and abundance. This time of year, we are beginning to really dust off our bodies from the stiffness of winter, to come home to our sensuality. We’re moving from April showers to May flowers. It is all about blossoming. As such, it is the perfect time to celebrate sexuality fertility.

I’ve been getting this hint in strange ways in my inbox all week. Emails about “my orgasm type?”, an offer for a month of erotic tips, a request from a friend to be interviewed about love, a video about how to be a conscious and loving parent. It’s seems like we’re all tuning into this energy (subtly and not so subtly) so why not embrace it?

And so, because it’s fun, I’ve gathered a few tips to help you love up your sexual self and celebrate Beltane! I’ll also be offering a by-donation Beltane ritual at Species by the Thousands in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on May 5, if you want to keep the juiciness flowing through the coming Full Moon period.

:: SPRING SEXY TIME TIPS ::

Light some genital candles. Seriously. Penis and pussy candles, sold at Enchantments among other places, are extremely powerful. They come in red, white, and black—my preference being the white ones, for healing and purification. You can light each candle with the intention of stepping into your sexual power, fully embodying the divine feminine and masculine, celebrating the goddess and the god, and clearing old sexual hurts.

I recently lit a penis candle as a way to “say goodbye to the old dicks” in my life, and heal past sexual relationships, wishing all old lovers light. I then lit the pussy candle with the intention of fully honoring and loving her, of stepping into my sexual power and sensuality. Of course, which candle you light and how you light it will depend on your sexual preferences and history and your intuition. There is no right or wrong way to do this.

Love up your whole body. Get some shea butter, coconut oil, or any nice body moisturizer that you enjoy, and use it to anoint every inch of your body. Go slowly, celebrating each part of you, telling yourself how beautiful you are, noticing small details and marks, and breathing through the experience. This process may not be easy, as we all have so many stored, often hidden, feelings about our bodies – which in turn store feelings that may be released through this practice. My advice is to go slowly and gently, play soft music and offer yourself as much compassion as you can. And don’t worry, it’s largely lovely and enjoyable!

Do something romantic for yourself. Buy yourself flowers. Take a bath with essential oils, rose petals, crystals, and candles. Take yourself out on a date and get dressed up for yourself. Then take yourself home and make love to yourself. And if you have a partner, do all of this for them too!

Play a secret, sexy game. Whenever you see someone you’re sexually attracted to, check in with your genitals and see how they feel. Intentionally connecting our visual cues of attraction from our eyes to our sex center is so healing and opening for us. This one is great for the subway. Oh, and throw in some kegels too, why don’t you?

Go out dancing. The Earth gods and goddesses (not to mention the fairies) just love dancing. So go dance for them! Dance for your body, and dance!

Happy Beltane all. I hope that by loving up your body and sexual essence your inner fire can melt away those last vestiges of winter, making you be ready for a spring that’s full of play.

Have you been feeling the Beltane awakening? Share your spring rituals with us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

Elyssa’s Beltane workshop takes place at Species By The Thousands on May 5. For more information visit Elyssajakimwellness.com

FEET ON THE GROUND: A YOGA SEQUENCE FOR TAURUS

Posted on April 23, 2015November 4, 2018 by Ash Bonelli

The coming month is a time for rooting your dreams in reality. Get grounded with this yoga sequence for Taurus, says Ash Baker. Image: Anthony Maule and Carine Roitfeld for Harper’s Bazaar.

Ruler :: Venus
Element :: Earth
Modality :: Fixed
Anatomy :: Throat, neck, vocal cords, tonsils, thyroid, tongue and mouth

2nd sign of the Zodiac

We are now heading into the mid-spring month of the Bull. Think earthly sensuality and grounded, focused qualities. Perfect timing for meditating on what you would like your summer to look like. What can you create in your life with precision right now that will bloom into something magical in a couple of months? Taurean energy is what to embody wherever you need some stability in your life. Our practice this month will help cultivate empowerment through pressing into the earth and opening our hearts.

:: Lions Breath ::
Take a deep inhale through your nose, and as you exhale, open your mouth and stick out your tongue. Curl the tip of your tongue towards your chin. You will make a “Haaaa” sound. Give your tongue a good stretch and really push the air out of your throat. Inhale through your nose and repeat. Go through three-five rounds.

Now bring your hands to your heart and think of something you would like to offer to yourself or another person. Yoga can be seen as a moving meditation so what would you like your intention for this session to be?

:: Tabletop spinal extension ::
Come to hands and knees. Tuck your tailbone slightly and firm your abdominals. Inhale, reach the right leg out behind you and press through the heel, firing up all the muscles of the leg and giving you more support. Fully exhale.

Then with your next inhale reach the left arm out in front of you. Keep your palm facing inward. Looking down feel the length being creating in your spine as you reach in opposite directions with arm and leg. Release the arm and leg back to the floor. Repeat with the left leg and right arm. Hold for three rounds of breath. Complete two rounds on each side.

:: Low Lunge ::
From a standing position step the right leg/foot towards the back of the mat. Drop your right knee down onto the floor, tucking the toes under for more balance. Exhale and bend the front left knee. Make sure the knee is bent directly over the ankle. Tilt the pelvis slightly under and lengthen up through the spine.

Squeeze the inner thighs towards one another to get a little lift and then release slightly and let the pelvis sink down towards the floor allowing some opening in the right hip flexors. Inhale the arms up overhead and reach through the fingers. Hold for three-five rounds of breath. Repeat on the other side.

:: Triangle/Trikonasana with arm circles ::
From a standing position, turn to face the left and take a wide stance with your legs. Take your front right foot and point it forward and take the back left foot and point it to a 45-degree angle. You can have heel to heel alignment or wider depending on your hips and what makes you feel stable.

Reach your right arm out over that front leg and begin to reach as far forward as you can. Once you reach your edge, take the same hand to your shin, foot, a block or the floor. Take the left arm and gently reach it upwards. You can look up towards your hand or, for more stability, down to the floor. Add some flow by sweeping the left arm down towards your hip and back up creating a full circle. Take a few circles and repeat this pose on the other side.

:: Grounding Meditation ::
This meditation can be done anywhere you have the ability to place your feet on the ground or any other supported surface. I kid you not, some of my best meditations have been on a public city bus, feet planted on the floor and eyes lightly closed. So just find a space you can sit or even stand for a few minutes and begin to simply feel your breath move around your body, flowing in and out of your nostrils.

Now begin to focus on the feeling of your feet against the ground. Take time to connect with that support. Feel how strong it is and apply those qualities to the areas in your life that need more stability. Stay there breathing, feeling those focused, strong, and stable qualities within yourself. Know that you are always supported. Divinity is designed that way.

Monthly Mantra: I am supported, secure and strong in all my actions.