As Venus ends its retrograde and the new moon enters Scorpio, there are more than enough reasons why you might be feeling all sorts of emotions.
It's been a volatile entrance into the fall - big highs and extreme lows dancing together one after another. With the intense energy of last month's full moon, this new moon's energy asks us to clean up whatever mess may have been made in order to set a clean foundation for new beginnings.
With the holiday season approaching, think of this new moon cycle as a chance to tie any loose ends we might have into bows. If there are conversations we need to continue or put an end to, now is the time. If there is an area of your life that feels overwhelming and messy, now is the time to get organized, put your head down, and focus on clearing and cleaning up whatever needs to be sorted. You've got the energy of this new moon to keep you energized and grounded, so that when you've checked all the little boxes on your energetic to-do list, you can shift your focus to what you want to create without being cluttered by unfinished tasks.
A life-tidying is in order. It might get a little emotional and maybe even a bit messier before it gets better, but sometimes you need to take everything out of your closet to see what's there before you decide what to keep and what to get rid of.
Happy autumn cleaning, moonbeam. More space is certainly ahead.
NEW MOON RITUAL: GROUND + CLEAR
Clear yourself out during this new moon to make space for the exciting unknown of what's ahead. Before we get submersed in the demands of the season, we can take the energy of the new moon and intentionally refresh from the inside.
Our outer world is a direct reflection of our personal inner world, and so in order to create change around us, we must find stability and support from the inside. Calm the inside to experience serenity outside. Fill yourself up on love in order to experience the fullness of being loved.
We'll use a breath practice and a Shuni Mudra, a symbolic hand gesture that supports grounding and stability. The breath practice we will use is Kapalabhati, or skull-polishing breath. This breath has a purifying effect that helps clean up and clear out energy through an activating and heat inducing technique. The mudra combined with the breath practice grounds and ignites at the same time, so that we can root down as we gain a clearer perspective of our current experience.
GROUND + CLEAR:
1. Find a comfortable seat cross-legged on the floor. Sit on a pillow (or a two) or a meditation cushion. You want your hips slightly elevated to ensure your spine is tall. If you need further support for your back, sit against a wall.
2. Set a timer for 3 minutes. Close the eyes and take a moment to settle into your body and your space. With whatever is present, take a few deep breaths in and out. Accepting all that is present while acknowledging that you are ready to clear whatever it is that no longer serves you.
3. Find Shuni Mudra by facing your palms up and connecting the middle finger and thumb on each hand. Allow the rest of your fingers to spread outward gently and rest your hands on your thighs.
4. Keeping the lips gently sealed, begin Kapalabhati by sharply exhaling short sharp bursts out of the nose and snapping/pumping your navel back to your spine with each exhale. Allow the inhale to come into your body naturally and passively. Focus on pumping the exhales out of the body at a quick rate. As you exhale, you'll say the word “CLEAR” silently to yourself.
5. Once the timer goes off, pause the breath technique and find a deep inhale through the nose and an exhale out of the mouth. Re-set the timer and repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds. After the third round, rest for as long as you can in your tall seat, basking in any spaciousness and clarity that may be present.
Know that at any moment you can call upon the medicine of your breath and the symbology of the body to tap into what you need.
