Has anyone told you lately that you’re doing a good job?
It’s one thing to be proud of yourself. It’s another to have someone tell you that you should be proud of yourself. And it is a wholly separate thing to have someone recognize you for what you are doing amidst everything else that is going on, seen and unseen; to hear, “I appreciate you and the energy you are bringing to this table.” We cannot rely on others for validation of ourselves, but we all need to be recognized once in a while as an irreplaceable member of this glorious, diverse collective.
First name / one, you are doing a really good job.
And I am so proud to call you a member of my community. I’m grateful for your contribution, your attention, your awareness, and your consideration.
Sometimes it blows my mind that I’m still here. Still showing up, still learning. Still growing, still experiencing joy and pleasure, as well as discomfort and pain. I think of where I was three years ago, having a crisis of faith in Las Vegas; four years ago, filing for divorce in Maine; ten years ago, dancing despite (to spite) a DUI in New Orleans; fourteen years ago, relearning to trust my own mind after being hospitalized.
Perhaps it’s this season in particular, that makes the cyclical nature of time that much more apparent. As we go about the preparations for the year’s impending end, the leaves change from gold to red to rust right under our noses. The wind shifts and we wake up to frost encasing the landscape like sugar candy. Some of us in the northern hemisphere have already had our first snow. Here at my little house in Portland, we’ve been nestling into the dark days and sideways rain with numerous candles, tumble dried towels, and Netflix’s crackling fireplace. My body is ready for the slow-down. It has been asking for an earlier bed-time, and to curl up in the low light of morning for just one more minute…
However, the world outside of the cozy, amber-glow of home feels like it’s moving at a pre-pandemic pace, nipped by the urgency to catch up to where we “should” be. Lately, I feel the impulse to run out the door while I’m still tying my shoes. The pull to be engaged is strong. But if there is one thing I left behind my Saturn Return, it is the “shoulds.” No longer is anyone else’s pace the standard for my own. “Should” is a backhanded offer. It’s a jab in the ribs to motivate you through guilt or insecurity. And anything done from a “should” lacks heart and integrity.
Instead, when we are motivated by our own desires to understand, provide, create, or consider, we center the heart. We are led by it. We are secure in our why and our how because they are rooted in our integrity.
Tonight’s Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Taurus seeks emotional stability and security. Taurus is our tenacious sign of material mastery, but sometimes external trappings are traded for inherent self-respect. Much like adopting a “should” instead of divining our own reasons, this earthy energy can have us focused on satisfying external standards as a way of validating our internal worth. In healthy expression, Taurus energy is a lightning rod, grounding you into your inner truth, values, and pleasure, thereby eschewing the collective ego’s ideals for your own. There is nothing stronger than a bull in their convictions.
This will be especially important during this eclipse. With challenging aspects to Mercury and Saturn creating emotional tension within us, our home, and our communities—as well as a sense of being on the outside from a conjunction with Uranus—we may be feeling all kinds of out of sorts this week. Scrambled thinking, the inability to face emotions, or emotional outbursts are all possible.
Eclipses intensify the energy of the aspects and bring a profound sense of renewal. Like a system update, we are getting a reboot to the energy of Taurus (and Scorpio) and where it lands in our charts. This is not a time to try to create or manifest, but to patiently observe what is and what is not showing up for you as this cycle rounds another corner. Your attention may be drawn to balancing the material with the spiritual; how your self-worth is being challenged or supported; and the withstanding of your new value-based personal infrastructure. The New Moon in Sagittarius at the end of the month will be a much more fortunate time to manifest and set fresh intentions. For now, give yourself permission to receive insights without judgment.
FOR THE BODY
Taurus rules the neck, throat, larynx, and the middle ear. It is associated with the muscles of the neck, the act of swallowing, and the voice, as well as listening and hearing.
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Allow yourself to vocally express your feelings during this eclipse, even if you're not exactly verbalizing. Sing in the shower, create personal voice notes, grunt, coo, howl.
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In order to really hear (others), we must be attentive. The same thing goes for yourself. Are you really hearing the messages from your body and your inner being?
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Make it a point to stretch your neck this week. Relax the jaw, inhale and on the exhale let your head roll to one side. Gently explore the totality of your neck's range of motion. Remember to breathe and keep the jaw soft.
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Mint and marshmallow tea with local honey! The local honey not only coats your throat but sourcing honey from your area can help alleviate seasonal allergies.
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Work with and wear emerald, rose quartz, sodalite and green aventurine.
*I am not a doctor nor registered dietician. Please consult your PCP to make sure that any changes are correct for you and your body.
A note on listening: When we talk about receiving insights, we are talking about all kinds of listening. These insights may come in the form of mind-flashes, thoughts or ideas that flit past like tiny fish. They could also come in the form of communication from others, directly or indirectly related to your challenge. Messages from your body like pain or hunger can tell you how you really feel about something or someone. Animals crossing your path or weather that makes you pause and listen can all be omens. The Cosmos is communicating with you, and you’ll be surprised to learn that you can speak the same language.
During this eclipse, soften your gaze and tune into your environment. Deepen your breath and feel sound move through you. Try this with your current song obsession: what parts of your physical form respond to the bass? What part of you is moved by the lyrics?
Try listening to the rhythms of your neighborhood. Where do you feel the vibrations of cars going by? Can you hear the wind?
And how does your body respond to these messages?
As a general rule, folks are more often distracted by stimuli than attentive to what is being translated by our receptors. Sensitive folks are in a constant battle with the noise of the outside world, and most of it is just that: noise. When we cannot sit with ourselves to really hear what is going on—beyond our own fears and judgments and those of the collective ego—we do ourselves a grave disservice. Your sense of peace depends on it, your success depends on it, your harmony depends on it.
In Human Design, there are indicators for your strongest sense—how you gain the most information from your environment. Some folks call this your “superpower," but Cognition is just one tool in your belt. Whether you have Smell, Taste, Outer Vision, Inner Vision, Feeling, or Touch Cognition, you can tap into a deeper understanding of your world and the messages being conveyed to you by focusing your awareness on this sense.
As always First name / my dear friend, I hope that this resonated with you and I am so excited to share more about what's to come. I'm happy to answer any questions via email or DM (@honoredbody). If you want to share the Moonsletter with others, feel free to pass it along! And if you're reading this and you haven't signed up,join here!
