Sacred Self Care Guide for July 2018 from Rising River Wisdom School
In all the worlds’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Within these seekers are stargazers, who ascribe meaning to the “stars” and their movements through the solar system.
Though Earth’s Moon is no star, it reflects the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom. Read on for some self care wisdom inspired by the new moon.
Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for July from Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides, plant medicine to oracle readings, plus lots of guidance for mindfully navigating the world with your vibrant well-being in focus.
New Moon/Partial Solar Eclipse in Cancer Thursday 7/12/18 7:47 PDT By Michelle Prentiss
Happy New Moon!
Eclipse season is upon us as this New Moon/ Solar Eclipse will be followed by a Lunar Eclipse July 27th and another Solar (Full) on August 11th.
Eclipses symbolically correspond to a portal or threshold space for significant internal or external events. Solar Eclipses are when the Moon’s position obstructs the Sun’s solar rays on earth. This New Moon also happens to be in the sign of Cancer, ruled by the Moon, making this even more potent. With a Solar Eclipse, expect that events of the future (Sun) will be impacted by our instinctual or emotional self/past (Moon). There are notes of destiny and purpose revealed too. Prepare for both endings AND re-births as new information and feelings are brought to light. Cancer’s karmic focus is illuminated. Families, our foundation and security both personally and collectively- there is a sense of deep purpose as we are witnessing something greatly important along these themes.
The Chart of our New Moon Solar Eclipse is exactly opposite Pluto, too.
The dwarf planet Pluto in Astrology represents evolution through any means necessary, and Pluto in Capricorn has been destroying authoritarian structures (Capricorn) since 2008. This week something comes to a head in a long process of breakthroughs and fresh starts through loss.
Although we have an opposition, Both Cancer and Capricorn are the Zodiac’s “cosmic parents” and crave security and stability. Though many long-term structures may be changing now – in a long pattern of natural evolution, there is a feeling of nostalgia and longing regarding the stability of the past. Another interesting element in the chart of the eclipse is two Grand Trines, one in water and one in earth element. Trines are called “easy” planetary aspects. This mean the planets are in a supportive position to each other and essentially “ get along”.
Grand Trines can often function like a closed circuit, plugging away without any effort. They bring an element of helping energy to allow us to possibly see a “way out” of our dilemmas. However, Astrologer David Arner adds, “they can act like whirlpools. It is easy to get drawn into their energies and find yourself in patterns you did not necessarily plan to be in and thus cannot get out so easily.”
This New Moon try NOT to be complacent if you see a pattern of dysfunction in your life. Call upon your perceptive, intuitive and feeling nature (this is different to your instinctive emotional response) to inform your habits or disciplines that can evolve situations you may feel stuck in or want to change.
We also have many planets in retrograde this summer. Remember that retrograde periods CAN bring us the wonderful perspective of re-alignment with our inner self.
Rest and review how your thoughts become beliefs and these beliefs become habits – which then become your life!
This eclipse cycle we have a tremendous opportunity to begin to evolve by reviewing and potentially re-wiring our thoughts and responses to life’s challenges.
Here are some suggestions to transform around our eclipse from Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage (via the Buffer Blog):
Scan daily for 3 positives. At the end of each day, make a list of three specific good things that happened that day and reflect on what caused them to happen. The good things could be anything — bumping into an old friend, a positive remark from someone at work, a pretty sunset. Celebrating small wins also has a proven effect of powering motivation and igniting joy. As you record your good things daily, the better you will get and feel.
Give one shout-out to someone (daily). Take the positive things you’re getting better at recognizing and let people know you’ve noticed! Take a minute to say thanks or recognize someone for their efforts, from friends and family to people at work. A great way to go about this is by sending 1 daily email to someone. It can be your old school teacher, whose advice you are now appreciating every day, a co-worker or someone you’ve only met. Show courage and say thanks,
I love doing this and just checking in with a nice note.
Do something nice. Acts of kindness boost happiness levels. Something as small and simple as making someone smile works. Pausing to do something thoughtful has the power to get you out of that negativity loop. You can do something that is small and concrete like buying someone a coffee. Put this on your to do list – have you done anything nice for someone today? I love this technique and it’s one of the most amazing ways to feel happier.
Let’s be the change we want to see in the world. Let this new moon show you the way!
New Moon in Cancer Plant Spirit Advice with Jacqueline Zajdman:
The summer season in Los Angeles has turned up the heat. With temperatures reaching 109 degrees in my own neighborhood this past weekend, I have been reminded to “keep calm, and carry on.” I’m resigning, chilling out, moving slowly, and getting into receptive mode. Summers are usually very leonine and fiery for me, and yet something is very different this time around. With the Cancer new moon and the first solar eclipse of the summer, there is a call to step into this lunation with a sense of watery environment; going with the flow, tapping into your emotions, and acting like a chalice for the future transformational waters to fill your cup with metamorphic wine.
Cancer being a water element sign speaks to the sacral chakra; an energy channel in the pelvic region that governs movement and flow. This is a space of intuition, sentimentality, emotional intelligence and boundaries. While it’s zodiacal opposite, Capricorn can be very realistic and goal oriented, Capricorn also inspires rooting and staying grounded, calling in the energies of root chakra medicine. The axis of opposites can be extremely complimentary in inspiring balance through plant medicine. Working with plants that can support both feeling grounded in the physical body while staying receptive and flowing in the emotional body is the perfect combination to beating the heat and staying calm during these intense cosmic changes.
I have been recommending a beautiful mix of Stinging Nettles and Red Raspberry to my students at the RRW School this month. Both plants hold me in such a mothering and nurturing way – while grounding and keeping me feeling a balance of masculine/feminine energies; not too passive or aggressive. I’m hydrated, rooted, but still feeling soft and trusting in this energy I can’t see, but feel. Whatever comes, I’m open and know it will be for my greatest good and growth. Raspberry leaf speaks to the idea of “boundary medicine,” as the thorns on the red raspberry bush create a healthy space around volatile energies. It is astringent, cooling, chalk full of vitamin C, and very nourishing to the womb space that calls in a feminine receptivity. Nettles also have a protective sting but are extremely mineral rich, grounding, and aid fatigued adrenals. Nettles bring in the earth element; being here, now. The two create a beautiful dance of protection and guidance. Brew a hot infusion by filling your quart of water with a handful of blended herbs. Let sit over night, or 8-12 hours. You can drink it cold in the morning or iced throughout these scorching days. The magick is in the medicine.
New Moon Animal Guide – By Brook Albrigo
This next cycle brings in the energy of White Dove. Wings spread, riding on a sunbeam, wrapping you in her wings of Love and Grace. Like a beacon of Hope, the Dove comes at times of grief, fear and to ease troubled minds. Dove has been associated with many Goddesses throughout history due to her maternal and feminine strength. She is symbolic of Mother Earth and all that needs nurturing and what more do we need in the world right now? Love, compassion, forgiveness, hope, understanding. Dove is the medicine we are being given, but will we allow ourselves to receive it? In what ways are you attached to your suffering that keeps you from accepting this gracious gift Dove brings.
The Dove’s mournful cooing at dawn and dusk, the hours when the veil between worlds is thinnest, asks us to release our emotions like a beautiful song paying tribute to our grief. For only when we let go of these unprocessed emotions can we make room for new life, birth new projects, partners and aspects of ourselves. Dove brings a message of prophecy so pay attention to signs, synchronicity, and dreams during this cycle, as they will be extremely informative.
When your external world is in such turmoil, it is important to remember there is a peaceful place that resides in all of you that can never be lost. It may get buried a bit but it’s there with you always and you need to tap into this place as much as necessary this month whether through meditation, deep breathing, music- how ever you can sink into that inner peace. Remember to nurture yourself and one another and find appreciation for the simple things in life. Dove brings in a burst of light. A healing balm for your wounds. All you have to do is let her in!
We will be in this Dove energy for a one month cycle until the next New Moon in August, another eclipse! If you would like to connect with Dove on a more personal level, feel free to do a meditation inviting her in and ask what specific medicine she brings you at this time. You can also keep an image or small statue around or even watch nature documentaries with Dove and pay attention to how they move and act.
New Moon Tarot Wisdom from Kristi Prokopiak
I see you! You have been doing your work and loving on yourself and trying your best to do all the self care care you can think of. All the mindfulness and growth and shadow work and self love… Yet somehow the pesky habits, the tricky thought patterns and the old ways of thinking almost always creep back in. The Eight of Swords is no joke! It can feel really frustrating when you know you are doing the work but somehow you find yourself caught in the stories that no longer serve you. All these retrogrades and Cancer feels are surely causing you to revisit and relive some things you thought you had laid to rest. Never fear though, because the Sun is here to shine light on all the good things that are working for you.
Allow yourself to spend just as much time thinking about the things that are flowing smoothly, that bring you joy, and generally make your world light up. Whenever we get snagged, we have to allow that emotion to come up, feel what we are feeling, and then take some inventory. Fear can sneak up at any time, but you have the power to put it in it’s place. Sure, things may feel frustrating at times, but there is ALWAYS something good that’s going on. Let that give you the courage, strength and stamina to keep going. And don’t forget to have some patience. Your work is not for nothing, and even if you can’t immediately see results, it doesn’t mean amazing things aren’t happening. Our culture wants the quick fix, the avoidance, the denial and the bypass. None of that actually works for the deep, sustained, beautiful soul growth that is self love and acceptance. Keep doing your thing, stay grateful and trust that all of the work you’ve been doing is making a difference, even if it can’t be measured in the ways you’re used to measuring it.
Cards used: The Illest Tarot by Kristi Prokopiak
