Sacred Self Care Guide for June 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 June 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 Wisdom from Michelle Prentiss:
New Moon in Gemini Wednesday June 13th 12:43 PM PDT
The Sign Gemini’s “Ruling“ planet is Mercury- so named after the Roman God of Messages, Communication, Commerce, and Travelers. The energetic style of Gemini seeks to make connections and values information and movement, variety and experience. Our New Moon this month is an interesting lunation in that it makes no “important” aspects to planets this time. Instead, we have the New Moon / Sun’s ruler Mercury doing all the “ interacting”. The fast moving planet is out of bounds in its orbit, too. This is telling and puts EXTRA emphasis on new and innovate ways of “connecting the dots” between our thoughts and ideas, data and hypothesis, our opinions and others.
Mercury is currently in the watery and emotional sign of Cancer, bringing an overall cast of nostalgia, sensitivity and compassion to the week. We also have a tight and friction filled connection to the “ wounded healer” Chiron in Aries and stern taskmaster Saturn in Capricorn. Fortunately, there’s also a positive beam from Mercury to Uranus in Taurus. It’s possible we may not want to speak our truth for fear of being hurt; but communicating carefully and sensitively is key to expressing ourselves as well as receiving another’s expression.
Try not to take things personally and attempt to see from a new perspective now – this will help mitigate misunderstandings. Don’t retreat either, another common defense when things get sensitive, you can have a breakthrough this week if you allow space for your pain to be healed with understanding. On June 15th, Mercury opposes Saturn. Again, it’s essential to take responsibility for our decisions and get realistic about the plans we make. Try to avoid being overly critical- all the facts aren’t really in yet.
Typically on a New Moon we sow the seeds for new ventures and external manifestation of our dreams and ideas. This New Moon however is surrounded by outer planets in retrograde motion including Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto with Neptune retrograde June 18th and Mars June 26th (both are now in their shadow retrograde period) Retrograde periods give an internal focus to our manifestations. Our minds, thoughts, emotions and communications are open for new understanding and insights, on this New Moon it’s time to bring these tools inward and perform a personal housecleaning of any thoughts, emotions or communications that you wish to purge.
Now is the time to integrate what you “know and think” with what you “feel and see”. Breakthroughs in awareness and insight occur and new ways of being can be born when we make these connections within and dream a new dream for ourselves. Make New Moon Wishes on Wednesday around releasing hurt or miscommunications and gaining insight in the area where you have Gemini in your chart.
New Moon in Gemini Plant Spirit Advice with Jacqueline Zajdman:
The Summer Solstice is just around the corner and things are starting to heat up! Gemini spirit brings a buzz of quick thinking and moving, highlighting the energy of creative expression. There is such a duality to the sign of the twins, calling awareness to our thinking patterns, while releasing old belief systems. We have such an opportunity for a new beginning to rewrite our story now.
This past month, after getting into a bike accident, realizing a romance wasn’t going where I hoped, and knowing I had to move out of my house, I booked a trip to NY to refresh my scene. I finally moved to a neighborhood I love, and returned ready to embrace the summer with a new ‘tude. Sometimes we need this type of medicine for reinvention; a call for ingenuity. The plants are always guiding me through my process so that I feel nourished, rooted and balanced throughout all of the changes and transitions. But, one plant in particular is coming through right now. SHE is Rhodiola ALL THE WAY. Strengthening the nervous system, staving off depression, keeping me rooted, and giving me an energy boost to let me know, “YOU GOT THIS.”
Rhodiola root is an adaptogenic plant, which curbs fatigue and exhaustion throughout stressful situations. Speaking to the cerebral side of Gemini, the root also helps boost cognitive vitality and is neuroprotective. The first time I drank her in, I was slumped over, and my spine literally shot up into the air. I felt so overly confident and enthused, I had to ask myself, “You ready for this??.”
My favorite way to drink her in is through tincture form with a home made gem essence, which I encourage you to make for this month’s new moon! Work with a stone of your choice that encourages easing the mind or opening up the third eye. I have used Apophyllite for astral projection for it’s high vibration. Place the cleansed stone in a bowl with spring water and let it marinate outside under the energy of the new moon. You can add the essence to a glass of water with a full dropper of tincture, drink in, and Et Voila! Magic moon medicine in a glass!
New Moon in Taurus Tarot Wisdom from Kristi Prokopiak – Oracle Guidance for the Month
As we come into the ripe New Moon in Gemini, we are being asked to make peace with past ideas and attempts that did not come into fruition. The grieving process can look like long, drawn out conversations with friends about why it didn’t work, laying around and lamenting all the good ideas that deserve to be seen, or even diving into other activities to take your mind off of things and avoid the pain of truly processing how painful it can feel when plans don’t work out.
The beautiful thing about new moons is they give us an opportunity to reset and recenter. We have the choice to transmute those potent energies and manifest something even better. We can waste time analyzing where it all went wrong, or we can discern what we need for the next chapter. This is a chance to move forward with confidence and gratitude that we know more about our own truth. Tape some new plans up on your vision wall, some solid ideas about what you do want, now that you know what you don’t want. Gemini Moon could also be asking you to write some lists, so you have documentation of what it is you are calling in, and the logical steps you are taking to achieve it. Pray for the guidance to come through. You are on your way to more plentiful shores!!
Deck Used: The Illest Tarot by Kristi Prokopiak
New Moon in Gemini Animal Guide By Brook Albrigo:
Last Moon cycle we took an intense and sometimes scary journey with Vulture who showed us how to let go and where we are allowing fear to control us. Whether we are basking in the vibrant energy of Toucan or watching the decay of old worn out versions of ourselves with Vulture, we must always take a moment to give gratitude for these nature allies who have graciously volunteered to serve our growth and transformation both as individuals and a species.
My process for working with these animal spirits is that I simply ask and wait to see who shows up. There are many aspects that I take into account- What is the animal doing as it approaches me? What is it’s demeanor? and since all of the elements in nature exist within us- what element does this animal exist in? All of these things help me divine the medicine that is being offered. I must admit, this month I was truly bracing myself for the next animal spirit as I feel this past month has been quite a heavy load for so many people. As I was patiently and cautiously waiting for this guide to reveal itself, I couldn’t help but smile and take a deep breath as a seal’s head popped up from the water with it’s sweet eyes and bristly whiskers causing a rainbow hued sea spray before diving back underneath the surface.
We are doing deep WORK on so many levels – some conscious, some unconscious. This work is digging so deep within us that we can’t help but get swept under the waves and hold our breath. It’s ok to go there, we can dive deep into the emotional currents that are begging to be explored, but make sure you are coming up for air. Water symbolizes emotions, creativity, feminine energy and the unconscious parts of ourselves but too much water will drown you and coming up to the surface for an inhalation, exhalation and pause before diving back in is extremely important to help maintain your strength and stamina. It also doesn’t need to feel like “work”. Get inspired, loosen up, get weird and expand yourself in all the creative ways you can express yourself. You probably have already been experiencing vivid and unusual dreams lately (if not yet, they are coming!) and this is seal dipping in to play, showing you just how imaginative and intuitive you really are. Even though Seals spend a good amount of time on land, they are much more at home and in their element in water so be open to the ideas and inspiration that are coming in your dreams or meditations. Eventually Seal does have to come back to land for safety, rest and giving birth, so keep this is mind and make sure to balance inner imagination and outer realities especially if you’re getting inspiration for projects or changes! Collect the watery creation and then ground it in the earth element to make it actually happen.
Embrace this curious and adventurous spirit! Vulture made some room for a little creative expansion, have fun with it and don’t limit yourself my friends.
We will be in this seal energy for a one month cycle until the next New Moon in July. If you would like to connect with Seal on a more personal level, feel free to do a meditation inviting Seal in and ask what specific medicine it brings you at this time. You can also keep an image or small statue around or even watch nature documentaries with Seal (If you’re lucky to live by the beach, go out and see them in the wild!) and pay attention to how they move and act.
