It’s been a month (or two or three).
Wonderful in so many ways with lots of special time with friends and family celebrating anniversaries, graduations, recitals, weddings, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and more.
And then there are those challenges I’m ready leave behind as we move into summer. We had a film shoot in our apartment a few weeks ago which was fun and fascinating, but also crazy and disruptive. We’re still getting things put back together… I definitely feel off-kilter when my “nest” is in upheaval.
But the biggest thing is that my feisty, resilient mom went into the hospital with what turned out to be pneumonia… not an easy recovery at any age, but it really knocks you out when you’re 96. She’s in rehab now until she feels strong enough to go home, hopefully in another week or so.
And here we are in the Cancer season as of June 21st — when our emotions run deeper, our intuition kicks into higher gear, and we lean toward the the safety of HOME and those who nurture us… like MOTHER!
Are you getting the picture?? I feel like two of my most cherished “sancturaries” — my home and my mom — have been pretty fragile. But thankfully becoming stronger every day.
Of course, I’m feeling all that even more acutely cuz I’m an uber-sensitvie Cancer baby myself. My birthday is on June 28th, the day before the Capricorn/Cancer Full Moon on June 29th AND the day that Mercury goes retrograde.
So, what does all that mean?
Get disciplined about practicing emotional self-care
First, Full Moon energy urges us to honor the dynamic opposition of those two powerful cosmic bodies, the Sun and the Moon. This month, while the Sun is in Cancer, the Moon is in Capricorn which is all about discipline, creating structure, and taking responsibility. Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, the Father of the planets, and helps us create a powerful foundation for whatever intentions we want to manifest.
Since it’s dancing with Cancer, my intentions will be about creating strong boundaries and supportive systems in my daily routine so I can focus on nurturing myself, my mom, and those I care most about. It means I’ll be saying “no” more, listening to my heart’s needs even more lovingly, and grounding myself in my most comforting habits. That includes my morning “meds” (meditations), my daily yoga/pilates/barre practice, and remembering to journal in my “Essene Book of Days” before bed.
How about you? What structures do you need to create — or re-activate — in order to feed and nourish your heart and your emotionaly health?
And finally, how does Mercury retrograde fit into all this? For a more expansive overview, you can read the blog I wrote about it many years ago. But in a nutshell, when Mercury Rx is in Cancer, it’s a powerful time to slow down and reflect, to look inward and re-examine your emotional boundaries. It’s in retrograde until July 23rd so you’ll have plenty of time to practice that!
Sounds like a perfect complement to this Capricorn/Cancer Full Moon, doesn’t it?
So I’ve pulled together a bunch of resources for this month’s Deb’s Picks that reflect these Full Moon themes — enjoy.
Then, be sure to join us for our Capricorn Full Moon TeleMeditation this Monday, June 29th at Noon — click HERE for details on how to join us. Hope to “hear” you then!
(And after that, I’d love for you to join me for my upcoming Cancer New Moon SisterCircle through the Wellness Universe on Tues., July 14th when we’ll be “Honoring Mother: Personal & Archetypal”… a theme I chose months ago,and particularly timely right now. Hope to see you then.)
DEB ON “LIVE FROM SOURCE” PODCAST w/ VIKI & ALEXANDER
These dear friends work together (I officiated their wedding ceremony 5 years ago!), bringing their brilliance to the world through The Source Cards. They discovered that the same cards we use to play poker, gin rummy, and go fish are actually a sacred geometric template that reveals the structure and purpose of life on Earth. In fact, that same deck was actually once known as the Book of Life.
Based on your Birthday, you’re dealt 13+ Cards and these Cards lay out your soul’s game-plan for your life. As an astrologer and long-time lover of symbol systems (Tarot, palmistry, and others), you know this speaks to me big time! AND I’ve seen how powerful the Cards are in my own life. So, I was thrilled when they asked to interview me on their podcast. Click on the link above to watch it, and definitely check out their website to find out what your first 3 cards are and learn more about how they can support your life.
EVENTS AT UNTERMEYER GARDEN IN YONKERS, NY
OK… full disclosure — I haven’t been here yet, but I was so delighted to find out about it that I had to spread the word! I’ve been to all of the gorgeous Botanical Gardens around NYC but had never heard of this one. This 43-acre public garden (which means no entry see) was created in 1917 by Samuel and Minnie Untermyer and combines exceptional horticulture, monumental architecture, and multicultural design in a majestic natural setting overlooking the Hudson River. They offer workshops, concerts, school visits, even yoga when weather permits. Who wants to check it out with me this summer?
CLINEMAN SOUND BOWLS AT PARK AVE. ARMORY, NYC
And this is another experience I’d love to share with someone, but would definitely go by myself, too! I can’t remember how I heard about it, but it sounds like it’s both organized and ethereal at the same time… kind of in the Cap/Cancer vibe. Conceived by the artist, musician, and composer, Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, this immersive installation features a series of circular basins filled with water in which ordinary ceramic bowls, selected for their timbre and drift, float and gently collide to produce melodious chiming sounds as a light current pushes them along.
The sounds are unique to each moment and spectators are “invited to listen, contemplate, and explore their relationship to time and sound as an individual and a collective experience.” Click on the link to read more… I can’t wait to experience it, being both a lover of music and water!
INSIGHT TIMER MEDITATION APP
I suspect many of you have heard of this wonderful app, but I just started using regularly in the last couple months. It’s the world’s largest FREE library of more than 340,000 guided meditations from psychologists, spiritual leaders and mindfulness teachers. Sometimes I listen to beautiful chanting while I’m journaling, other times I’ll sing along, or practice EFT Tapping, or sink into one of their thousands of guided visualizations.Talk about a well-structured container for emotional and spiritual healing! And for just $5/mo., you can get a “Plus” membership and share your favorites with friends and other benefits, too. Definitely check it out!
I hope some of these offerings inspire you to create more systems to support your own heart-felt needs. I’d love to hear about them, and as always, please do share any other events or resources that have resonated with you, or that you think our Spirited Living community would love to know about.
With bright Summer blessings, Deborah