The Magic of Winter Solstice
Tomorrow, December 21st, the sun moves in to the astrological sign of Capricorn and we have winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere.
The winter solstice carries deep meaning in all earth based spirituality. It is a celebration of the return of the light, but, at the same time, the darkness around the winter solstice naturally brings an energy of stillness and introspection, urging us to turn inward away from the world. The winter solstice holds the tension of both life and death, and is associated with rebirth; the dying old the old and the making way for the new. With 2017 being a year of beginnings, we have all been reborn in some way, making the winter solstice an important time to pause our busy life and honor and embrace where we are at this moment. In the quiet, we are more aware of our dreams and visions, and create a space for answers to come to us.
This year, the sun in Capricorn will be accompanied by the heavens strict teacher, Saturn, for the first time in (give or take) 30 years, emphasizing the energy of transitions and new beginnings that surrounds us at this time. Rigorous Saturn teaches us boundaries and responsibility and hand us the hard work and life lessons that helps us to attain a much deeper understanding of ourselves gives our soul a quantum leap of growth.
For all who have natal planets or important astrological points in Sagittarius, these past three years with the strict teacher transiting Sagittarius, some potent life lessons may have been given, and you may be happy to see Saturn leave for the next three decades. For all of you with important aspects in Capricorn; you’re up for a ride the next couple of years, hold on!
No matter where you find yourself at the longest night of the year, take this time to do some personal inventory. Knowing our true self makes the ride some much smoother. What in you, is dying? What in you, is being born? Change only hurt when we fight it, so breathe in the courage to step forward in your life with curiosity and an open heart, rather than resistance. Surrender the past, let go of all that no longer serves, and embrace the current season of your life.
For more about the celebreation of Yule and the Winter Solstice read here.
Happy Solstice!
xox
YogAstrology®; New Year, New You, is a 2h vinyasa based class where the principles of astrology and the energies of the season is connected to the divinity that is your body.
The darkness of the winter months are the best time for introspection, and there is no better time than the end of a year to tune in and do our personal inventory. What works, and what doesn’t? What has the time come to let go of and what is your heart ready to pursue in the coming year? Through movement, flow, meditation and journaling we will find the answers to these questions, and the practice will leave you feeling revigorated and ready to move into the new year with a clean inner space and clear intentions.
When:
December 28th 14:00-16:00
Where:
Leela Yoga, Oslo
Price:
Leela Members: Free (book through your login)
Non-Members: 250,- NOK
New Moon in Sagittarius
Happy New Moon in Sagittarius! This Monday, December 18th, 2017’s last New Moon falls in the sign of the playful Archer, bringing with it seeds for optimism and joy. As always, the New Moon symbolize the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one, making New Moons an excellent time to plant your seeds for the future, and with today’s expansive New Moon, all possibilities are on the table. Fiery Sagittarius is a sign that burns bright with an unquenchable thirst for life, and as 2017 is coming to an end, the Archer is encouraging you to aim you arrow high, encouraging you to reach for your star.
It is, however, impossible to move forward as long as you keep living in the past. It’s time to let go of your old stories and everything that doesn’t serve you anymore, once and for all. What have you outgrown? What does not serve you anymore? Learn to forgive, surrender and let go, knowing that until you do, you will continue to relive your old patterns, making your painful past become part of our present and future. Shed your past like the serpent sheds its skin: all at once, and let go of everything that is stopping you from moving forward in the new year. Trust that it is your time to shine and the only one standing in your way is you!
Sagittarius is ruled by one of the heavens beneficiaries, lucky Jupiter, so if you feel like dreaming big, it’s the season. Grab the cord of glittering energy the cosmos presents you at this time and know that nothing is impossible if you’ve got enough nerve. One of the most admirable qualities of the fire signs is their fearless way of living life from their heart. They passionately follow their intuition, and simply go where their heart leads them. So, if you are usually the more hesitant or pragmatic type; draw in the positive energy of this New Moon, and let the passion of the fire help you to connect with your more open and adventurous side. Learn to seek joy and the meaning of the moment. Breathe in the optimism, embrace your potential, and aim for the moon!
Sagittarius is a visionary sign, so why not create a vision board and get creative. You’ve got this one life; how do you want to spend it? Dive in deep and get to know yourself. What are your dreams? What are you passionate about? Trust your instincts, then go out and make your life as bright and colorful as you can! There will always be those who prefer to live life differently than you, but if you listen to your heart and follow its path, you cannot go wrong. Your life is a blank canvas; make it your masterpiece. Place your energy where your soul can expand and grow, and quit everything that dims your inner fire.
Be careful not to overextend yourself though. Fiery Sagittarius can get a bit carried away at times, but introspection is also a requirement for this otherwise playful sign. Life cannot be adrenaline and adventure all the time; your soul requires some stillness too. Besides, Sagittarius is as committed to the journey inward as the one without. Our life is a sacred journey that we all must learn to interpret for ourselves, and considered to be the keeper of life philosophies, the Archer takes every chance it gets to dive into the Great Cosmic Quest.
Last but not least, make some space in your calendar for some self-love under this December Moon. This is the darkest time of the year in the northern hemisphere, and the new moon the darkest time of the month. Long nights encourage introspection, even during a busy holiday season. Run a hot bath, let yourself soften and get the winter chills out of your body. Take a couple of deep belly breaths, followed by a 5-minute meditation. Then, with a clearer head, pour yourself some nice hot tea and take time to journal it all out. Forgive, surrender and let go. This is a time for new beginnings. A new year. A new you. Remind yourself of how far you have come and congratulate yourself on your accomplishments. Set an intention to listen to your heart and to follow your truth. To never lose your curiosity and sense of wonder. To never stop learning. To make gratitude a daily practice and to pay attention to the little everyday joys. And, to always schedule time to show your love for those people that makes life worthwhile. They are what life is all about after all ♡
Tonje xx
YogAstrology®; New Year, New You, is a 2h vinyasa based class where the principles of astrology and the energies of the season is connected to the divinity that is your body.
The darkness of the winter months are the best time for introspection, and there is no better time than the end of a year to tune in and do our personal inventory. What works, and what doesn’t? What has the time come to let go of and what is your heart ready to pursue in the coming year? Through movement, flow, meditation and journaling we will find the answers to these questions, and the practice will leave you feeling revigorated and ready to move into the new year with a clean inner space and clear intentions.
When:
December 28th 14:00-16:00
Where:
Leela Yoga, Oslo
Price:
Leela Members: Free (book through your login)
Non-Members: 250,- NOK
New Moon in Virgo
Get ready to soak up every last bit of this year’s Virgo Energy, as the Virgo season comes to an end with a New Moon in her own sign. Accompanied by a planetary cluster: messenger Mercury, fierce Mars and loving Venus, all in the diligent and earthy sign of Virgo, this is not our regular soft and relaxed New Moon, but a rather energized one, perfect for setting your New Moon goals and leap forward towards your dreams.
The time of the New Moon is a time of introspection, a time when we can come back home to our self, and as the light from the moon diminishes and we once again find ourselves in the dark stillness of the moonless sky, this darkness brings you a powerful space to plant your New Moon seeds, set your intentions, and step closer to your true essence. The New Moon is, as always, a time for new beginnings, and maybe especially so as September’s New Moon also works as a portal from one season to the next: Only hours after the New Moon peaks in Virgo, she wanders into the harmonious sign of Libra, urging us to find our inner equilibrium, preparing us for the celestial magic of Friday’s Autumn Equinox.
But for now, as the night sky darkens, draw upon the grounding and healing energies of the earthy sign of Virgo. Connect with the light of your inner Guide, and let the New Moon lead you on your own healing journey. With both the sun and the New Moon opposing the heaven’s wounded healer, Chiron, this Virgo Moon urges you to clean up your inside as well as your outside. If you have the courage to go there, Chiron brings you to the depths of your soul, and gives you the opportunity to heal your most painful wounds. Knowing that you cannot move forward in life until you have healed your past, don’t wait. Ground yourself through Virgo’s earthy energy, connect to your center, then take the leap, trusting that you will be fine. Whatever has been arising for you these past months, September’s New Moon is here to give you the space you need to bring your mind, body and soul back into alignment.
And be patient with yourself. Treat yourself with loving kindness no matter what wounds are surfacing throughout this process. Give your wounded child a safe place to heal. Virgo‘s energy can be perfectionist, but it’s important to remember that even though it may all feel messy, messy does not mean you’re broken. Take a moment in stillness, placing your hands over your heart, connecting to your heart center; then ask yourself what’s the most nurturing thing you can do for yourself at this time? Celebrate yourself, your life and your body, and make an effort to schedule time for the things you love. Get really clear on what you need in your life to feel happy and healthy, then make your everyday into your own personal healing ritual.
Move gently and act only with what truly aligns with your heart and soul. Who are you really? What is your true essence? The main reason we lose our spark and burn out, is when we live our life through other’s expectations of what we should do rather than from our heart and soul. Sometimes we might even be so caught up in society’s expectations that we don’t know what we want or where we should go anymore. In those moments, stop and retrace your steps until you find your light again. It might take minutes, hours, days or even years, but do it. Life is too long to not live your passion. To not live from your heart. So, make sure you are living your life. Not someone else’s.
If you find your body resisting turning all the attention towards yourself, and your own needs, know that this is natural. We’re so used to always lend everyone a helping hand and make sure everyone has what they need, that we may end up feeling like a failure when we don’t have the energy to put others first anymore. But don’t feel bad about taking care of yourself first and to make your own healing a priority. This Virgo New Moon is really asking you to fill up your own cup first this time. Remember that an empty cup has nothing to give!
And the truth is that sometimes we will have to let some people down in order to grow into who we are meant to be. But unless you start to accept yourself for who you truly are, how can you expect others to? Let go of your inner critic, and start to act towards yourself from a place of love and compassion. Be patient with yourself and your journey, knowing that the most powerful steps you can take on your healing journey is to learn to love and accept yourself and your life. What truly calls to you your heart and soul? If it feels good do it. If it doesn’t, don’t. But no matter what you choose to do, only do what nurtures you on a soul level. The time has come to drop your mask and let the universe know that you are ready to step up to your highest path.
So take time during this New Moon to truly listen. And, maybe, there in the quiet darkness of your own sacred space, you will hear what your soul’s been trying to whisper to you all along. As the old sages say: at the moment of surrender, everything you ever wished for will be yours.
Happy New Moon!
Want to learn more about astrology and how it influences our celestial bodies?
Join my upcoming Yogastrology® Initiation Training : Mandala of Wholeness in October!
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Full Moon in Pisces
The Sun has entered structured Virgo, the eclipse season is over for now, Mercury finally (phew!) went direct yesterday, and today we have a soft and flowy Full Moon in the last sign of the zodiac; intuitive and creative Pisces.
As we shift our focus from the fiery New Moon in Leo two weeks back, and start to dive into the watery sign of Pisces, you can literally feel your body soften, aligning with the fluidity of this mutable sign. And, even though the powerful and fiery Leo Solar Eclipse will continue to work it’s magic until February 2018, this Full Moon is a time to slow down, tune in, reset and recharge.
The Energy of the Pisces Full Moon is intuitive, creative and dreamy, and as the lunar qualities of emotions and instincts reach their peak at a full moon, find the stillness to dive in deep. Journey into the depths of your subconscious to better understand where you are, and where life is trying to lead you.
Pisces being the last sign of the zodiac, symbolizing endings and finalizations, September’s Full Moon is urging us to close some doors, and to get rid of whatever holds us back, keeping us stuck in the past. But with the Full Moon strongly influences by its conjunction (alignment) with its ruler, Neptune (currently retrograde in Pisces), you might feel more foggy and confused, than clear and assertive, with no clue of which doors to close and which to open. The struggle is real indeed.
The key to clarity in times like this, is to try to not think too much. To stop grasping for answers and to surrender the constant need for control. This is life. It is uncertain. So instead of insisting on a certain outcome, let your life fall into place organically. Leave some room for the universe to work her magic! And, remember, that even though Neptune and Pisces may seem foggy and unclear, they are both highly intuitive, making this a perfect time for introspection.
Personally, I love Neptune. I used to find him a bit scary – or outright annoying – but he’s grown on me. Neptune has a magnetic, enchanting energy, and, more importantly, he has depth. Neptune in many ways represents the journey into the unknown. The path of the mystic. Neptune doesn’t have structure like Saturn, and for us humans who generally like to know the outcome of all situations – especially our life – the fluidity of Neptune can be scary.
But I’ve come to view Neptune like I view the spiritual path: You’re not supposed to know everything. It’s about trusting your path even when it’s too dark to see the next step, knowing that everything will be revealed at the perfect time. And experience has thought me that “foggy” in most cases is simply “not supposed to know yet”. It’s about trusting the timing of your life. Nothing is random in the Universe.
And the same can be said for Pisces. Pisces, as it’s ruler, Neptune, is connected to those deep depths of the psyche and the subconscious. I like to compare them to the ocean, as both Neptune’s and Pisces’ energy has many resemblances to the sea: It can knock you over – or you can learn how to surf the wave. You may feel it overwhelming, scary and drowning – or you can learn how to float in this sea. You can escape far up onto the beach to “play it safe” or you can learn how to swim.
In the same way we fear the power and depth of the ocean, or the intensity of the intuitive and intangible energy of Neptune and Pisces we are often scared of the depth of our own psyche, and the strength of our true powers. And, it is this fear of the unknown, of what might arise if we don’t stay in control, that leads us into the escapism that they both are so (in)famous for. Because diving deep under the surface is scary. You never know what you may find there. So, you can try to escape – through too much work or sex or drugs or drinks – whatever keeps you occupied from yourself – or you can find the courage to dive under the surface and embrace the beauty and enchantment of another universe. The choice is always yours.
There is no need to be fearful though. Take a deep breath, let out a big sigh, dive in, and trust that you will be just fine. Find that state of complete surrender, simply allowing the energy of the enchanting Pisces Moon to open and awaken you.
And, remember, as always, a Full Moon is Sun opposing Moon, which means the Sun now is in earthy and practical Virgo. So, if the energies of the Full Moon at any time gets too much, you can always draw on the more grounded Virgo energy. It’s all about the balance.
Happy Full Moon lovelies!
NB! ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT!
Want to learn more about astrology and how it influences our celestial bodies?
Join my upcoming Yogastrology® Initiation Training : Mandala of Wholeness in October!
Use code LEELAYOGA for 10% discount!
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