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Astrology
This month the sun will move out of Aries and into Taurus, our first Earth sign in Zodiac, ruled by Venus. Taurus is grounded, dependable, stubborn, cozy, and loves to say “I told you so”. As someone with a Taurus sun and moon, I’m partial to the sign and absolutely love having a springtime birthday. Even if you don’t have the great fortune of being born in this season, there are a lot of ways to embrace the energy of Taurus. The easiest way to embrace the energy of Taurus is to keep cut flowers in your house at all times. Taurus loves to buy things (guilty), but it also loves to have beautiful things around. I used to worry that this was frivolous, but nature is absolutely full of beautiful things and I don’t think frivolity is a quality that nature possesses. I don’t think people have ever spent as much time indoors as we do now, and if we can’t change that, then we can at least bring more of the outdoors inside with us. The much less easy way to invite in the energy of Taurus is spring cleaning. Perhaps Aries energy gives you the spark to get this started. How fun is it to open the windows for the first time in spring and sip tea while you watch the curtains move gently with the breeze flowing in and brightening things up?! Aries energy isn’t going to be what keeps you going, though. Taurus asks you to slowly, steadily finish your projects. IF you have had even more trouble than usual getting things finished- logistical problems, communication problems, struggling to know what you really want- maybe the retrogrades have been hitting you extra hard. Both Mercury and Venus have been retrograde, meaning the areas of your life that those planets impact (communication, technology, values, money…) have had some hiccups. The good news is, both of those planets move direct in April! Mercury stations direct on April 7th and Venus stations direct on April 12th. The energy of retrogrades doesn’t turn off like a switch; we will remain in the shadow of these retrogrades for a week or two following their ending, so be prepared to still feel some disruptions. Remind yourself that these disruptions are not permanent even if they are uncomfortable. Ayurveda HAVE. YOU. SEEN. THE. FLOWERS?!?!?! Kapha season is officially here, with themes of growth, stability, and lubrication. The sun is out longer, so get out there and soak in those rays, baby!!! Ayurveda recommends walking as the single-best exercise for most ambulatory people. When combined with the first few minutes to an hour of the sun, you’ve got a dopamine and Vitamin D-filled way to start every day. Of course, this is finally the season to make shifts and have resolutions if you’re into that sort of thing. Please, though, for the love of all that blooms, go easy on yourself. If you miss a day or few, give yourself grace. If you feel like you’re making immense strides in your overall wellness but all of a sudden feel DRAINED, send yourself compassion. We are nature, we are not separate from it, and things are wild astrologically (I am sure you have been made aware by Amy already). We feel those things, as we are all connected. As above, so below. As always, water water water. As with March, continue to follow dietary and lifestyle routines based on your dosha (reach out if you want support in learning how to do this!) while being mindful of the dosha of the season- kapha. Notice if you’re feeling heavy, dull, oily, sluggish, and/or cloudy. If so, ayurveda recommends balancing with warmer herbs, lighter foods (think leafy greens, not popcorn and dried foods as this will aggravate vata), and freshly cooked proteins like lentils and rice. As always, listen to your body and engage in self-referral- check in before, during, and after each meal to see how that current balance of elements on your plate resonated with the balance of elements within your being. Our kapha-balancing blends listed in March’s post also apply here, but why not liven things up with some flowers?! Moonbeam includes kapha-balancing cardamom with white tea and heart-nourishing rose. Sweet slumber combines lavender, chamomile, and vanilla. Honestly, I know I am partial but you can never go wrong with (pretty much) any cup of tea!
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Astrology March brings us the astrological new year! If you read the January blog post (and I’m sure you did, why wouldn’t you???) then you know how we feel about goal setting in the middle of winter with the Gregorian calendar’s new year. It feels much more natural to start planting metaphorical and literal seeds in the spring time and Aries energy is happy to help you with that. Aries is the fire sign, ruled by Mars, that gets everything started. Aries is confident, adventurous, impulsive, energetic, and a good self starter that might have trouble getting things finished. You can embrace this energy by setting goals now. Don’t just set them and forget them, though. If you’re experiencing a lot of enthusiasm, maybe write about the WHY for each goal so you can come back to this energy when you falter. In addition to the collective energy that we all experience in each season, we are also personally affected by every sign in the Zodiac, regardless of when we are born. Knowing where you have Aries in our birth chart can help you to make the most of this season. If you have never looked up your birth chart, you will need your birth date, time and location. My favorite app for looking at it is Time Passages. No matter what you use, though, you will get a chart that looks something like this.  It might feel like a lot to look at, but right now we’re just looking for a few things. Namely, we are looking for Aries in your chart. You’ll find the symbols along the outside. Below you can see that I’ve circled Aries. It’s hovering above a red line. Everything inside that red line is located in Aries in my chart.  Underneath that red line, I have two little symbols. That means I have two planets in Aries. For me, they are Mercury and Venus. If you, too, have symbols in Aries and you’re unfamiliar with them, you should be able to find a list view that tells you what planets are in Aries.  If you don’t have any planets in Aries, that’s fine! You are going to look at the house(s) that Aries influences next. The houses represent different aspects of our lives, such as our sense of identity, physical health, education, family, etc. In the center of each of these sections of the chart you’ll see numbers 1-12. Depending on the system/method of reading your chart you may have one or two houses in each sign. Here you can see that Aries influences both my 8th and 9th houses.  So what does this all mean? I like to think that Aries is providing flavor to the planets and houses. For example, I have Mercury in Aries. Mercury is the planet that rules communication. So I may communicate quickly, enthusiastically, and sometimes without a lot of tact or forethought. The 9th house represents higher learning, intuition, and religion. This influence of Aries in this house may lead me to explore a lot of options when it comes to choosing a university or field of study. It could also lead me to passionately defending my own beliefs, sometimes to the detriment of listening to others.
The way that you work with Aries season cannot be totally summed up in just knowing what planets and houses it influences, but it can certainly give you a starting point for learning about yourself and what feeds your enthusiasm, energy, anger, and initiative. Ayurveda and Energy Work SPRING IS HERE SPRING IS HERE!!! Well, on the 20th anyway, but it is so close I can taste it! I have finally come out of my home to explore the forests once again. Warm Rayna set an intention to be outside no matter the weather. Then cold Rayna came around and stayed inside my cocoon for most of the winter. But I’ve been coming outside to see the cleavers, speedwell, dandelions, dead nettle, and henbit that have popped up in my yard gracing me with such a beautiful rainbow after such a heavy and difficult winter. Side note: EAT THE WEEDS! These make a wonderful tea for releasing what doesn’t serve you, bringing strength and fortification to your system, especially the liver, and boosting your immune system. Weeds are just plant friends you haven’t met yet ;) March rings in true kapha season. Kapha is a blend of earth and water, its qualities include being unctuous, cold, heavy, steady, soft, sweet, stable, and sticky. This is the season where growth unfolds around and within us. Keeping your specific dosha in mind (don’t go overboard on researching “kapha balancing diet” if you are predominantly Vata- you’ll risk increasing your Vata too much), you can incorporate more pungent spices and bitter greens into your diet to ensure there is a balance within this heavier season. Now that it is getting warmer, getting out to walk in the first hours of sunlight is said to boost overall wellness! If morning walks aren’t your thing, nature will settle for an afternoon or evening date to connect with the Earth and all of her beings. Earthing and forest bathing are two activities I recommend most after an energy session to get someone to feel grounded. The Earth holds a frequency that supports sleep quality, stress levels, immune system, and so much more! Plus, when we are in tune with our outer nature, we begin to notice our inner nature more and sync up. After all, we ARE nature – not living in or next to it. Forest bathing is a technique that comes from Japan where one simply walks in a forest. Not only do the frequencies of the forest support overall well-being but inhaling the intoxicating scents of the forest is aromatherapy! The smell of pine, humus, flowers, and other plants and trees comes from their volatile oils, which is what essential oils are! I love to offer forest bathing sessions where we go on a trail in a meditative and mindful state to connect back to the nature within and around us. If neither of these things are your cup of tea try….. a cup of tea! When my clients say they don’t like being outdoors and/or being barefoot or it’s still too dang cold, I recommend bringing the Earth inside! By mindfully connecting to your tea and all of the herbs within the blend, you are connecting to the frequency and energy of the earth. You are also connecting to the spirits of the plants. Plants hold their own frequencies and offer not just medicinal benefits but energetic benefits as well. Our kapha-supporting blends include Cosmic Chai and Night Sky Chai. Astrology
Historically, February is not my favorite month. It’s cold and dark, and everyone (or almost everyone) has taken down their holiday lights. I honestly wish everyone would just keep the lights on their houses until spring because I need all the joy I can get moving through winter once the holidays are over. Yes, February has Valentine’s Day, and I love LOVE, but most of the reminders I get about Valentine’s Day are on grocery shelves and in targeted ads. Rather than pour all my romantic energy into a singular holiday, I like to allow the transition from Aquarius season into Pisces season to entice me to romanticize everything! If I’m drinking tea on the couch, it’s with a candle lit and a thick blanket wrapped around me. If I’m making my bed in the morning, it’s with the sun streaming through the windows and music playing. Everything I do can be a vibe if my hair looks good enough. Pisces is dreamy, intuitive, empathetic, moody, and thoughtful. It is ruled by water, and using water can be a really lovely way to welcome in the season. Consider the following ritual: Fill a jar with water. Speak aloud into the water all the things you love about yourself. Set it in a window that gets moonlight or outdoors (don’t overfill the jar so that it freezes and cracks if you have freezing temps) under the moon. In the morning, use that water to make yourself a cup of tea. Remind yourself a second time about the things you love about yourself. Use that tea bag to do a simmer pot. This is where you can use any remaining water if you have it, otherwise the tea bag has also been infused with your good thoughts and self love. If you are using any of the Curiositea loose leaf teas, there is a lot of life left in them after just one cup, and you can simmer the tea on the stovetop over medium heat for several hours if you want to. Just be sure to keep an eye on it so that you don’t let the water completely evaporate (something I have, of course, NEVER done). This will help humidify the house a bit, which is welcome in the cold, dry months. It will also spread those good intentions and self love throughout the rest of your home. Pisces season- February 19-March 20 Herbs/Spices - passionflower, mugwort, poppy, lavender, Ayurveda We are moving further into kapha season for most of the Northern Hemisphere, which means cold and wet. This tends to be when decreased appetite is observed and cold and flu symptoms may rear their heads. In Ayurveda, the focus is not on the germs themselves but our bodies as hosts. There is an analogy that goes like this: if an intruder walks up to a house that is fully locked, gated, and has an alarm system (much like a strong immune system), the intruder (germs) cannot penetrate. That same intruder can walk over to a home with their doors and windows open with no alarm system (lower immune system), and they can walk right in. If our immune systems are well, our mental state is balanced, and we are getting enough sleep, those “intruder” germs cannot penetrate our bodies even if we are exposed over and over again. This is not to judge or shame anyone who does get sick (I was sick FIVE TIMES between September and December- all for a week at a time), as this is just one theory on illness. We could be doing everything “right” and still get knocked down by illness. This, in my opinion, comes down to my body SCREAMING at me to rest. When we don’t listen to our bodies’ whispers “hey, sit down and rest for a breath before moving onto the next thing” or “I really need a nap, an extra hour of sleep, to cancel some of the plans I overpromised on”, we will be forced to hear our bodies scream “HEY I TOLD YOU I WAS TIRED! NOW I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A COLD TO GET BACK INTO THAT BED”. If we tune into our bodies, we will tend to hear way more whispers than we realize: that tight hip, those few extra yawns around 2pm, that eye twitch, they all give us insight into what our bodies are needing to rebalance before we have to completely recalibrate with an illness. I’ll admit that those times I was sick were all after a bout of me running myself thin, overextending, and not resting and listening to those whispers. Kapha’s “home” is in the lungs so it is no wonder that respiratory illnesses arise during a time that is also wet and cold. Energetically, the lungs are associated with grief. This is also a time where we are stuck inside more, where the holiday season is now a distant memory, and where depression and seasonal affective disorder are building more and more. While you are resting, take time to tend to the grief, both large and small. The big griefs are easy to detect and usually impact our lives more; however, those smaller griefs still have a large impact, especially if they are dismissed. Some ideas for processing grief include, but are not limited to:
The same herbal suggestions for January apply here, as the nervous system can be hit with many emotions. Other herbs to support grief work include rose, mullein, hawthorn, and motherwort. To pacify kapha, pungent herbs and spices are favored to dry and warm the system; however, keep your dosha and current imbalances in mind! Pungent spices tend to overheat pittas and dry out vatas. Following a dosha-specific diet and routine is best for each individual, and placing kapha-based considerations is your best bet. While it is important to consider the season, we ultimately benefit from self-referral and noticing what our individual bodies need in the moment. Listen to those whispers and you’ll be surprised how much you’ll learn about yourself. Astrology
For those of us experiencing January as winter, there is a level of duality that comes with Capricorn season. Capricorn is grounded, ambitious, hardworking, creative, thoughtful, enduring, and not afraid of a challenge. The short days of winter ask us to prioritize rest, reflection, and healthy boundaries with productivity. All of nature is taking this time to recoup and it is only human hubris that makes us collectively behave as if we are separate from nature. So where do we find the balance between these seemingly competing energies? I think it starts with reflection. Can you look back at 2024 and list your highs, your lows, the things that you’re proud of, what you wish you had accomplished, how you could have been more gentle with yourself… maybe you actually write these down in a journal or in a list format. Maybe you take a less structured approach by going back through your photos from the last 12 months, or the appointments in your calendar and then sit with your general impressions. From here we have the opportunity to let our reflection be fuel for change. I don’t mean new year’s resolutions (those could be an aspect of this, though!) so much as small, measurable things you can sustain and build upon. If you want to read more books this year, you don’t have to commit to reading every single day if that task will just become a chore. Could you hold yourself accountable to reading every week instead? If the Capricorn part of you is invigorated by this planning and list making, allow yourself to go wild, but don’t implement all of your plans at once. Leave yourself room to embrace the stillness and quiet of winter. A great way to lose momentum is through burnout, and we don’t want to give up on everything we planned when aquarius season begins on January 20th. Aquarius is unique, innovative, curious, humanitarian, and opinionated. This is not a season where you are likely to hold the same level of enthusiasm for structure that you did in Capricorn season, especially if that structure doesn’t feel at least somewhat intuitive and flexible. As you move through the end of January, continue reflecting and assessing how your goals are serving you. If you want to enhance this practice, consider integrating some herbs associated with Aquarius into your day on January 29th for the Aquarius new moon. You may choose to have them as tea, burned in incense, or as part of a meal. A few common herbs/spices associated with Aquarius are listed below. The new moon is a beautiful time to plant seeds and set intentions. Consider the energy of Aquarius as you decide how you want to work with this lunation. The quick and dirty details Capricorn season runs through January 19th Cardinal earth sign ruled by Saturn Herbs & Spices: thyme, nettle, hemp, milk thistle, henbane Aquarius season begins January 20th Fixed air sign ruled by Uranus and Saturn Herbs & Spices: valerian, cacao, catnip, skullcap, cinnamon Ayurveda January is a tricky month when it comes to Ayurveda. As autumn has recently come to an end, and particularly in dryer climates, vata may still be affecting your days. True winter embodies the kapha dosha, as it tends to be cold and wet and many animals (humans included!) find themselves consuming heavier foods and come to a hibernation of sorts. While kapha and vata both share the quality of coldness, they are essentially opposite in nature in every other quality. Vata is irregular, moving, dry, rough, and subtle whereas kapha is steady, stable, unctuous, smooth, and overt. These qualities can be observed not only in your environment, but within your body as well. By noticing that your skin is overly dry and cracking (vata symptoms), you may favor warm unctuous foods like cooking root vegetables with sesame oil. If you notice that you tend towards congestion this month (kapha symptoms), you may favor lighter, drying foods like incorporating more cooked bitter greens in your meals. Regardless of your dosha, favoring freshly cooked meals over raw foods is recommended to support your digestive fire. Soups, dahls, and other simple and easy-to-digest foods are recommended. Spices that will support digestion and warmth include – but not limited to – ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and cloves. Ice water aggravates both vata and kapha and will slow down your digestive fire no matter what season, but especially in the winter. To stay hydrated, drinking room temperature, warm, or even hot water is recommended (those with more pitta constitutions, be careful not to overdo the heat! Self-referral will guide you to the right temperature for your body). Of course, tea is a lovely option for this time of the year! Those same spices you’re cooking with can be steeped in a yummy tea! If you don’t feel like putting in all of the work, we have blends with these spices like Cosmic Chai and Night Sky Chai. With the holidays ending, this is the time to turn inward and do as many hibernating activities as we can within society. Prioritize rest and don’t be afraid to say “no” to overcommitting! One self-love practice that will also support your dry winter skin is abhyanga. The Sanskrit word, Sneha, is the same word for “oil” as is it for “love”. While diet, lifestyle, and even the choosing of body oil is dosha-specific and highly individulized, the balancing oil for winter is usually sesame oil. This is a gently warming oil that most doshas can tolerate; however, if pitta is predominant and/or you experience too much warmth, ghee is also recommended. As much as you can, spend some time outdoors every day. If walking and/or exercising outdoors is not an option due to the cold, even a few minutes in the crisp air, sunshine, and connecting with Mother Earth supports your mind, body, and soul. Support your mental and emotional health with gentle asanas, breathwork, and your favorite mindfulness practices. New Years resolutions are usually broken and people feel guilty for not being consistent. Instead of a resolution, focus on one way you can consistently love on yourself. Take a minute to take deep breaths. Close your eyes and savor that sip of tea. Look yourself in the eye and say “I love you” while washing your hands. Find micro moments each day to love on yourself while being compassionate about not overdoing it and giving yourself grace when you don’t stick to those resolutions. If you’re really looking to create a solid routine, try habit stacking. This is where you take a new habit (for example, placing an energetic shield around you each morning to set better boundaries) and attach it to a habit that is so ingrained, you don’t have to think about doing it (like brushing your teeth). Love on your nervous system this time of year. The holidays are hard for many, and seasonal affective disorder is also creeping her head around. While resting, call on adaptogens and nervines to support your body in coming back into a parasympathetic state. Herbs like ashwagandha, holy basil, turmeric, and mushrooms such as reishi, are considered adaptogens, which help the body adapt to stress and support recalibrating your body back to homeostasis. Herbs like chamomile, lavender, catnip, and passionflower are nervines, which help to calm the nervous system. |
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