Breathe Tend LOVE - Ritual Rx. for the Cancer Full Moon

The first lunation of the year arrives on Friday with a full moon in Cancer; inviting us to elevate the way in which we care, nurture, protect and support ourselves and each other. Illuminating our relationships with our homes (including and not limited to physical spaces, Mother Nature, our inner home of the heart), our family (both inherent and chosen), our intuition as an oracle, our innate feminine essence, our boundaries/barriers and our creative expression.

Themes supported by the zodiacal sign of Cancer center around emotional wellness, the body, food, the Mother archetype/feminine relationships, our sense of belonging/safety/security, our lineage/ ancestry/family/roots/belonging, travel/navigation, nostalgia/parenting/reparenting/childhood, emotional wounding and thresholds of healing. I tend to look to the first lunation of the year as an energetic indicator, guide and medicine for the year ahead. In the Major Arcana of the Tarot (an archetypal navigation tool for the journey of life), Cancer is ruled by “The Chariot” card. In numerology and the Tarot, 2023 is also a Chariot Year and I’ll be sharing next weeks’ newsletter around the multitude of initiations and invitations synonymous with this archetype. Full moons and especially a full moon in Cancer can often feel particularly emotional and have a tendency to illuminate unresolved matters of the heart (past and present), all that we care deeply about and for, and can become catalysts for profound new awareness, radical shifts and freedom from suffering. Create a loving balm of tenderness, kindness, patience and softness and apply liberally. Before, during and following Friday’s full moon, create regular opportunities to be with your Self and with the areas of your life that are calling for your attention, your tending and your LOVE. Let the level of care and compassion lay the foundation for new ways of tending to your needs. What aspects of you longs to feel embraced, permissioned, initiated, or embodied? What familiar behaviors, perspectives, beliefs, “shoulds” or perspectives are holding you back from experiencing the gorgeous fullness of you? What has surfaced to be faced, named, forgiven, surrendered and healed? How would it feel to step more bravely into the radiance of your gifts, your joy, your luminous heart? The fullness of the Cancer Moon, the initiation of The Chariot and your own wise, worthy and precious heart await your audience. Embrace this lunation and the opportunity to spend time reflecting on the ways in which you desire to honor your Self, trust yourself, choose yourself and whole heartedly BE yourself.

Sacred Breath Ritual: Gather whatever helps you feel cared for and at ease (Imagine a candlelit pillow fort, with your heart as an altar). You might like to ready yourself with a visit to nature, meditation, some gentle slow stretching, journaling, a bath/salt scrub shower or quietly making a cup of tea. In essence, whatever invites a gentle slowing down and shifting your energy away from the outer “doing” to an inner sense of “being”. Light your candle, close your eyes and in your minds’ eye, cast an energetic circle of protection, peace and nurturance around your ritual space, with you at its center. Bring your attention to your heart (I often find placing my hands on my heart helps facilitate this). Take as many slow and deep breaths as needed to sense your energy shifted and your body softened. A simple “square count” pattern of 4 count inhale, 4 count hold, 4 count exhale, 4 count hold is a great introduction to breath-work. Stay in this state of gentle surrender, in this rhythmic sacred breath for several minutes. Whisper any tender affirmations, devotions that heal, bow to all that you have been shown, set down all burdens, declare vows of renewal and love. This is creating and holding compassionate space for yourself. Sit alongside your inner grace, your inner child, your hopes and wishes, your true magnificence and breathe together. Allow whatever feelings that arise to be comforted by the infinity wave of your breath, spirit and presence. All of you is welcome here. All of you is safe here. All of you is loved here. When you sense a completion, begin to bring your awareness back to your physical body and gently open your eyes with a renewed sense of softness. Take note of how you feel in your body when you harness your luminous heart to restore a sense of inner peace and nurturance. Allow this practice to become a ritual (from a few simple breaths you take whilst standing in line, to an extravagant evening of luna love you set aside for yourself each full moon) you can unfold, build upon and return to again and again no matter where you dwell. A loving home within your Self is a home for all of you, for all of your life.