The hustle and bustle of Aries season has crescendoed and we can now slow down and settle as Taurus season began on April 19th. We may welcome this earth sign to bring us more into more peace, stillness, and pleasure and to deepen and solidify what has been ignited this spring. For me Aries season was like an explosion of activity and I felt myself easily caught up in the current with hardly a chance to really consciously reflect and respond to what was occurring each moment. Standing still and allowing it all to settle a bit feels like a chance to catch my breath and to do deeper into what is unfurling this spring. When I do I feel the voice of Venus, the ruler of Taurus quietly whispering for me to “Treat myself”..she continues on.
“Treat yourself like you are just as important as any task on your list, any person you cherish, and any goal you fervently pursue. Treat yourself with that much care, attention and respect and notice what that attention feels like. Treat yourself in the way of attuning to the being part of you rather than the doing part of yourself which is often so over represented by your attention. And when you do offer yourself the curiosity of how your body feels, how your spirit feels and how is your overall being is operating. Then, treat yourself with the activities and environments that soothe you, rejuvenate you and replenish you. This can be a walk in nature, taking time and care to create something with your hands like bread, a poem or a garden for your pleasure, taking nap, read a book and do this not for any external motive but to sensualize your ‘beingness’ through your senses. When you do this, you get in touch with what is at your core, what truly is important and valuable and you rekindle the belonging that pleasure has in your life. You find your joy, your delight and your roots. It is from your roots that you draw in the nourishment you need to grow, to evolve and to bloom.”
This advice seems to counter current to the busyness of life which can keep us tasking, planning, and in constant momentum. I have noticed at times that life can feel so full that I am in a state of just trying to get through the the next thing and then the next without really noticing each experience, each interaction and my own enjoyment or indifference to the whole unfolding. Taurus season can be like pressing the reset switch to become more aware of our own energy and where we place it. Our energy, our time, our attention are precious assets we carry and the source of our vitality. How many things do we unnecessarily do each day? What gets our attention that doesn’t deserve it? Where are we spending our time? Is it worth it? When we are not conscious of our energy we miss the opportunity to direct our energy at that with truly satisfies and delights us. It is like choosing a food we are indifferent and getting that nominal experience of delight. Save the calories for something delightful and savor!
Here are some catch points that can help you identify when we may be caught up in the trance of doing without alignment to your values and your roots:
-Rushing: When ever I find myself rushing I know I am packing in too much and not being a good steward of my energy. It is a good time to really ask, is all of this needed in my day? Am I being reasonable with what i can really do and do well and attentively?
-Multi-tasking- This for me is a tell tale sign of not being centered and focused. Research shows we are less effective when we multi task and we split our awareness and thereby split the potential we have to take pleasure in what we are doing. We can’t be present in 3 different places at a time and therefore we are not present at all.
-Needing distractions- I know I am out of sync with myself when I need to distract myself from the moment. What am I fearing about this moment? Why do I want to waste this moment? What am I missing by not allowing myself to be here now?
Practices to get back to center: When you find yourself in disarray, caught up in the momentum and devoid of that calming presence, take a pause and find yourself!
-Take 10 deep breaths and exhale for 1-2 counts longer than you inhale
-Go into nature and use your sense to experience the moment (what to do you hear? What do you see? How is the temperature feel? What do you smell? Take your shoes off and walk in the grass!
-Move your body in a repetitive or rhythmic way like your heart beat. Chop some vegetables, go for a steady walk, do some yoga sun salutations, fold clothes, tap your chest to your heart beat.
The full moon on the night of Monday, April 26th is in Scorpio. Scorpio is a deep water sign that broods introspection, inquiry into our fears to excavate truth. Scorpio is intense and complicated as it represents the transformation we undergo to reside in our self-mastery and power.. Scorpio is the polarity sign of Taurus so in essence they balance each other. On this full moon, our Scorpio moon goddess may ask you, where is life overly complicated, complex and entangled that you are separated from the power you have to root your choices and action from the seat of your values? Where must you direct your attention with intention? What is your relationship to pleasure and how often do you take breaks to “treat yourself” and regain connection to the well of your vitality? This may be a good night to cut cords with some activities and commitments that are stealing your energy and leaving you empty or unsatisfied.
Our energy is precious.How can we be good stewards of this precious resource? Life is a gift and we get to choose in each moment how to relate to this gift. May we all choose to savor each moment. May we allow more pleasure and delight into our days. May we slow down to actually sensualize the segments that make up our days, our weeks, our years and our lives. Treat yourself this month and see what blooms….