Dear Soul on the Other Side of this Screen,
Quick Question: Do you know what phase of the moon you were born under?
I was born right before the new moon, which is the phase the moon is in as I write this. I always feel such a deep connection to this part of the moon cycle and this part of the human cycle. A common saying to describe this energy is, "It's darkest before the dawn." These words speak to the moment of transformation where one must offer their faith and trust in the turning of the wheel of time. In astrology, this phase is called the balsamic dark moon. The way my mind works, I'm thinking to myself, "Use more balsamic vinegar in my salad dressing to honor and integrate this awareness!"
Someone asked me recently who my ideal person to work/dance with is. I did an exercise like this when I started Qoya 14 years ago, and what I wrote down in that worksheet still holds true today. I like working with people on the verge of making a soul-based decision. From my perspective, as we attune to the body's messages, they are gateways to our subconscious and the deeper call of our heart, spirit, and soul. Resonance is required for alignment. I don't see the body at odds with the mind, more as if the body is the thread that weaves all parts of ourselves together: mind, heart, spirit. Here's a great resource to learn what cycle of the moon you were born under and how to work with that energy.
I have a Virgo stellium (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in the 6th house of service, health, and healing). I love the word stellium. A stellium is when you have three or more planets in one sign in your birth chart, which can intensify the qualities of the sign and house they take place in.
With this new moon in Virgo, I am inspired to invite you to contemplate how you receive your clearest instructions for your sacred work. When do you experience the most clear seeing for your best next steps? How do you commit to getting yourself into those states of being when needed?
For me, my moments of clear seeing, inspiration, and receptivity to insight happen when there is a combination of the following things:
embodied presence
alignment with the healing forces of nature
service to the greater good
Let's explore those a little one by one:
Embodied Presence
This is what Qoya Inspired Movement is all about. As we engage with our bodies in this practice, compassion is at the foundation of our experience. Whatever arises, we explore what nourishes us in that moment. There is less focus on getting somewhere and more focus on learning how to be with ourselves where we are to integrate the wisdom of that moment. Ideally, the practice is adaptogenic ~ offering us energy when we are tired, calming us when we are anxious, and reconnecting us when we feel disconnected. The movement, community sharing, and contemplative practice of noticing how we feel are all offered in the spirit of digesting the past, presencing ourselves in the now, and getting clear on what seeds we are planting and watering for the future.
Alignment with the Healing Forces of Nature
Wherever you are in this moment, I invite you to offer a question you are holding in your heart or simply an openness to receive a message that supports you on this day. Simply look out your window or step outside. Notice what you see and explore the idea that whatever you are experiencing internally, there is a source of unconditional love and support nature is offering right where you are. For example, I am sitting at my laptop in my kitchen, writing before Desmond wakes up. As I turn my head to the left, I see rain falling down alongside the leaves of a peach tree that didn't bloom this year. I am instantaneously crying. The peach tree didn't bloom this year because of a frost in the early spring.
As my tears continue to flow, a cry I've been needing to have for a while now, I am reflected by the rain with permission to clean and purify what's here. The thing with the tree is that I can relate to not feeling as capable of creating fruit this year. It's been challenging to manage going through a divorce, parenting a wise, wild and free 4-year-old boy, and stewarding Qoya Inspired Movement in the way that my heart yearns to. However, like this tree took a break, I did as well. I took time to deeply feel the best next steps and look forward to launching a new website and schedule with a more nourished foundation. Will the peaches come next year? I hope so. I move forward with faith and also humbleness to more deeply appreciate what blooms and ripens for the gift it is. By looking out the window and aligning with the healing forces of nature, I feel a deeper connection to myself, nature, you, and life. I wish that for all of us.
Service to the Greater Good
Last week, I was honored to attend The Well-Being Summit hosted by the Omega Institute and Harlem Wellness Center with the theme of gathering at the intersection of well-being and social change. You can read and be inspired by the 40 different presenters here. The Well-Being Summit shares on their website, "Being part of a movement is personal. It is also aspirational. To be part of the wellbeing movement for social change is rooted in the belief that challenges can be overcome, that innovation can create solutions, and that all social changemakers — no matter their background — can lead healthy, balanced lives. Above all, to play your part in catalyzing a culture of inner well-being is to be optimistic that change is possible."
During the conference, there were many inspiring moments that I look forward to sharing with you in many ways. For this moment, I'm called to share something specifically about the connection to the Virgo New Moon. I experience Virgo as the sign of the harvest, this keen ability to discern, plan, and organize to create the most nourishment for all. Virgo is associated with service, the ability to scan and see how to improve a situation. I went to a workshop with Gail Straub, where she spoke about aligning our relationship to service in the rhythm of compassion. Our in-breath is an opportunity to nourish ourselves, and our out-breath offers nourishment to the world. Where do you find yourself in this phase of your life? What could you do to bring more balance? There will be times when you need to nourish yourself more, and when you know it's time to give more to be in the right relationship.
I love this as it weaves beautifully with teaching from the Q'ero Paqos from our last Global Paqo School Qoya Cohort class. We spoke about Mañariquy, which is the practice of asking for what you can give. When we ask for help with abundance, ask for what you can take care of well. Ask for what nourishes and inspires you to give back to the world. Imagine receiving to give. The Q'ero Paqos shared this is not a tradition of "I just want to receive for myself." You receive to give. To continue ayni, right relationship and sacred reciprocity. Like you would never want to only breathe in with no exhale, just receiving doesn't lead to greater fulfillment.
Similarly, you can't breathe out all the time and just give. Find the sacred exchange of giving and receiving. Ask for what you can also give.
In Gail Straub's workshop, she led us through a meditation to feel into our own rhythm of compassion with four steps that are also in her book, The Rhythm of Compassion.
The first step is having a still mind that can hold paradox and contraction. I feel the importance of this more and more and the necessity to be able to notice when we are in our bodies and our nervous systems. If we are activated with adrenaline pushing us to fight, flight or freeze, it will be difficult to see clearly with a calm mind. And when we are regulated, this is such a powerful time to commune with stillness and ease and nourish it. Where do you find yourself in this moment? I invite you to notice your relationship to a still mind.
The second step is having an open heart. I drew an image with the words Titrating Tenderness. My practice is to open my heart to the capacity I have to integrate what's present. And then open it some more. Acknowledging the tendency to be overwhelmed and committing to more sustainable ways to feel deeply. How does it feel to open your heart? What supports you to continue to open in ways to integrate all the grief and joy that comes with feeling?
The third step is presence, which can embrace our interconnected, interdependent, existence. Do you feel the consciousness that weaves all of us and all of life together? What is it like for you to commune with that energy?
The fourth step is radical simplicity. In this context, simplicity isn't less. It's identifying the thing that needs doing that I can do. During the fourth step, I traced my hand like a child would with a crayon, and I noticed how often my focus can be on how big the world's problems are and what feels like I myself am not able to shift or change. With the cue for radical simplicity, I started to write down the simple things I can do with my own two hands. I invite you to do the same and notice what arises.
The new moon in Virgo is exact at 9:40pm EDT this Thursday, September 14th. To bring all of these ideas into the body, I invite you to join me in this intention setting video. I offer it to support you as you listen for the sacred instructions that are yours; cultivating embodied presence, aligning with the healing forces of nature, and being in service to the greater good.
With love,
Rochelle
P.S. Many members of our global Qoya teacher community are teaching a class on the theme Dare to Dream during the month of September. Please see class listings on our Find a Class page, and make sure to check back as more are being added!