Astrologically, the last few months have been very intense, and there are still some overwhelming energetic patterns in the sky—with Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto all retrograde, and two other planetary formations calling us into deep, energetic, soul work– so this delightfully inspected new moon is a calm center in the middle of the storm.
Take advantage of it, and take care of yourself. Stop for a moment, look around at your life, and get clear on the most personal and basic things that bring you joy and love. Use your spiritual and yoga practices to work with Venus energy, heart opening, and the heart chakra. Spend some time with the earth, the beauty of Spring time, and get grounded (one of Taurus’ favorite qualities).
Finally, if there is something that you need to put a little drive and persistence into, this is a great time to set the intentions and gather the energy for that. Taurus is great at staying the course. If you’ve been wavering, or haven’t mustered the energy to continue, use this new moon energy in Taurus to gather your bull-headed strength to start (and stay!) on your way.
Alchemical Ritual for the Taurus New Moon
As an earth sign, Taurus loves to feel the sensual beauty all around and manifest earthly abundance and pleasures whenever possible. On the low side, however, this grounded energy makes us stuck and stagnant, disallowing growth and flow states. This new moon ritual for Taurus helps to accentuate the high side of this energy which uses the power of the earth to create beauty and abundance inside and out.
Taurus’ ruler is Venus, the great goddess of love and beauty. In her we see the energy of attraction, sensuality and connectedness. To enhance this energy in your ritual, gather green stones such as jade, tourmaline or peridot and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the earth element in some way, either with a small bowl of dirt, a plant, or do the ritual outside. Rose and Sandalwood essential oil can be used to anoint your heart chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and place the hands on the ground. Connect deeply to earth energy and call forth the sensual wisdom it offers. Feel the energy moving into your seat, your legs, your hands and up through your body into your heart. Coordinate the breath with the flow of energy. When you establish a consistent current, meditate on the question: What does my heart want? Your answer is not trivial, and it will likely come quietly and simply. Any running dialogue is not from the heart, but from the ego, so listen closely to the answer from the heart. Once you receive your answer, choose one stone, hold it firmly in your right hand and say the following invocation out loud:
Venus, please show me the path to manifesting my heart’s greatest desire.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the heart, and allow for the invocation to sink in and begin to show you your path. Allow any symbols, sensations, emotions or energy to arise and continue to quietly witness all that happens without judgement or thought.
When complete, place your hand on your heart and chant Om three times. Place your hands in prayer at the heart with the stone inside and recognize this talisman that you have now charged with the energy of your heart’s desire. Snuff the candles and place the talisman somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the path to your heart’s fullest expression. This ritual creates a connection between you and your heart, and allows you to walk forward on a clear path of manifesting abundance for yourself and all around you.
By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.
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