August 11-18 Lucifer, The Bright & Shining One

With a pinch of fortune, we have a quieter week as we move toward Friday’s New Moon. We need  peace to take longer exhales, letting go and inviting stillness so we can adjust to necessary changes. Jupiter leaves dramatic Leo for earthy Virgo, for a twelve month sojourn, (more on this next week) and Venus remains retrograde, continuing the reassessment for who and what we value. It is a good week to contemplate the road ahead, letting the drama and shiny extras fall away as we plant New Moon seeds to nourish heart and soul.

This Leo New Moon aligns with the retrograde Venus, asking we look backward as we head forward to the new cycle. The strong Leo energy is ruled by the Sun, which rules the heart in the physical body. I know of many who are heart sore at this time, take time to lie on the mat in Supta Baddha Konasana, with left hand over the heart, right hand on belly.  Breathe into what needs healing, what needs to change. Find more information: dailybreathjournal.com /yoga /yoga poses /relax & restore.

On Sept. 6, when Venus goes direct, she moves from being the evening star, most visible above the western horizon, after the setting sun, to being the morning star, above the eastern horizon, seen best as the Sun rises. Lucifer, latin for ‘bright and shining one,’ was the name for Venus as the morning star. Her Greek name is Heosphoros, or ‘dawn-bringer.’ Venus is a planet, not a star, but whatever you call her, call her something beautiful so she offers you inner illumination, a heart-star of guidance for deeper levels of comprehension and healing around your talents and self worth, finances and relationships, along with lovers old and new.

This New moon is further complicated by contacts to Chiron, the wounded healer, and Uranus, planet of sudden change, innovative thinking, and revolution. We may be feeling anxious about a future we cannot envision. We may be healing old hurts, or caring for others in ways we never considered. We may be feeling too much at the mercy of others. Yes, it’s been a twisty summer, for all its beauty. Take time now to re-align, giving yourself credit for the beautiful work you have done, and breath bravery into the unknown. In fact, move your Practice toward greater self-awareness, come home to the breath. Connect the flow of a conscious pranayama to asanas/poses. This opens physical places that unconsciously hold tension. As the body learns to release physically, self-limiting mental and emotional tightness releases. Find a multiplicity of healing tips at: dailybreathjournal.com /wellness /anxiety & stress.