Astrology, Energy Medicine, and Yoga for the week of January 26th

Happy Monday friends. Here's what's happening in the heavens this week:

Today we start of with the first-quarter moon that enters Taurus in the early hours. This moon is determined and the day is a good one for facing challenges and getting work done.

Mercury is moving retrograde in Aquarius and has been opposing Jupiter in Leo inviting us to explore our desires to connect, communicate and perform. What, how and who we present to our audience(s), no matter how large/small they may, is under review for clear tactics of communication and asking ourselves questions of authenticity and motivation.

Venus moves into Pisces on Wednesday to join Neptune, Mars and Chiron in the sign of our collective unconscious and the eternal sea of everything-ness that anything comes from. In Melina's column this week she offers us tools for swimming in this sea and working with energy medicine for Mars, Chiron and Neptune in Pisces. Venus in the mix brings in our love, longings and belief in the beauty that could be. Our ability to empathize and connect increases as Venus approaches a conjunction with Neptune next Monday. Check your chart to see which house 6˚ Pisces lands in- this is the area of your life where you might want to be extra mindful about noticing whose feelings are whose, as well as the desire to give a lot, maybe even everything, for love. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but you may want to give yourself some time to make sure that what you think is real, is real...

This coming Sunday Mars will reach its conjunction with Chiron. With Venus not far behind, this week is a great time to meditate on how you can be most proactive in transforming pain that you are working with, developing empathy and compassion, and working to learn from not only your mistakes but also from the ever-present family wounds, and the collective pain that we all carry.

The current Saturn in Sagittarius square-to-Mars in Pisces aspect fuels our desire to work for transformation, rather than get stuck in our solidified or hardened ways of thinking. One way to work with deeply personal and potentially highly-charged emotional content is to spend a few minutes each day in meditation. Making space in your day to sit and actually notice all the goings-on that move through your brain space can help you to do the absolutely necessary work of noticing patterns that you are ready to let go of. On a personal level pay attention to the stories that keep arising and the emotional response that they elicit. Ask yourself if it's possible to just observe the story without the emotional reaction. On an interpersonal level, meditate on the characters of your stories and notice how you may place certain people in certain roles. Consider the vastness of your own being and what it feels like to be delegated to one role only. Apply to others.

I personally like to meditate while moving- walking solo in the woods is my favorite. But I also try and make time for a more "traditional" seated meditation, purely because I find it so damn challenging. I know it's good for me to cease my compulsive doing, and when I make time to just be I usually find it excruciating at first, but ultimately immeasurably rewarding when I notice that I am less reactive, more calm and centered in my other activities. Check out this yoga sequence for hip-opening and approaching Lotus pose, or Padmasana, the yogi's meditation posture of choice!

And finally- Tomorrow night Melina and I will teach the Aquarius edition of Embodying The Zodiac, our monthly class that explores the intersection of yoga and astrology. The class is open to all levels of knowledge and ability (absolute beginners/novices are encouraged to attend!). Bring your birth chart, which you can get for free here, and we will explore all things Aquarian as they manifest in you!

Embodying Aquarius Tuesday, January 27th 7-9PM Be Space - 211 SE 11th Ave. Portland 97211 $15