Happy Birthday Leo (Me!)

new moon, late summer, lugh & $$$

I do have time for massage tomorrow 11-2 & also have time Tuesday and Thursday next week.

I have friends who often don’t announce their birthdays. I’m not great remembering dates and sometimes I’m floored when friends don’t say anything. Leo is pretty good about celebrating themselves and my birthday is July 31st.

The new moon in Leo is today, Thursday 7/28. Leo is ruled by the sun so the energy is about shining your light, which is much easier to do when you love yourself. Like RuPaul says, “If you can’t love yourself, how you gonna love anybody else?” When in balance you don’t need to look outside yourself for validation, you can celebrate you for being you! This is a great time to connect with your heart and set intentions.

A friend of mine told me about interesting astrology on my birthday 7/31 the North Node is conjunct Uranus in Taurus (you can read more about here) but my main take away is to expect the unexpected. That change for our highest good is on the way but change can be hard and not what we think we want. I was reminded of this short meditation for getting aligned with your highest self and how practicing this might be really helpful right now.

LUGH & LUGHNASADH

I didn’t learn the day after my birthday August 1st is Lughnasadh or Lammas until a few years ago. It is the halfway point between Summer and Fall, is the first harvest time and is associated with the Celtic god Lugh. I have some Irish lineage and was fascinated to learn about this god who’s day is right by my birthday.

In celebrations Lugh would seize the harvest for mankind and defeat the powers of blight. It is a time to look at what you planted in spring and take note of the coming harvest. Will you be prepared for winter?

One of my favorite stories about Lugh is as a young man he traveled to Tara to join the court of King Nuada. In this community everyone needed a specific skill to serve the king. The door keeper asked him what skills Lugh has. Lugh says he is a wright but the door keeper says they have someone that does that. So he says a smith, again he is denied. Then a champion, a swordsman, a harpist, a hero, a poet, historian, a sorcerer, and a craftsman and each time is rejected as they already have someone with that skill. In the end Lugh asks if they have anyone with all those skills simultaneously, the doorkeeper says no and Lugh joins the court! Lugh is associated with skill and mastery in multiple disciplines, including the arts.

A teacher once told me I needed to focus on one modality and that never resonated. I like to learn and practice new things and Lugh has felt like a kindred spirit to me. Take a moment on August 1st to appreciate a good meal of foods recently harvested and take note of what has grown in your life since spring.

LATE SUMMER

In Traditional Chinese Medicine Fire, Heart and Small Intestine rule summer but when we move toward the transition between seasons, it is associated with the Earth element. Stomach and Spleen are the organs of these transition times. Being grounded will help keep you centered through transitions. The earth element gives us the power to manifest things into the world.

Stomach takes in nutrients, controls the menstrual cycle and promotes grounding. Spleen breaks down nutrients, is related to thinking and promotes nurturing. Issues in these areas may indicated an imbalance.

How can you center yourself? Literally feeling into your center, your belly button and just breathing can be one way to tune in. How can you nurture yourself? Anything that you enjoy that allows you to let go of tension. Be mindful of what you eat. Supportive herbs are licorice, fennel, chamomile and marshmallow.

$$$

For my birthday I’m raising my rates, happy birthday me! If this change makes receiving bodywork too difficult I am open to sliding scale sessions and trades, please just reach out. I do give discounts for referrals and will give a $5 off for cash or check payment.