Doing Sanity the Taurean Way

How are you today? I'm experimenting with a slightly different format for the Monthly Missive this new moon. Let me know what you think!

New Moon in Taurus

When the new moon is in Taurus, the focus is on your physicality and the things that give you a sense of stability.  

What you can do:

• Get out of your head/emotions and into your body. It doesn't have a vigorous sport. What's more important is that it lets you give attention to your body. Ideas: run, do a body scan, yoga, get a massage.
• Do/wear something luxurious and/or comforting. It's about the sensuality of your skin. Get a massage, a facial or body scrub. Schlomp about in your favourite silk or flannel wear. 
• Indulge in your favourite snacks while watching TV on your fave couch. This is the ultimate Taurean hobby, if you can call it that. Please do not over-indulge ;) I don't want to be responsible for causing sugar headaches or water retention.
• In the bigger picture, consider what gives you stability in your life. Do you have it or are you acquiring it? Are there things that you thought gave you stability, but in actual fact, don't?     

Some thoughts re: the last point. Was talking to my friend about this New Moon and she mentioned she saw security and stability as the same thing. I can absolutely see what she meant, and to be honest, until the moment I disagreed, I didn't even realise they weren't the same thing to me. 

They are closely linked for sure. Having security, financial, physical or otherwise, can lead to having a feeling of stability. But perhaps it doesn't work in the other direction.

My sense (for now), is that security relates to the external world, maybe because I perceive security as something you get either through creating boundaries, or buffering against something unknown, whereas stability is internal, and grounded in our habits, routines, and the patterns and cycles of time.

Some examples? I work from a home office and help to look after my niece sometimes, so planning to have social engagements at least twice a week is essential for staying sane. Otherwise, most days I'd end up only talking to clients, a 3-year-old and the computer! Another one is exercising at least twice a week. Having a long-term perspective is another; I plan time at the end of every year to look back and to look ahead. Hmm, I might call them Essential for Staying Sane Activities (ESSA) ;)

I don't always do my ESSAs to the frequency or extent I'd like to, but knowing what they are, and making time for them is crucial when I'm not feeling my best. Or when life is filled with stress and drama, I try to fit them back into my life as soon as I can, because I know they will bring me back to a point of equilibrium, which I guess is what I think of as stability.  

There are many things, big and small, that you can choose to include in your life as your own ESSAs. Once you establish what they are, they will come to occupy a strange "must do but don't have to" spot in your life. As in, "I must do them because I decided I want to, but even if I don't do them perfectly or as often as I like, I won't feel bad about it." Hope that makes sense! Email me if it doesn't.

What are *your* ESSAs? 

Other Points of Note

Feeling disconnected. 
The couple of days around the New Moon, you may feel a disconnect between your feelings and well, just about everything else. Avoid the downward spiral by staying present. Focus on self-love, and do the things mentioned above.

Situations/decisions from last December, including unresolved matters.
You may find yourself revisiting these matters over the next couple of months. For greater clarity, look at what the matter is truly about, uncover the root cause hidden beneath all the surface symptoms. Then make a plan to manage things. Bide your time.

Mercury Retrograde in Gemini (May 19 till June 13).
Look to where early Gemini is in your chart to have an idea of how this might affect you. Otherwise, the usual spiel applies: patience and zen will get you through most situations, and keep an eye on the details (more than you usually do). [Get a refresher here.]

Relationship building (now till July 1).
We know nurturing relationships that are important to us is essential for happiness, and we work on it, but it's not always easy, right? Fortunately, from now till July 1, that path is exceptionally wonderful, so take advantage of it.

Getting to Know You

Last month, most of you said no to the astro jargon, so it's staying out of this missive :) 

This month, I'm wondering: 
Do you know your moon sign and/or rising sign? Do they fit? How do you feel about them?

Hit reply with your thoughts and let me know!

If you don't know, you can set up a chart at astro.com to find out. OR drop me an email with your birth date & time, and birth place, and I will let you know.

And as usual, if you have any questions, drop me a line. I read every email.

Till the next New Moon! :)

Blessings,
Julia