.full moon in aries tea.

Words, Recipe + Inspiration from Steph Zabel:

"I trust that I know the truth for myself."

Trusting ourselves involves connecting in to our own power and taking action with confidence. But before there can be trust there must be truth. Trust -- above all -- involves truth, honesty and integrity.
It can be challenging to trust in the external world as there are many illusions that surround us -- many people and situations certainly prove themselves to be untrustworthy.

But despite what happens in the external world we can always cultivate a deep trust in ourselves. And if we all work on trusting ourselves then the world becomes a more truthful and trustworthy place.
Just as you can only trust another person when you know they are telling the truth, you can only trust yourself when you are completely honest with yourself.

When you doubt yourself you move around in confusion and shadows; when you trust in yourself you clearly see what is right and true for you. 

With this moon tea you can affirm: 

I trust that I am exactly where I am meant to be. I trust that life -- my life and all of life -- is unfolding exactly as it should.

 I trust that I make the best decisions for myself. 

I trust that I know the truth. 

Keep these statements in mind as you make the tea, and especially as you drink it...

CALENDULA
(Calendula officinalis)
~ to center us in our power ~

HAWTHORN
(Crataegus spp.)
~ to offer support & comfort when we feel self-doubt ~

FENNEL SEED
(Foeniculum vulgare)
~ to help us clearly see what is true ~

ROSEMARY
(Rosmarinus officinalis)
~ to remember who we really are ~

HOW TO MAKE THE MOON TEA:

~ Take the herbs above and place as much or as little of them as you feel is the right amount into a clean glass jar. (As a starting point I usually use anywhere from 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of dried herbs per 1 cup of water.)

~ If you don't have all of these herbs, it's ok. Use what you have. You can used dried or fresh herbs. Everyone's moon tea will be a little different. 

~ In the evening pour pure, room-temperature water over the herbs then let your covered jar sit in the light of the full moon overnight.

~ Your tea can steep anywhere the moonlight will touch it. This can be in a backyard, on a balcony, or on a windowsill. Try to place it somewhere elevated and with a clear view of the sky so it can catch as many moonbeams as possible.

~ If moonlight is not able to reach the steeping jar (as when it's cloudy or rainy) that's ok -- the intent behind the moon tea will still be strong, and that's where much of the transformative power of this tea resides.

~ Remember that other readers are placing their tea jars out to steep on the same evening, and send them telepathic greetings and well-wishes. Keep the intent in mind as you do so. 

~ The next morning strain out the herbs (and compost them, if possible).

~ You can drink this brew throughout the whole next day or all at once. Remember to keep the intention in mind as you drink:

"I trust that I know the truth for myself."

.full moon tea.

Inspired by the words + recipe of Herbalist, Steph Zabel’s most recent newsletter that contained blend for a full moon tea I am making my very first full moon tea tonight! 

A full moon tea is blended and then soaked in the full moonlight overnight. Full moon tea can be a grounding ritual to help align with the cycle of the moon, a moment to meditate, a nourishing self-care practice to give gratitude, a release of energy of the past moon cycle, a moment to set intuitions for the a start of a new moon cycle, and a hundred other reasons. For me it offers a moment of pause to set intention for the next few weeks.

I connected with Steph’s words: 

"When we are drawn away from our center we lose some of our strength, power, and clarity. We are more prone to anxiety, worry, fear and anger. We have a harder time knowing what is true and right for ourselves. We are more likely to react to external situations rather than respond from our centeredness.
 

The intent of this moon blend is to return our attention back to our internal world, that place of peace, truth, joy and possibility. This place is our center.

Keep this intent in mind as you make the tea, and especially as you drink it”

Her blend included:Wood betony, St. John’s Wort, Sage and Rose. I didn’t have all these herbs so I made my own blend.

|| Full Moon Tea || 

1 tablespoon Raspberry leaf

1 tablespoon Calendula

1 tablespoon Milky Oat Tops

1 tablespoon Rose Petals 

Raspberry leaf, Calendula and Milky Oat Tops are great herbs for awakening the heart and calming/nourishing the nerves and Rose Petals hold a balancing energy.

Blend herbs and place in a glass jar, fill the jar with water and set the jar outside or in window where it can soak up the moonlight! Leave overnight. Strain herbs in the morning and enjoy the tea!

.moonrise.

I live in a tiny studio above a garage, it's very typical in this small tourist town for families to make extra income and a source of "affordable" housing in a town with very limited options. It's a quaint space that seems like a luxury in some ways, having spent the past several years living in old houses full of roommates in the city. The bedroom nook has a window facing southeast, there's a tall line of evergreen between the neighboring open lot and adjacent house. Tomorrow is a full moon and I like to leave my window shade open on full moon nights so I can watch the moonrise from my bed. I noticed tonight the thickness of the tree offering only small flickers of golden light through the branches with alternating moments of pure darkness. It's strange to see the barrier of light that they offer - moments of bold light and of deep darkness as the moon slowly rises. I've fallen in love with the rhythms of land and place, I've missed that.

.Full Moon in Gemini.

I've felt really overwhelmed lately by events and decisions happening in this world and the ambiguity of what's to come in my own life. Returning to the studio last week felt like a deep cleansing breath. Art allows me to ask all these questions with my hands and make something beautiful from the unknown. It allows me keep seeking when it all seems too much.

I met a woman this weekend, she asked if my jewelry had stories and I said "this is my journal. Each piece has a truth and story. It's my thing..." she answered "Oh yes, I cook". Tonight is the FULL MOON in Gemini asking us to not just be aware of this hurt (collective + personal) but to start to heal. Healing to me begins with learning how you ask your questions. What's your thing? Where do you find moments of peace? Are you giving time to that for the healing to begin? ✨This is important.

.full moon SUPER moon in Taurus.

Some healing thoughts for this beautiful SUPER moon tonight! I hope it's clear where you are.

"Spend time in places where the land is untouched and wild and you can align your heartbeat with that of Mother Earth. Allow her energy to soothe our souls, ground us and remind us of what is eternal and true. We all belong. There is work ahead, but we are in this together. We are the bridge, and we must each individually and collectively continue to work on healing the divides."

“We’re empowered when we enjoy the present, neither mourning the past nor dreading the future. We’re stronger when we let go of the toxic need to be drawn into intrigues and power plays."

- Mystic Mamma

.full moon in capricorn.

I had a visit from an old lesson yesterday - I was mad and frustrated to meet again. To realize I have to try again - try harder - try differently. I have to learn my patterns. To realize that I (have and still) am going to travel this road over and over again until it teaches me all I need to digest it - to release it. 

Yesterday I realized the pattern (lesson) and saw how holding onto the guilt of expectation - of not voicing my needs breaks down my flow and disconnects myself from reality. I was so annoyed at myself for being in this situation, being able to see in the moment the clear (disconnected) steps I took to reach this very place. Then I remembered what a friend who does body work recently told me, we have to feel it to heal it. Yes! 

Last night was the full moon in capricorn bring up these under unresolved issues. Mystic mamma said "the Full Moon’s promise is that if you can fess up to reality and see what hides in the darkness, you’ll have a better chance of conjuring up a strategy to overcome it." 

We have to go thru - not around to get where we are going. We feel it. 
That moment of stagnant energy. 
That moment of guilt. 
That moment of not being true to ourselves - only lead us where we need to go. 

To see these moments as the beautiful (uncomfortable) truths that we are alive and learning (unlearning) ourselves over and over again. Be kind to yourself.

.f u l l moon in cancer.

“This Full Moon is in close proximity to the winter/summer solstice. Cancer takes you deep inside of Self. Cancer seeks to create a sense of home and family. The experience of nourishing bonds…”

“When you cultivate your inner life. Your Inner Being. Your soul light increases and radiates out to nurture others. This is real beauty. You ultimately realize that home is inside of you. It is the light of your own heart."

mysticmamma

It was 63 degrees here today. It was like a spring day. I went for a long bike ride in a t-shirt!! Bike rides always help me clear my mind - ground myself. I realized I am ready to let go of a lot of things that I held onto in 2015 and to open myself up more - to love more - to be more vulnerable - to be true to myself - to align my energies with my purpose - to refocus my purpose. 

Did you feel this emotional full moon? What came up for you?

.change is in the air.

The eclipse was magical - surreal. The days leading up to last night felt heavy and emotional - blurred around the edges. I had to work last night so I kept taking breaks to run out into the middle of Cambridge street to look at the moon over the brick buildings of Inman Square. It felt like a dream, people at work started sharing in rare authentic ways about lost loves and heartache and dreams. They would find me throughout the night and start unfolding details. I felt like I was observing something from a distance. It wasn't until after work when I rode to a park, a park I'm very connected to. I laid on a hillside and watched the eclipse in the silence and bright golden street lights and then I really felt the weight of the moment. I felt grateful for the moment, I felt anxious for winter, I acknowledge the energies I've been allowing in the past few months, I thought about relationships dynamics in my life, I asked myself real questions. I felt like I was being told/urged to let go - let go of something. I'm not sure of what just yet.

I woke up this morning still feeling my unsettled energies - change is in the air. I don't feel my roots right now. I will, but I need more time to process - explore - feel. I went on a long walk today around Cambridge and got lost the ivy brick walls of Harvard. Life is a beautiful process.

Did you feel it? Are you feeling it? What did the eclipse bring up for you? Are you still processing it? Are you making changes? Did you start to see something new in your reflection??

.full moon truths.

Finding my rhythm today.

This full moon revealed somethings I need to let go of - a reality I haven't wanted to acknowledge. Then the summer sun woke me up this morning - blinding me with newness.

Life always gives me what I need - if I open myself to it!!

.full moon in sagittarius.

A beautiful challenging journey just ended for me Tuesday night on the full moon in Sagittarius. Sometimes life can be so confusing and then these delicately poetic moments appear. That was Tuesday night. Surrounded by my family of teens that I have spent the last 9 months with - growing and learning together it was like a beautiful empowering birth that gave all those moments of confusion meaning, I just couldn't see it at the time. 

So grateful for this journey I am on and all the transitions that give me so much energy and love when I let go of them. I tend to associate time with success or longevity with success so experiences like this, 9 months seem like they need more - more time - more purpose - more substance but that's not true. Time has no correlation with value. I don't have the words to express what it was like to sit in a space with these beautiful beings last night and hear them share stories of being inspired by one another. People that outside of this space would have no connection to each other - they all represent such different worlds and yet here right here they all opened up challenged themselves - made themselves vulnerable to experience life in such a big way at 16-17-18 year olds! To dive blindly off that cliff. The determination and passion of humans is such an astounding gift to experience. I have the honor of watching these individuals blindly jump off of a cliff and figure out how to land. I am most grateful for these months/moments and for the calming reassurance that this is my path this is my journey- to find a challenge surrender to it. To build community - challenge norms and live my truth!! 

Happy full moon (a few days late!!) to you! I hope this dreamy moon is highlighting all the beauty in your truths.

.blood moon.

Harvard at night.

With all the eclipse of late, full moon and the budding of spring days (FINALLY) I am feel so much energy to create - process - express. 

Spring is such a beautiful time of rebirth. 
Are you feeling it? 
How do you process - express - experience the unfolding of spring? 

The unfolding of spring has been such a physical experience this year - season - time for me. I had a strong urge to totally rearrange my room on Friday night - late. Saturday I made a nature mobile of things that I collected on a walk I took Friday. It's so beautiful to have these reminders that my body knows what I need so much more authentically than my thoughts - that false reality that is created by thoughts. I love those reminders when two totally separate events come together so perfectly and seamlessly - I couldn't of planned it. I went to the studio Saturday afternoon with no plans and created a beautiful ring that seemed to just come through me. 

Also, my birthday is coming up this week and like a mystery I found this amazing yoga and hiking retreat on my birthday. I felt like it was just what I've needed but it was full. I called to be placed on the wait list and they just had an opening. Gratitude to The Universe for the beautiful season of love and rebirth after all the heavy deep dark soul work of winter. 

Life is in bloom. I hope you take time to sit in the moment and smell the beauty that is this wild illusion.