Welcome to a Full Moon Guided Meditation.
I'm Heather Burkhart,
Your guide today.
Thanks for being here.
My passion is helping women enjoy a balanced monthly cycle and therefore transition into menopause and perimenopause.
The lunar practices of Ayurveda can help women tap into inherent energy reserves so they can feel more balanced all month long.
These practices are rooted in the wisdom of nature and the cosmos as seen through the lens of Vedic astrology.
In today's meditation,
I may bring up a few different themes and if they resonate with you,
You might want to jot them down.
Have a journal or paper and pencil handy.
First,
Make yourself comfortable and know that you can change your position at any time.
Take care of yourself and your needs.
Just relax and listen.
The focus for today's guided meditation is for the full moon in Virgo.
Virgo is an earth sign ruled by planet Mercury,
Our trusty communications expert and go-to for connection.
Mercury is a symbol of our intellect,
Always collecting and disseminating information,
Connecting point or person A with point or person B.
He's methodical and thorough,
Just like our dear Virgos.
Virgos are known busy bodies.
They love to organize,
Coordinate,
And transform the ordinary to the extraordinary.
They love the alchemy of bringing harmony and order where there once was chaos and disorganization.
Virgo rules the digestive system,
Your gut,
The gut-brain communication or enteric nervous system,
The diaphragm,
And the sympathetic nervous system that's always humming in the background,
Responsible for pumping blood and respiration,
Just to name a couple of things that it does for us without having to think about it at all.
It's also our stress response.
Think fight or flight that can be triggered with stress.
Now,
Let's take a few comfortable belly breaths here to check in with our biggest breathing muscle,
The diaphragm.
As you inhale,
Allow the abdomen to gently expand comfortably.
Maybe it feels okay to let it expand in all directions.
And then as you exhale,
Allow the abdomen to return to its normal shape.
Do this for a few more times.
You might even place your hands on your abdomen.
Make each inhale and exhale equal in length.
Long,
Smooth breaths.
We call this sama vritti pranayama.
Equal breath.
Equal smooth breath in through the nose.
Equal smooth breath out of the nose or mouth,
If that's more comfortable.
Take a pause now.
Notice the effect on your gut.
Just notice whatever there is to notice.
Notice the effect on the mind.
They are inherently connected.
And you might tap into that connection by cultivating a deep breathing practice just a few times a day.
This can be transformative for your gut-brain health.
You're welcome to try that a few more times or just relax and let the breath flow naturally just as it wants to.
Diaphragmatic breathing also connects us with our parasympathetic nervous system that we need engaged in order to rest,
Relax,
And digest.
A few diaphragmatic breaths can help us release anxiety and stress.
This is important for Virgos and Virgo moons because there can be more anxious energy about.
Virgo reminds us that we digest not only food,
But also information in the form of our day-to-day life experiences.
Our gut-brain network tells us when we feel aligned with our true nature and with our environment.
And when there's discord,
A misalignment,
Ayurveda believes that our inner world reflects our outer world just as the body reflects the mind and vice versa.
Virgo moons call for simplicity so that we may find a harmonious way forward instead of making more chaos,
Which sometimes happens especially for Virgos when they try to juggle too much.
As for Virgo moon nutrition,
You might choose simple meals of whole foods to refresh energy of the body-mind system.
Unprocessed whole foods give you clear,
Light,
Calm energy.
Sattvic foods give us greater mental clarity and positive energy.
Favor warm beverages and warm foods to balance the cool,
Earthy nature of Virgos.
They are the most airy of the earthy types and need more support from the earth,
Fire,
And water elements to be grounded in their balancing act.
Mindful eating habits are very important with Virgos and Virgo moons to strengthen the gut-brain connection.
Virgos are always on the go and on to the next thing,
So mindful eating may be a challenge.
Still,
It remains very important to their digestive health,
Which we know is linked to our overall health.
And in a bit,
I'll talk more about a breathing meditation for meals that you can use to strengthen the gut-brain connection.
Foods rich in Soma,
The moon energy known to Ayurveda,
Are also a great choice for the full moon in general.
Soma foods contain the cooling earth and water energy of the full moon.
Make nourishing homemade nut or seed milk with warming digestive spices like cinnamon,
Cardamom,
And ginger.
Warm it slightly so it digests well for the cool Virgo digestion.
You might like to make fresh cheese or a fresh batch of ghee or yogurt during the full moon phase.
All these foods carry the Soma energy.
Virgos do well with a little warmth to attract more sun or solar energy,
So you might like to add a pinch of turmeric to food and beverages for a burst of sun energy.
Golden milk,
A time-honored Ayurvedic tonic,
Would be great at this time because it has both moon and sun energy.
Don't forget you can also soak up more Soma by going for a moon-lit walk during the full moon.
These meditative activities and time-honored rituals enhance the full moon's energy that you can enjoy for days.
It's a time to literally bathe in its energy and enhance your own.
As for plant medicine,
Moon plants include the aromatic star-like jasmine flower that opens at night.
Lavender is associated with the plant mercury and therefore Virgo,
A wonderful complement to jasmine.
These are heady aromas that intense or entice the senses.
As for herbal teas,
Virgos might like to enjoy peppermint or any species from the mentha family and lemon verbena.
This will make a delightful tea for a Virgo full moon or a dream pillow of lavender,
Peppermint,
Lemon verbena,
And valerian root.
Nighty night!
When you sip your tea or smell your dream pillow before you drift off to sleep,
Perhaps this is a good time to connect with your gut feelings.
Here are a few questions to ponder.
Feel free to jot anything down.
What are you digesting right now?
And remember,
We digest more than food.
We digest our experiences,
Our sensory perceptions.
Is anything giving you indigestion?
What feels stuck or impossible to break down?
And are you feeling nourished?
Nourished by your experiences?
By your food?
Think about both.
They are both sources of nourishment.
Are you eliminating waste efficiently?
Are your food and experiences moving faster?
Are you eliminating waste efficiently?
Are your food and experiences moving through you?
This is an important inquiry for Virgo time and in general for Virgos or if mercury is in a strong place in your chart.
Try this meditation before meals.
Sit down,
Get settled,
And take three slow,
Deep breaths before meals.
You can try that now.
Breathe into your belly in a way that activates your diaphragm.
In other words,
Take a few belly breaths comfortably.
Make sure you do this sitting down as you're preparing to enjoy your meal.
Allow your digestive system to settle before you dive in.
This is so important for Virgos and Virgo moon.
Otherwise,
Our nervous energy may pervade our digestive system.
And give us indigestion.
Virgos are sensitive types and their digestion can be influenced by anxious thoughts and emotions.
Try the three breath meditation with decisions too.
Sit down or take a pause.
Take a few belly breaths.
Connect gut with mind in this way.
And ask yourself,
Does this feel like a yes or no in your gut?
Or no in your gut?
And then check in.
Most likely,
Your gut will let you know.
You might do this now.
Maybe there is a decision that isn't sitting well with you that you have to make.
Take a moment now to check in with your gut feelings.
If your digestion isn't feeling optimal right now,
That's okay.
Ayurveda suggests chewing on some fennel seeds,
Which are also associated with mercury.
They bring sattvic energy to the digestive system and to the mind.
A word about nakshatras here.
Nakshatras are something that's specific to Ayurvedic or Vedic astrology.
Every day,
The moon changes station or lunar mansion that is ruled by a different god or goddess,
Hindu god or goddess.
They make their personality known on moon or moon holidays and offer us a different lens and mirror to look at the self and the world.
You can read more about nakshatras on the Her Wellbeing blog.
For this Virgo full moon,
You may feel inspired by the moon.
You may feel inspired to enjoy a spa night.
The full moon is a great time for self massage or abhyanga.
Do this with a warm oil of your choice and add a drop or two of essential oils.
Jasmine or lavender would be a great choice here.
Spread the oils with warm hands all over you as much as you'd like.
Let them sink in for a little bit.
Take some time to breathe or just relax.
Then take a luxurious bath.
You can add more essential oils,
A drop or two,
If you'd like,
Into your bath.
And even add a little milk and a sprinkle of rose petals,
If you'd like.
Light a candle and dream away.
Take a moment now to visualize yourself enjoying a full moon spa night.
Notice how that feels,
Even if you're not able to take a bath.
Take some time to visualize it right now and get the benefits right now.
Let's take a deep breath in through the nose.
Maybe you'd like just to take a deep breath out.
Take a deep breath in through the nose.
Maybe you'd like to sigh it out of the mouth.
Let's do that once more.
In through the nose,
Breathe in the aromas of the essential oils,
Jasmine,
Lavender,
And then let it out of the mouth with a sigh.
Thank you.
For those of you who think this sounds too woo-woo for you,
Just remember that Vedic astrology is a science,
Not just about horoscopes and love matches.
There is science behind the planets and stars,
If you dare to look closely enough.
Looking more closely at the relationships of the planets and the stars invites you to look more closely at you.
If that's something you want to explore.
I hope you found this guided meditation helpful.
Check back in two weeks as there will be another moon holiday with a new zodiac sign and planet to help us in the balancing act that is life itself.
Come back to listen to the new guided meditation for the new moon and supportive self-care rituals.
And remember before you go to leave me a review if you're enjoying my offerings.
I hope to offer some live meditations for the full and new moon holidays soon.
And I can't do that without your help.
So please leave a few kind words if you will.
This is Heather with Her Wellbeing Ayurveda and Yoga.
Take care.
See you next time.
