I’ve been interested in self-development and self-improvement for a long time and I’ve tested out a lot of different approaches to see what works and have come across my fair share of what doesn’t work. You too?!
What’s the best way to exercise, lose weight, have more energy, eat better, learn more, get things done quickly, have better relationships, achieve goals, grow my career, improve my memory, meditate, connect my mind, body and spirit…and seriously, on and on it goes!
And probably the biggest thing I’ve figured out is that I must keep discovering and rediscovering what works for me. Because, you know, our lives are like a test lab.
I do exhaust myself at times with this relentless desire to DO MORE, BE MORE, and SEE MORE!
And you know what? I’ve hit plenty of walls along the way.
I recently came across an interesting book called “Your Body and The Stars” written by Dr. Stephanie Marango and I was immediately drawn to it. I remember learning about the zodiac signs when I was young and being so enamored by the fact the signs accurately described me and my friends. What magic was this? How was this possible? I’ve learned much more about astrology and our birth charts and patterns in our lives since that time and expect I’ll continue to learn much more. From my perspective, our birth charts and our personal astrology, are another tool for our self-development toolbox to know ourselves more deeply, inside and out.
My Sun Sign is Sagittarius, so I immediately dug into this section of the book.
Chapter 10: Hips of the Centaur
Birth Date: November 22 – December 21
Body Region: Hips and Thighs
Theme: Direct Your Lower Nature with Higher Aspiration
When I saw the theme, I knew I was about to discover something new and interesting. You see, I really do love to DO MORE, BE MORE, and SEE MORE…AND I really love to roam around, have fun, be totally non-committal and keep my options open and pretty much explore everything that enters my path! Yes, again, kind of exhausting either way!
It’s as if I know which way I want to go and part of me moves in that direction, but another part of me is unconsciously moving in another direction and I end somewhere unexpected. You too?! And for the record, that is NOT always a good thing!
The author writes, “Like the Centaur, you have both higher and lower natures that reside together…The direction the Centaur walks has to align and unify his nature…otherwise his hips and thighs will prevent forward movement and make the journey a struggle. The upper body is looking one way and the lower body is moving another way.”
Wait, what?!
Of the many, many books I’ve read and approaches I’ve implemented, I’ve never heard my struggles described in quite this way and IT…WAS…SPOT…ON!
The chapter goes on to take a deep dive of the body region and takes you deep into the astrology and story of your sign as well as the lessons to learn in this lifetime. Then there’s the list of physical manifestations (I’ve pretty much had all these issues at some point and some current issues right now).
The personal guide is yet more gold for self-development.
- Reflective questions – How would you describe your current direction in life? What activities evoke your higher nature? What aspects of your lower nature need to be brought into balance?
- Stretches, movements and exercises to incorporate into your day and realign
- A meditation or prescriptive action that is a key element of the sign
- And finally, a Practice Discipline to help us really hone in and unlock our potential
Your Body and The Stars explores each sign and body part as follows:
- Head of the Ram (Aries)
- Neck of the Bull (Taurus)
- Hands of the Twins (Gemini)
- Chest of the Crab (Cancer)
- Heart of the Lion (Leo)
- Belly of the Virgin (Virgo)
- Back of the Scales (Libra)
- Sacrum of the Scorpio (Scorpio)
- Hips of the Centaur (Sagittarius)
- Knees of the Seagoat (Capricorn)
- Ankles of the Water Bearer (Aquarius)
- Feet of the Fish (Pisces)
I’ve been doing the meditation, exercises, and practice discipline on a daily basis and they are definitely helping me to align and get clear on where I really want to place my focus at this time.
I haven’t even pursued my Rising Sign and Moon Sign yet and of course, if there is an area of your body that is a regular challenge, you can explore that section immediately. Though, I suspect there is some key connection in your birth chart!
This book takes the Mind, Body, Spirit connection to a whole new level for me.
Image from: Your Body and the Stars: The Zodiac as Your Wellness Guide
