Jude Valentine | Cozy by Sweet Starlight

Yoga for the Sun’s Movement Through Libra

Jude Valentine — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 15:15:08 +0000

The wheel of the year has turned and one of the key points of the season is upon us. This point is the Autumnal Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere that marks the first day of fall and in the Southern Hemisphere it is the Vernal Equinox which opens the first day of spring. An Equinox time means that the hours of daylight and night are roughly of equal length. According to the Farmers Almanac,

“The word ‘equinox’ comes from Latin aequus, meaning ‘equal,’ and nox, ‘night.’ During the equinox, the Sun crosses what we call the ‘celestial equator’—an imaginary extension into space of Earth’s equator line. The Equinox occurs precisely when the Sun’s center passes through this line.“

When the Sun crosses the equator from north to south, this marks the Autumnal Equinox; when it crosses from south to north, this marks the Vernal Equinox. After the Autumnal Equinox, the sun is rising later and nightfall comes sooner. This ends with the December Solstice when days start to grow longer and nights shorter.”

The Autumnal Equinox also ushers in the time of Libra, the seventh astrological sign of the zodiac. Libra is ruled by Venus and is symbolized by a set of scales, weighing out equal measure and consideration. According to Wikipedia, “The symbol of the scales is based on the Scales of Justice held by Themis, the Greek personification of divine law and custom. She became the inspiration for modern depictions of Lady Justice. Libra is the only zodiac constellation in the sky represented by an inanimate object. The other eleven signs are represented either as an animal or mythological characters throughout history.”

Libra born individuals are masters when it comes to the handling of difficult and awkward situations. They have a way of using their personal grace and poise to smooth out differences and reach compromise. They are natural diplomats and have a strong desire to be fair in any situation. They want to establish peace in the face of difficulties. As Cardinal Air, they can also be fickle as the wind blows this way and that. When negatively aspected, they cannot make up their mind!

At this Autumnal (or Vernal for Southern Hemisphere) time of year, with the winds of change in the air, and Libra prompting us to balance, adding this practice to your yoga routine might be helpful.

If you are challenged with balance poses or feel very wobbly, you might try initially practicing this along the side of a wall, or with a folding chair positioned on the mat ,or nearby off the mat to have as a prop.

Standing at the end of your mat, move to the side edge of the mat. Using the side of your yoga mat as a guide, align your feet heel to toe along the edge of the mat. Arms can be by the sides, or placed over the heart. Very mindfully, walk one foot in front of the other, so that the front foot’s heel is in line with the back foot’s toes. Take few steps toward the top of the mat. Step and hold with the feet aligned one in front of the other along the side of the mat.. Feel your balance internally. Hands over the heart can help to stabilize any wobble. Take a few steps like this: heel to toe foot alignment. Now try this walk moving backwards, toes of front foot move to heel of back foot. See what happens when you close your eyes. Practicing this heel to toe walk can make a big difference in how we experience balance and help us keep our balance on and off the mat.

Practice balance! Happy Autumnal (or Vernal) Equinox!

Jude Valentine

Jude Valentine is a professional artist, 200-hour registered yoga teacher, and practicing astrologer with more than 25 years experience in the study and application of mythology, numerology, tarot and astrology. She leads interdisciplinary workshops and classes using astrology, art and yoga for self understanding and life changing transformation. She maintains Urania’s Mirror as her astrological consulting studio at www.uraniasmirror.com. To see her artwork visit: www.judevalentine.com

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Yoga for the Sun’s Movement through Virgo

Jude Valentine — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 00:13:25 +0000

Virgo is considered an earth sign and so is akin to Capricorn and Taurus. But where Capricorn is Cardinal and Taurus is Fixed, Virgo is Mutable or in older astrology terms, Flexed. It holds the position of transition between a Fixed season sign and a Cardinal season sign in the progression of the year. Virgo qualities are earthy, cold dry, melancholy, barren, nocturnal, northern, feminine, scientific and of long ascension according to Llewellyn George.

It is the sign of the craftsman and perfectionist who is self-effacing, gentle, prudent and capable. At its worst, Virgo can be obsessive, skeptical and pedantic. They are also considered the worriers of the zodiac.—but their health suffers if they dwell there. Heath and diet are important considerations for those with a Virgo Sun or Ascendant.

Virgo loves to organize and classify, making them very good accountants, if their natal chart is not otherwise afflicted. Virgo governs the 6th house of the zodiac. This house has special reference to personal and public health, general conditions of working people and domestic animals. It is the house of everyday affairs. Virgo also signifies gardens, and cultivated fields, grain elevators, orchards and agricultural storage areas. It can also signify where books, papers, maps, charts, plans or medicines are kept. in the home, Virgo areas can refer to the pantry or closets.

Virgo are the most health conscious of all the signs with governance over the spleen and the intestines. Mercury is the ruler of Virgo and according to some astrologers, the asteroids Pallas Athene, Ceres, Juno and Vesta, co-rule Virgo as well.

For this season of Virgo, with the transition of the season, from summer action to perhaps a more sedentary school or office environment, a round of chair yoga might be helpful.

This video offers a short but practical and methodical chair yoga body scan sequence that can help you ground your Virgo focus, sharpen your Virgo perception and banish any Virgo worry.

Jude Valentine

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Yoga for the Sun’s Movement Through Leo

Jude Valentine — Sun, 21 Jul 2019 21:42:31 +0000

The Sun in astrology rules the self and is the planet that rules the sign of Leo. The Sun’s nature is hot, dry, masculine and life-giving. According to Llewellyn George, this planet represents radiant health, the vital principle, general prosperity, high office, position or rank, and title, government and officials, Henry Selzer has noted that the symbol for the Sun, a circle with a dot in the center, originated in ancient times, and is very similar to the Jungian symbol for individuation.

The sign Leo governs the the sides of the body, the upper half of the back and the heart. His day is Sunday and his metal is gold. Leo is a positive, fixed sign and its element is fire.

Given Leo’s prominent, shining nature, he governs the 5th house of creativity, pleasure, hobbies speculation, children and romance. At his best Leo exhibits qualities of positive forthrightness. He is indefatigable, principled, and honorable, as well as warm hearted. At his not so best, he can lean towards extravagance, ostentatiousness, be patronizing, opinionated and uncompromising!

The Leo season is upon us from approximately July 23-August 22 each year and during this season, it’s time to let your light shine.

For a bit of yoga the that will generate your inner heat, stimulate your inner creative fire and pay homage to the sun, look no farther than a Sun Salutation. Finding some balance, poise and grace, the video below walks you through a modified Sun Salutation with a Lion’s Breath practice at the end! Happy Sun Saluting:

Have fun, live your light and enjoy this season of illuminated self!

Jude Valentine

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Yoga for the Sun’s Movement through Cancer

Jude Valentine — Wed, 19 Jun 2019 21:22:44 +0000

Here we are at the midpoint of the year. The solstice on June 21 is the time when the North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, and reaches its northernmost position in the sky directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is exact on June 21 this year and marks the first day of summer, also known as the Summer Solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere an Winter Solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sun has ingress into the cardinal water sign of Cancer.

The way forward is to focus within. During this Cancer season, inner reflection can be best accomplished by nourishing the self, cultivating your intuition and inner guidance, and practicing true self care. During airline flights we are instructed to put on our own oxygen mask first before we assist others. That instruction is what the season is calling us to do. Nourish the self first, then direct your attention outward. Often when we take the time to nourish the self through yoga and radical self care, we have a different and more successful approach to the outer circumstance that we were striving so hard to achieve.

To support this endeavor of quieting the mind and going within, there are a few yoga practices that might be especially useful.

Of course Savasana or Corpse Pose is often used for relaxation and rest at the end of a yoga session typically to integrate and allow the body time to ‘soak’ in the experience. According to the article, The Purpose of the Corpse Pose in Yoga Journal, “Savasana is intended to rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit. In Savasana, the practitioners’ breath deepens, and the stress of the day is released. The yogi forgets all other thoughts and surrenders any psychological effort. While in Savasana, yogis slip into blissful neutrality and reflect on the practice.”

It also might be beneficial to check out some Yin Yoga postures for self care. According to Yoga Basics [yogabasics.com], Yin Yoga creates the perfect space for feeling supported and nurtured. Yin focuses on deep stretches held for minutes at a time. The intention of these extended poses is to release emotions held within the deep connective tissues of the body as well as energetic channels known as meridians.

Restorative yoga postures may also be beneficial as according to yogabasics.com restorative yoga poses do for the body what meditation does for the mind—create a clear space grounded in the present moment. When postures are practiced for 15 minutes or more, the mind can slow down, and the nerves become quiet.

For a quick dip into the calm, you might find a few minutes to practice alternate nostril breathing. Or even a slow inhale to the count of 5, then breathing out at the same pace to the count to 5. This repetition for a a few minutes will help to bring your focus within and help you to feel more centered.

During this month it is important to take the time you need to rest, refocus and restore. Take the time for a grounding yoga practice. Go within to hear the quiet voice of your soul.

Jude Valentine

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Yoga for the Sun’s Movement Through Gemini

Jude Valentine — Sat, 18 May 2019 01:35:39 +0000

As May unfolds into the Gemini season of mutable air, let’s take a versatile and adventurous approach to our yoga practice. How about trying a few partner (The Twins of Gemini) yoga postures with your friends! The term “mutable” originates from the Latin root mutabilis, which means change, so in this season of shifting, going outside the box might be fun!

Before you say, ‘NO WAY’, consider (Latin meaning: con – ‘with’, sider – ‘the stars’) that Gemini likes to communicate, while enjoying a bit of adventure, and ingenuity to keep things moving. This is offered in the spirit of a lighthearted, sociable, (Gemini) experience. Please read on!

Below are offered a few yoga asanas that are fairly easy, fun to do with a buddy and not too invasive concerning personal space. If you’d like to go deeper, there are plenty of partner yoga videos out there! But the point of this column is to offer access to yoga as a way to think about and support the energy of the season—Gemini—whose motto could be: ‘Variety is the spice of life’!

With the energy of Gemini filling your sails, you are supported in exploring a new way to connect! It is OK to talk through the steps of the posture together while you are doing it, have a moment of focus—an in breath and out breath—laugh, and then return to the tasks of the day.

Here are a couple of well known yoga asanas that can be adapted as a partner yoga postures:

Tree Pose

Tree Pose is a balancing pose, but don’t let that stop you. If you feel wobbly, positioning yourselves in front of a wall (inside or outside) might make you feel more secure—you’ll have a place to fall back on if needed. There are many variations of Tree, but the basic posture is balancing on one leg with the other leg raised, the sole of the raised foot placed on the inner calve or thigh. Avoid placing the sole of the raised foot on the knee. If you feel very wobbly, the sole of the foot can be positioned closer to the ankle with the toes touching the ground. Traditionally, the hands are raised, but for the partner version of the Tree asana, your partner’s adjoining hand can be placed palm together with yours, while the outside hand is raised.

In the two short and windy videos included here, we take on a couple (pun) more postures.

In the first video we practice another version of Tree with the palms touching together in front, while arms are wrapped around your partner’s waist for balance. Coming out of Tree pose, we then give partnered Standing Half Forward Bend a try.

In the second video we move into a version of partnered Crescent pose during this very windy (Gemini) morning!

As always, listen to your body as a source of information and ease off any strain, while enjoying the stimulating and relating energy of this Gemini season!

Many thanks to my friend, Roberta and partner, Bill for their willingness to participate in this Gemini experiment!

Jude Valentine

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Yoga for the Sun’s Movement Through Taurus

Jude Valentine — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 12:19:19 +0000

The impetus and growth spurt of Aries has given rise to a sense of security and solidity— the realm of Taurus. The qualities of the season can be cultivated for benefits to the mind and body—a sense of grounding, immersion in sensation, and a call for self expression with the voice as Taurus rules the throat.

After the monochrome of winter, the color green begins arriving in full lavish style— patches of ochre ground daily grow more verdant, buds are unfurling. Birdsong arrives at the light of day. The smell of the earth thawing and fragrance of daffodils all lift the spirit and indulge us in the realm of the senses. We made it!

In homage to the nascent spring season, here is one yoga post that will ground and nourish your sense of having arrived in a newly born and fulfilling season. Let’s find our ground with Mountain Pose.

Tadasana (or Mountain Pose), according to B. K. S. Iyengar, is one of the most difficult yoga postures to master. It is a fundamental pose of yoga, but isn’t just for beginners. It utilizes all the muscles of the body and provides a basis for other standing poses. This posture can be done quietly while waiting in a check out line or even while siting. How can that be? It is the awareness brought to the body and the focus on the muscles and alignment that provide the most benefit, not merely standing up straight.

This pose is excellent for bringing awareness to your posture while opening the upper chest and heart. It is a great grounding pose, providing stillness to experience the breath.

Before beginning:

Take off your shoes and socks. Find a nearby wall and stand with your back against it with your heels an inch from the baseboard. Check in with your body at the wall: Do your shoulders automatically align above your hips or do they round forward? It is surprising how slumped we can become from winter inactivity, desk work, or texting . Pull your shoulders back. As the chest lifts, you should feel the lengthening of your torso and a slight arch in your lower back. The back of your head will touch the wall, but make sure to tuck the chin, so that it isn’t protruding up and forward.

Ears align over shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, knees over feet.

Do you FEEL taller, perhaps glimpse a more powerful presence in the moment? Now you have the basic FEELING of Tadasana in the body. Does it feel un-natural to be holding yourself up in this way? Do you feel more supported? More stable? Hold onto the FEELING of this pose in the body as you transition from the wall to your yoga mat. Although, a mat isn’t necessary. The most necessary accessory for yoga is your awareness—so really, you can do this pose anywhere.

If you arrive on your mat, great! If not, take it from where ever you are. Bring your awareness to your feet which should be hip width apart. Spread your toes and plant them firmly.

Invite yourself to feel the connection to the Earth that your feet are making. Bring awareness to the four corners of the feet: ball joint of the big toe, ball joint of the small toe and each corner of the heel. Feel the distribution of your weight evenly over these four corners of the feet. This brings awareness to the foundation of our posture. This is the base of your mountain. Your base provides the firm foundation necessary for the structure of the mountain—your legs and torso — to reach the summit—your crown.

Imagine drawing energy up from the earth through the arches of the feet into the legs, up into the torso and to the summit—your head. The top of the thighs have a slight inner rotation in towards each other.

For even better alignment instead of tucking your tail bone, try this suggestion by Judith Hanson Lasater from her article, “Respect Your Curves,” the March /April 2019 edition of Yoga Journal:

“…instead of tucking, move your top thighs back so 2/3 of your weight is on the back 1/3 of your feet. Slightly internally rotate your thighs and invite your pubic bone to move down toward your feet. This is the opposite of tucking and encourages the natural shape of your spine.”

In the torso, the shoulder blades move together and down the back. Bring your awareness to your posture: head over heart, heart over pelvis, pelvis over knees, knees over feet.

Let your arms hang naturally by your side with palms turned in toward the body or turned outward. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so. If you feel dizzy doing this, pick a focus point or ‘drishti’ and let your gaze softly fall a few feet on the ground in front of you.

Once you have the alignment, settle into the FEELING of the energy circulating, while also FEELing supported and grounded, with the upper body carried by the foundation you have set. Of course, let your breath rise and fall in a natural rhythm and allow yourself to settle into the pose for a few minutes.

Even better to get full benefit of this pose, do this outside, near moving water, or if inside, fire up the diffuser with earth essential oils, put on some bird song or water music, and soak in the senses. In this Taurus season, let the Earth support you.

Photos by Samantha Williams, Bold Coast Yoga [https://boldcoastyoga.com]

Jude Valentine

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