May 19, 2023: NEW MOON: The Fire Within Fuels the External Focus
NEW MOON: The Fire Within Fuels the External Focus
The New Moon each month supports us in taking stock of our paths, how we feel about where we find ourselves, and in turn planting seeds for future intentions. The New Moon on Friday, May 19, 2023 at 11:53am eastern time is in a degree of Taurus called Krittika, “the cutter” in Sanskrit, and is symbolized by the razor and the flame. Krittika has the ability to cut to the core of the issue, revealing deeper truths. It celebrates those who step up without fear or ego: the leaders, caretakers, and protectors who keep us going when our light starts to dim.
Krittika is an activist at heart, and so needs to keep its fire going to stay the course. It directly connects to “Agni,” the god of fire, and also to the Ayurvedic concept of the digestive fire within that helps us to process and assimilate everything in life – not just our food, but our daily life events and our emotions. Agni is the key to health and longevity. Given how overwhelmed many have been lately (the recent planetary changes and eclipses can be a lot to incorporate, and retrogrades add unnecessary frustration), it is likely agni is low or imbalanced. Below are some Ayurvedic ways to support the digestive fire physically which will in turn help you digest all that is on your “plate” these days (ps: always connect with a health practitioner). But first some questions to consider:
🔥How is your internal fire burning? Is it steady? Flickering? Are you burned out?
🔥What are you inspired by lately? What’s keeping your fire going?
🔥Where are you taking the lead? Are you leading the way for others?
🔥Have you been cutting to the core of any issues?
🔥Any truths revealed in your world? If so, are you digesting them? Sometimes new information or experiences can be overwhelming to process, and can even make us feel sick to our stomachs. (Vagus nerve health!)
🔥If you have too much on your plate, are you able to identify what you can process easily and start there? In Ayurveda, when life gets hectic, go simple. First place to simplify: diet and tending to the digestive fire.
Below are supportive tips for kindling agni https://www.lexneon.com/resources
1. Take 3 deep belly breaths before eating. This will shift your body into rest and digest.
2. 20 minutes before a meal, take a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger (or a thin slice), a pinch of mineral salt and a squeeze of fresh lime. This will help to ignite a weak or out of balance agni.
3. Drink ginger tea. Ginger is considered “tridoshic” (balancing for all) and its natural pungent taste will kindle low agni which can show up as various forms of indigestion (gas, bloating, burping, heartburn, slow digestion).
4. Drink “agni tea” (see resources page above)
5. Do spinal twists or lay on top of a bolster placed directly under your ribs to help stimulate the digestive enzymes in the stomach, gallbladder and liver.
6. Eat only when you are hungry. You can extinguish agni when you overeat, eat on the go, eat too little or when you aren’t hungry.
7. Eat plain yogurt in between meals. To make a “lassi” mix 1 part yogurt with 1 part water, and add some powdered cumin and a pinch of salt for a savory lassi, or some honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon for a sweet lassi. FYI: never eat yogurt after sundown or with ANY kind of fruit, especially sour fruits. This can create indigestion, which if becomes habit can create deeper imbalances later in life. (See the “incompatible food combining” chart on the resources page of my website, link above)
8. Avoid drinks with ice when you eat! This will extinguish your agni and create indigestion. If you need internal cooling, try drinking fresh coconut water or adding lime to your water (lime is slightly cooling, whereas lemon is slightly heating).
Be well, and stay healthy and centered.
:::PEACE:::
