Full Moon in Libra: Back to balance

While we are firmly in spring, perhaps you can now more easily feel the qualities of lightness, brightness, elevation and movement that this phase of the year holds. While fall and winter are more dominated by a "yin" energy that promotes a more introverted, relaxing, calm and contemplative lifestyle, spring and summer are the "yang" seasons associated with extroversion, action, an uptick in energy and a hunger to get things done. We can often notice this more dynamic “Yang” energy on these warm and sunny spring days, leaving us feeling lighter, brighter, more motivated and more able to take on the world. While this eagerness to get going and jump into spring is a natural and positive way to use our energy, sometimes it means we jump in too fast and too deep and end up regretting how much we took on or how much we planned into our calendar a few weeks later. That's why now is the time to get back into balance.

The full moon on Sunday 17ththApril is under the sign of Libra, a sign ruled by the planet Venus - associated with love, beauty, relationships and pleasure. As you will know if you have read the full moon blogs so far, a full moon is a time of culmination, completion of projects, completion and manifestation of what we may have started on the day of the new moon. Due to the strong energetic pull of a new moon, we may also feel tension a few days before and after a full moon, meaning any emotional state we find ourselves in is likely to be even more exaggerated. It is even more important to be aware of your thoughts at this time of the month by keeping a regular journal; a practice that can help get swirling thoughts out of your head and onto paper where you can demystify them and see them objectively. This can help us process and process thoughts rather than getting caught up in them. Try a weekly “brain dump” by spending 5 minutes writing down everything that comes to mind using the(link removed)This usually helps relieve tension and emotional turmoil and literally shows us where we need help and guidance most.

Each full moon can affect us differently depending on which sign it refers to. As a Libra full moon, this Sunday is all about finding balance, especially with our relationships and our sense of work, play, seriousness, and joy. The symbol for Libra is a scale, representing balance, justice and equilibrium. Libra types typically have a greater ability to pause, reflect, and maintain balance throughout life than Fire types like Sagittarius, who are typically "all or nothing," and Water types like Pisces, who are ruled by their heart and emotions. During this powerful time of year full of potential, promise and lots of fertile energy to get us through, it serves us to recognize how balanced we are in life and whether the scales have tipped too far in one direction. We will be using the symbol of Libra to guide our journaling questions for this month's Full Moon. The more we can bring ourselves back into balance now, the more we will be able to get through the rest of the year with an (almost) level head!

1. Welchen Aspekten meines Lebens habe ich in letzter Zeit am meisten Aufmerksamkeit und „Gewicht“ geschenkt?
2. Welche Aspekte meines Lebens habe ich vernachlässigt oder ihnen weniger „Gewicht“ gegeben?
3. Was „belastet“ mich im Moment?
4. Was habe ich losgelassen, was ich gerne wieder in mein Leben holen möchte?
5. Wie finde ich mehr Balance im Leben?

Next, choose your favorite from these three practices to bring yourself back into balance this Full Moon in Libra:

Balance your rest and movement

Spring is the ideal time to get moving and try something new and invigorating. Whether it's running, dancing, a new fitness program, challenging Vinyasa flow classes, or simply taking more steps every day, this season supports lots of movement. But when there is movement, there must also be stillness in order to find balance. Especially if your lifestyle is busy and stressful, adding a lot of exercise without enough rest will only increase stress, so a regular meditation practice or attending a weekly restorative yoga class can help you maintain balance in your body and mind. If you participate in activities such as running or lifting weights at the gym, you should set aside 5 minutesSavasanaor a period of relaxation afterwards, which can help reduce excess cortisol (the “stress” hormone) and encourage your nervous system to down-regulate.

Tools to Find Balance:

Balance your social time with your social media time

While social media is undoubtedly valuable for keeping us connected, it can also be a source of disconnection. While it may seem counterintuitive, excessive time on social media is linked to higher rates of loneliness, anxiety and depression, particularly among teenagers and young adults. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok can be used as wonderful ways to learn new skills and keep up with vital events, but when we spend more time looking at a screen than looking into the eyes of our loved ones, it's time to bring things back into balance. When you wake up in the morning, wait until you've done something positive for yourself (like a meditation or movement exercise) before scrolling through social media, and commit to putting your phone down at least an hour before bed so you can strengthen the relationships you have with those around you at home, as well as support better sleep. To use social media positively, send a message to a friend or family member to ask how they're doing, or find a local event the two of you can attend together.

Tools to Find Balance:

Balance between work and leisure

Whether you work at home or in an office, it seems that creating boundaries between work and personal life is something that more and more people have found challenging in recent years. Being constantly connected to email, being self-employed, or working from home can easily blur the lines between work and enjoying life. This can lead to increased stress and anxiety and a reduced ability to be present and engage in the things that truly bring us joy. Setting specific times when you will be “on” and “off” from work is the first step to finding balance here, and making your “off” plans just as important as your work commitments. To feel more productive and engaged while working, it is also useful to set a specific time for which you will work so that you can focus your energy in a productive and powerful way - we work best in cycles of 90 minutes of concentration followed by a 20 minute break, which takes advantage of the body's natural "ultradian rhythms".

Tools to Find Balance: