Chandra Mangal Yoga (2025)

14/09/2023

We are more than halfway through Virgo season, and in a few days we'll get into a beautiful New Moon in Virgo, so I thought it would have been a good time for an insight into the power of Virgo time.

As connected to the agricultural calendar as it was, Astrology linked the qualities of each sign with those of the cultivation season. Virgo is the season of reaping the crops, the time to meticulously sort, store, and count the fruits of summer's hard work; it's that moment when farmers appreciate which cultures have been abundant, and which crops haven't been fruitful and why. It's a time for observation, analysis, and meticulous order. It is connected to the 6th house of rules and work: it's the house of daily habits and work, health, and service.

Virgo sign is governed by Mercury, like Gemini, but of its Lord, Virgo brings out the most grounded and earthy qualities: pragmatism, organization, analysis, and order. Coming after the explosive energy of Leo, who loves being center stage, Virgo is teaching us about humility, being at service, hard work, and modesty. In the journey of our astrological hero, he has moved from home (Cancer), discovered himself and what's his passion (Leo), and now he is starting to learn the rules that are necessary to put into fruition his creative spark and to approach society for the first time. Virgo very much has this energy of "First School day" when Kindergarten time is gone and you start to prepare for your future.

Virgo is a Mutable Earth sign. Like other Earth signs is pragmatic, serious, and grounded, but prone to be judgmental and critical. Yet, because of its mutable qualities, Virgo is an adaptable quick thinker and problem solver. When I was a kid reading old astrology books, I remember finding an image where Virgo was associated with the intestines: it might sound unflattering, but I think it's a perfect match. Not only the intestines are considered our second brain, but that's where nutrients are absorbed, assigned to their function, and sent to other organs, whereas dross is expelled. This constant analysis is what allows us to function, and this organ might get less recognition than others, but it's the Lord of our overall health.

To wrap up the teachings of the Virgo season, here's a quote from Rabindranath Tagore: "We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility."

Go on and check, what are your Virgo placements?♍️

14/09/2023

Things to do to flow with the New Moon in Virgo energy: visualize, strategize, organize. Tomorrow Mercury is going direct, shedding some light on this end of September. As a Virgo moon and rising, let me say, FINALLY.

What are your Virgo placements? In which house does this New Moon fall for you?

13/09/2023

I grew up with little to no information about how my body works. The only thing I was told, was that once a month I would have the pain of my period, and keep doing it until my menopause, when I would not be fertile anymore. Little did I know, what I actually had was a superpower. I grew up loathing and hating my period, it was painful and uncomfortable. I had to hide it and keep going. I had to bear it, I couldn't wait for it to be gone and go back to " normal". What a terrible narrative we have been growing up within. Let me get a few things right here:

🌹 Our Moon Cycle IS A CYCLE, it doesn't "go away", it's how our body works, for our entire fertile time.
🌹 We live in an overproductive world and its rhythms are NOT CONNECTED to our hormonal cycles.
🌹 Our body is POWERFUL AND FULL OF WISDOM, it's not something we need to shape, re-size, punish, fear, feel ashamed of, or hide. We need to learn how to flow with it, instead of fight against it.

So, how can Moon Cycle awareness improve women's health and productivity?

🌹Irregularities in the menstrual cycle can be indicative of hormonal imbalances or underlying health issues. Tracking cycles allows women to notice them and seek medical advice. Early detection and intervention can be essential for conditions like polycystic o***y syndrome or thyroid disorders.

🌹Hormonal awareness may help those who want to conceive to have valuable insights into the most fertile days, increasing the chances of conception.
🌹Tailoring physical activity and dietary choices to specific phases of the cycle can support overall well-being and performance.
🌹By understanding hormonal fluctuations, it's possible to optimize work schedules and creative pursuits according to our different energy and cognitive levels.

12/09/2023

Let's shed a bit of light on our Moon Cycle and how it works: its hormonal phases, and how we can make the most of this remarkable phenomenon.

❄️Menstruation (Days 1-5): This phase is marked by the shedding of the uterine lining that was prepared during the previous cycle but not needed for pregnancy. Estrogen and progesterone, are at their lowest levels during this phase. This is a perfect moment to rest, reset, and relax, avoiding high-energy activity and stress; it's our winter time.

🌸Follicular (Days 1-14): It starts on the first day of our period (it overlaps menstruation, but we feel the effects after the period) and ends when we ovulate. The pituitary gland secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), stimulating the development of ovarian follicles; estrogen levels rise, prompting the thickening of the uterine lining (endometrium). It's our springtime, energies rise, and we are more creative and communicative.

🌻Ovulation (Day 14): Rising estrogen levels trigger the release of luteinizing hormone (LH), which ignites the process of ovulation, which is when your o***y releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus to be fertilized. It happens around day 14 from the beginning of the period (considering a 28-day cycle) and it lasts around 24 hours. We feel the effects of the estrogen peak for a few days, getting into "summer mode", and being more outgoing, confident, and social.

🍂Luteal phase (Days 15-28): Following ovulation, the ruptured ovarian follicle transforms into the corpus luteum. This structure secretes progesterone, which prepares the uterine lining for possible pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn't occur, the corpus luteum regresses, causing progesterone levels to drop. This signals the body to shed the uterine lining, leading to a new cycle. We're getting into the Autumn season, turning inwards, becoming less social and more reflective, and starting to slow down.

10/09/2023

Many ancient cultures believed that women's menstrual cycles were synchronized with the phases of the moon, leading to terms like "moon time" or "moon cycles" to describe menstruation. While this concept was once considered purely anecdotal, recent scientific investigations have provided intriguing insights.

Modern science has explored some intriguing connections between lunar cycles and the menstrual cycle, like the following:

🌕Synchronization with Lunar Months: Some studies have suggested that a small percentage of individuals may have menstrual cycles that roughly align with the lunar month, which is approximately 29.5 days. However, these findings are not consistent across all populations, and the degree of synchronization varies.

🌗Possible Gravitational Influence: One hypothesis is that the moon's gravitational pull, similar to its effects on Earth's tides, may influence the fluid-filled reproductive organs, potentially affecting the timing of ovulation and menstruation in some individuals. However, the gravitational force exerted by the moon is significantly weaker than that of the Earth, making this influence relatively minor.

🌑Circadian Rhythms: Another theory relates to circadian rhythms, which are daily biological rhythms influenced by light and darkness. Some researchers have suggested that moonlight, particularly during the Full Moon, could potentially affect circadian rhythms and, by extension, hormonal regulation.

Unfortunately, the scientific evidence linking lunar cycles and menstrual cycles is far from conclusive, one reason being the following: "We hypothesize that in ancient times, human reproductive behavior was synchronous with the Moon but that our modern lifestyles have changed reproductive physiology and behavior." (Study published in Science Advances in 2021).

As science advances, we may gain a deeper understanding of the ways in which celestial bodies can influence our lives.

09/09/2023

There are a number of studies about how lunar cycles influence our behavior. One of the most exciting aspects of lunar influence is the concept of lunar rhythms: just as our bodies follow circadian rhythms in response to the 24-hour day-night cycle, some researchers believe that lunar rhythms may also exist, influencing various physiological processes.

As modern animals, we have lost our connection with moon cycles, but maybe stepping back into our nature, might help align our vision with our energies. Astrology, born from the wisdom of observing natural cycles and matching them with astronomical events, gives us some indications on how to lean into this energy.

The New Moon is a time for starting fresh, a blank slate, putting our vision onto a board, visualizing the objective

The Waxing Moon is a time to start building our dream, we start acting on it. This phase is actually subdivided into 3 parts: Crescent, Quarter, and Gibbous. These 3 phases have the energy of the astrological qualities Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable, meaning initiating power, reaching momentum, and moving into the culmination.

The Full Moon is a moment of completion, it's a time for gaining clarity or reaping our crops. We can see things for what they are and decide if it's time to harvest or to rearrange.

The Waning Moon is a time to let go, energies are slowing down, and cleansing processes are favored. As for the waxing phase, we have 3 steps in the waning process that bear different energies: reconsidering and analyzing, letting go of the unnecessary and, finally, resting.

27/05/2023

Mercury is the planet that, in astrology rules mind processes, communications, and intellect. Where Mercury falls at the moment of our birth indicates the quality of our communication skills, and how we understand and interact intellectually with the world. Of course, this has a lot to do with the learning process, writing and exchanging ideas.

Ruling our curiosity Mercury can tell us where our intellectual interest falls, or how we process information. For instance, Cancerian mercury will be more inclined to be a listener rather than a speaker, which is more likely to be mercury in Leo. Trust me on this one, I have my mercury in Cancer and my mom's a Leo Mercury. I listen, and she talks. Another example? When it falls in Scorpio, he likes to go deep into the topics, it's a good combination for those who work in research, whether when he is in Ta**us helps methodic thinking and taking weighted decisions.

Mercury, whose Greek name is Hermes, was the mythical messenger of the Gods. His job was connecting and sometimes he tricked the proud Gods and Goddesses to help those who were in need and suffering as a result of their resentment and jealousy. Wisdom is the mind that doesn't put a gap between the mind's understanding and the feelings of our heart.

26/05/2023

So.. bear with me, this is gonna be complicated and I'm probably messing up here and there. If there are any experts in Greek and Latin mythology, please... help. I did study a bit of it in high school, and I do remember that there were different names for the moon's goddess, but this is craziness.

Let's talk about Selene, who was the daughter of the Titans Theia and Hyperion, and the sister of Helios and Eos, gods of the sun and the dawn. So she was a Titan AND a goddess. Also known as Mene, she was believed to protect childbirth and was associated with Artemis as her brother Helios was also known as Apollo. But, here we start to get confused, she was also associated with Hecate, who was variously connected with crossroads, entrance-ways, night, light, magic, protection from witchcraft, the Moon (of course), knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, graves, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery. You name it.

Selene, whose name comes from the Greek noun selas (σέλας), meaning "light, brightness", was worshipped for pulling the moon across the sky with her chariot and providing a bright light in the night sky. As a light bringer, she was mostly associated with the full moon, whereas Hecate was linked to the new moon. And both of them, are linked to Artemis who was also considered a moon goddess. Stay with me.

Artemis was the goddess of the hunt and Apollos' twin; they both are connected to Selene as hunting at night with a full moon was a common practice. Surprise, the origin of the name Hecate is Ἑκατός Hekatos, an epithet of Apollo (you see the link here?) interpreted as "the far-reaching one" or "the far-darter", to praise his hunting skills.

These three ladies, anyways, remind us of characteristics that moon deities share throughout cultures: often referring to childbirth and magic, to the knowledge of herbs and the natural cycles, they carry the power of the feminine.

24/05/2023

With this beautiful asana, we break the symmetry of the standing poses, starting to find our center on one leg.
We call this position "Eagle pose" but this is imprecise. "Garuda" was a mythical creature with the shape of a man and an Eagle, that was Visnu's mount. Visnu sleeps on the coils of Anantha (the world snake) but flies on an eagle. Raptors and snakes are enemies by nature and in the myth as well. Garuda becomes a hero by saving his mother from her sister Kadru, the mother of nagas (snakes).
Birds of prey and snakes have completely opposite points of view on the world they live in: raptors from the sky, and reptiles from the ground up. Visnu seems to know the importance of these opposites and keeps them both close to him.
In the Bhagavata Purana, a legend is told where Garuda fights the many-headed snake Kaliya. In the Ramayana, Garuda saves Rama from the snakes thrown by Meghanad. Devdutt Pattanaik in his book "Yoga and Myth" suggests that the asana is an actual representation of Rama wrapped up in a snake's coils and not Garuda himself.
This position works on balance, strength, and flexibility altogether, improving balance and focus, in a perfect mix of raptors and reptiles qualities.

23/05/2023

May 23rd is declared by the United Nations the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula. But what is it, most of you will ask?

Obstetric fistula is a condition that mainly affects women in developing countries who have limited access to medical care during childbirth. It's a hole that forms between the bladder or re**um and the birth canal due to prolonged labor without proper medical intervention. This can lead to chronic incontinence and infection, as well as social ostracism. There's still a lot of work to be done in terms of raising awareness, improving healthcare infrastructure, and supporting those affected by obstetric fistula around the world, so the UN has placed a goal: solve these issues before 2030.

Here is what the UN intends to operate: "Three cost-effective solutions can prevent fistula: timely access to high-quality emergency obstetric and newborn care, trained professionals with midwifery skills at childbirth, and universal access to modern contraception. Health systems can reduce fistula by tracking prevalence, correcting gaps in care, and ensuring universal access to a competent health workforce."

Learn more: https://www.un.org/en/observances/end-fistula-day

Chandra Mangal Yoga

14/09/2023

14/09/2023

13/09/2023

12/09/2023

10/09/2023

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