Enjoy Private Yoga & Meditation or Distance Yoga Coaching withChristina

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

An excerpt from a poem by one of my favorite writers Maya Angelou called Phenomenal Woman, and a reminder that there are secrets that lie within a woman's hips.

I grew up in a family of women who were blessed with phenomenal hips. For years I never thought about it this way because most of our conversations around hips were primarily focused on how wide or how narrow they were getting. In typical female fashion we would gossip about whos hips were widest and where someone may have inherited them from, but never once did stop to see the glory and true magnificence of the hips.

For centuries and in many cultures, a woman's hips represent fertility and robust sexuality. Artistic paintings and sculptures have been abundantly collected over thousands of years showcasing the fruitfulness of the female body and hips.

Belly dancing was the first place I began my love affair with my hips, (sans a man around).  My yoga practice elevated hip opener posses to a whole new level!

In the human species, female hips are substantially different from male hips. Other animals do not have this major difference.

The hips are the meeting place of the legs and the pelvis, and the merging of the lower and middle section of the body. They lie in the area of the second Chakra, the energy vortex responsible for passion, creativity and emotion, fertility!

Hip openers done properly can provide a wonderful sensation and an introspective opportunity to discover hidden messages about our bodies. Any movement that allows the hips to release including dancing, hula hooping or during yoga, can unlock stored energy needing to be released. The result, a sway in your walk and a rejuvenated second Chakra.

So the next time you try to pull your jeans over your hips, contemplating your weight or your width, empower yourself with the thought of what lies between them. They are a mystical treasure, a gateway to the unknown providing room for natural childbirth and a door to infinite possibilities.

Most importantly, they remind us that we are a unique, abundant, phenomenal women and THAT, is priceless wisdom.   

Learn more with Sharon . . . or Ask Sharon a question?

New Research Study shows Acupuncture Lessens Depression Symptoms during Pregnancy

I read an amazing article on my recent flight back to NY stating that a new research study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine showed that acupuncture is an effective way to reduce depression symptoms during pregnancy.  

In a paper that will appear in the March 2010 issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology researchers stated, "This standardized acupuncture protocol could be a viable treatment option for depression during pregnancy."

 “For this study, the researchers recruited 150 women whose pregnancies were between 12 and 30 weeks gestation and who met the criteria for major depressive disorder. The women were randomized to receive one of three treatments: acupuncture specific for depression; control acupuncture, during which needles were inserted in points not known to help alleviate depressive symptoms; or massage. All of the women received eight weeks of therapy and were assessed for depression at the four- and eight-week marks by an interviewer who was unaware of the treatment each woman received.

The researchers found that women who received the depression-specific acupuncture experienced a bigger reduction in depression symptoms than the women in the other groups. The response rate — defined as having a 50 percent or greater reduction in symptoms — was 63 percent for the women receiving depression-specific acupuncture, compared with 44 percent for the women in the other two treatment groups combined.

The researchers weren't surprised by what they found — a pilot study yielded similar results, and other studies have shown acupuncture is an effective treatment for depression in the general public — but they were pleased with the results.”

 The study authors, led by Rachel Manber, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said they hope the results will raise awareness of the problem of depression during pregnancy and provide patients and physicians an alternative to antidepressants.

“Up to 14 percent of pregnant women may have major depressive disorder, a condition characterized by feelings of dread, gloom and hopelessness, and a loss of interest in normally pleasurable activities. Some women suffer from depression before becoming pregnant, stop taking their medication and then experience a relapse; in other women, pregnancy itself may cause depression.

Clinicians aren't exactly sure how pregnancy leads to the disorder, but an influx of hormones could be the culprit. Some women might also feel overwhelmed by the major changes in their life, which could trigger depression. "Pregnancy just by its nature can bring out some underlying psychiatric and emotional issues," said co-author Deirdre Lyell, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology.

Depression, if left untreated, can pose risks to both mother and baby. The mom-to-be could stop taking care of herself or her fetus, and might even engage in self-destructive behavior. Studies have also linked depression during pregnancy to poor birth outcomes and postpartum depression. "Treatment of depression during pregnancy is critically important so that a woman can maintain her sense of well-being and take good care of herself, her fetus and, someday, her child," said Lyell.

To read more about the research study conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine please click here

To learn more about how Acupuncture can help please call us at 212.213.5785 to speak to our acupuncturists Sharon Wyse L.Ac. and Elizabeth Carpenter L.Ac. , or you may email Sharon at Sharon@oriensliving.com

  Have Heather Do Your Astrology Chart!

As the weekend begins we may still feel awash in slushy weather or sloshing feelings, tired of feeling needy, under the weather, or at the mercy of the fates. Over the last few weeks complex and thoughtful dreamy aspects have encouraged us to chew over our life and dream of possibilities. These dreams may have precipitated a subtle shift in how we perceive ourselves, our work or our life as the Sun, Venus, Mercury Jupiter and Uranus lined up in receptive, permeable Pisces.

Those dreams now begin to change in how we operate and what we do as Venus heads into fresh, renovating Aries on Sunday and brings in a more can-do approach. Venus in Aries also trines energizing Mars in Leo, these two planets of emotion work together in energized fire signs to give us a major green light but takes away our patience. If we’re in a situation that drains our energy, we get fed up and start mapping our revolution. There’s no need to hurry, we'll have more gumption over the next few weeks as Mercury and the Sun enter Aries, but the impulse and planning begin now. 

But first, as the weekend begins, let moody people unwind in their own way; go for acceptance and not intimacy. We’re ready to make connections over the weekend but have a short attention span; we need a break and get farther if we make the work playful.

We may be sorely tempted to make a radical and impulsive emotional decision early in the week, and need to take a big deep breath and see if it’s really worth the cost. Something we want can feel just out of our reach, but whether our job is to release temptation or take it as a goad to leap across into new terrain will depend on how our circumsntaces, coices and how our chart is affected as Venus enters impulsive Aries and trines Mars in Leo, while Mars stations. We’re also tempted to pick a fight, back a cause, run away and join the circus, and generally get more passionate about life, but luckily our energy level may still be low enough to keep us out of trouble.

It is important to engage our heart in our life, and take this impulse as a reason to reinvest in what feeds us, feeds our life force. If we have been wavering in some longstanding decision, it may now become clear to us which way we really want to proceed. What has been stuck now begins to loosen. Venus forms tough aspect as the week progresses and suggest to us that make progress on one road, we have to say good bye to another. First, check to see if both paths can be woven together. But the fork in the road may be real and need to be faced before we progress.

On Wednesday, Mars turns direct; it has been retrograde since December 21 2009. Since Mars is the planet of motivation, resistance and physicality, it now releases energy which may have been dammed up for months. As Mars turns direct we see what people have been planning behind the scenes, their motivation now becomes apparent. Plans that have been blocked now get a green light. But not all those plans were nice ones. It’s a good time to avoid people with which we have longstanding feuds, avoid war zones, and hold those within in protective light.

It is a good time to get resumes ready and take advantage of a window of opportunity between now and mid-April, when Mercury retrogrades, to put in place dynamic new plans.

Friday, March 5: Discontent can rattle us and make us clumsy, but can shift if we find one thing that works this afternoon as the Scorpio Moon trines Uranus. Later we get easily inflamed and out of sorts if pressed, but can reconnect indirectly later on if we are given enough room. Let the evening be spaceous and relaxed

Saturday, March 6: The day is wandering and sociable; we need a break from pressures and mucking about in our psyches. Chance meetings or spontaneous moments renew. Learn something new take a more philosophical perspective. Don’t take any communications glitch seriously around dinnertime, generous spirits return later.

Sunday, March 7: The day is ripe with possibilities as long as we don’t ask people to be too practical or specific. Let’s shine our light but keep it honest as Venus trines Mars and Mercury conjuncts Jupiter; an illusion of limitation is ready to dissolve. It may be time to testify, broadcast what we care about while still honoring what works for others.

Monday, March 8: Hit the ground running this morning, make contacts early and attend some waiting urgency. Midday, cut to the chase as the Moon enters Capricorn and conjuncts Pluto, get to the tough work. Listen to a wave of doubt or grimness, but don’t believe the litany it sings.

Tuesday, March 9: Structural work is needed to support creative enterprise; build good foundations. Tough stuff and hard work can make it hard to be warm and fuzzy as Venus opposes Saturn; don’t take the distance personally. Support one another’s work. Employment or labor issues, tend to the work at hand. We may want to tell them just what we think, but why burn that bridge; when under stress, get more polite and professional.

Wednesday, March 10: Productive morning, try again where efforts were stuck or stunted these last few days. People are more willing when they understand the point. People want plot, cooperate with a focused goal, but resist busy work. Afternoon is friendlier but stubbornness can bruise feelings this evening; sadness speaks to us but is more environmental than personal.

Thursday, March 11: We have no time for trivia, practical work is productive but emotions can be all over the place as Venus squares Pluto. We can long for something we can’t have, and cause needless pain just for an emotional charge. If we’re going to angst, we may as well reach out in some real compassionate action.

Overwhelm and stress are a recurring theme for fertility, hormone balance, menopause transition patients and SuperWomen of all ages managing career, family, health challenges and more. How do you break the pattern? What do you do when anxiety, fear and overwhelm hit?

Patients and those I do business with often comment on how “zen” I am and how relaxing it must be to be in my profession of Chinese Medicine and wellness. Let me tell you, as much as I completely adore and would not trade my life for a minute, my field—let alone owning and running a company—is not relaxing!

Which brings me to my point: managing stress and cultivating peace in our lives is a choice we make and a set of tools we employ moment to moment, day to day. It accumulates. It becomes a habit. It becomes your nature. Calm is a result. Joy and tranquility are the return on an investment! I am an example of someone who was programmed and trained to worry and I can worry with the best of them…but why? Worry is a completely unproductive energy sapping activity. I pretty much kicked the habit and you can too.

Super Secret: Emotion is a body thought-feeling. It’s not a sum of who you are or an accurate accounting of your circumstance. Your mind goes crazy leading you down the fear hole.

Since your anxiety is a BODY feeling, it’s much easier to shift it by moving your body than by using your mind. This is particularly true if you don’t already have a personal meditation or qi gong or yoga practice or other internal practice where you’re learning to shift your mind at will.  Think about those Olympians we just watched.  Think they don't have a lot riding on their performance? How about those close-ups of them laser-focused before the start bell.  These people have trained their minds and they train their bodies every day.  They go hand in hand.

TIP: If you can’t hit the gym or your favorite class when worry hits, turn on some music and dance, or take a brisk walk, close your office door and pretend you’re boxing…anything...just MOVE! And yes, you can laugh at yourself while you’re doing it.  Meanwhile, no matter how busy you are, build time into your schedule for dance or exercise.  I know for myself, when I tell myself the lie that I don't have time for exercise or meditation, that's when worry sneaks up on me and shortly after, overwhelm is upon me.

In the long run, to develop a consistent sense of peacefulness and a confidence that leverages Life toward the positive, you’ll need to do the inside work on yourself and also learn to manage your mind to choke off worry before it gets its claws into you. But the easy route out of overwhelm and stress is to SHIFT THE BODY so the EMOTION DISLODGES!

     Dance with Rachel every Wednesday night!

"Music is the festive dress of silence."  -Chamalu

Listening is an art and a skill that when developed can enhance communication in all parts of your life. A simple way to develop your listening skills is through the use of music. By concentrating your focus completely on the sounds, silences and vibrations of music, you can bring yourself into a more relaxed meditative state as well as heighten your awareness of yourself, your body and the world around you.

In Nia [dance], in order to develop our listening skills we use a practice called RAW, which stands for Relaxed, Alert and Waiting. Using this simple acronym as your guide, listen to one of your favorite pieces of music. 

Begin with RAW:

• Relaxed Body: in a comfortable seated position, find the sensation of relaxation or the absence of tension through out your body.
• Alert Mind: empty out the mind as much as possible so you are not preoccupied with thoughts or images but awake, conscious and aware.
• Waiting Spirit: have a sense of wonder, be present and open to what comes next.

Begin the song and listen to:

• The sounds and silences
• Rhythms, voices, changes in pitch, tone and mood
• One particular instrument or sound.
• The music as a whole

Once the song has finished, take a few moments and notice how you feel.  Is your mind clearer? Do you find your body is more relaxed? With this new heightened sense of awareness, begin the song again, but this time, get up dance. You may discover a much richer and fuller movement experience.

Enjoy Acupuncture with Sharon, or get her 2nd Opinion.

A few weeks ago I was talking to some friends over brunch and the topic of "parabens" came up. For those of you not familiar with the word, parabens are found in literally every cosmetic item we use. Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. They can be found in shampoos, deodorants, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, cleansing gels, personal lubricants, topical pharmaceuticals and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives in some products.

Basically, a huge percentage of the products you buy for everyday use contain some form of parabens.

In 2004 a research study reported that parabens were found in 18 out of the 20 breast tissue samples taken from breast tumors. According to the study’s lead researcher, Philippa Darbre, an oncology expert at the University of Reading, in Edinburgh, the chemical form of the parabens found in the tumors tested originated from something applied to the skin.  The most likely candidates are deodorants, antiperspirants, sunless tanning products, creams, or body sprays.

The end result is that while they found the parabens in the breast cancer tumors, the researchers could not definitely say that the breast cancer was because of the parabens.

My question is: "If I am washing my body and hair with parabens, shaving my legs with parabens, brushing my teeth with toothpaste that contains parabens, then putting on cream and deodorant that contain parabens, followed by a nice body spray that contains parabens... how much is too much?"

There has been a growing debate over whether or not the parabens found in underarm deodorants have any link to women and breast cancer. I have read both sides of the argument on this issue…parabens are bad/ parabens are ok... and since there have been studies that say that it is not healthy, I have chosen to take the precautionary route and try to not use products containing them. Parabens are also listed on labels as methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben.

There are a many companies joining the "paraben free" movement, carrying a range of cosmetics and personal care products that are paraben-free. 

Run a safety check on your own products, and find safe, high-performance alternatives.

Read more on cosmetics, parabens and breast cancer...

Enjoy Private Yoga & Meditation or Distance Yoga Coaching with Christina

Recently, I have discovered that even organization is an art. If you are anything like me, you may have spent time organizing things in your life with a sense of obligation or effort, which is not much fun. Don't get me wrong I have a lot of fun organizing things for OTHER people’s lives, but when it comes to my own, it really becomes a chore. Well not anymore, because I have discovered the art behind it all.

The idea is that you must recognize that you are in a process of creating. Everything you have in your house is carrying energy. If you want to create a space that fosters inspiration, well-being and peace of mind, it’s time to recognize how you feel about what you're holding in your space.

Soon you'll see what you really don't want. There are things you think you want or need, but often, they aren't even remembered after they are gone. So take some time to feel out your space, and even if you're luke warm about keeping something, get it out! Once you let go, the process of organizing and creating becomes allot easier and actually, its fun!

I have always loved the way many Yoga centers have kept their space clutter free, and it's easy to see how energetically this supports the yoga flow in ones practice. But if you don't have this feeling once you get home, it can be tricky to keep yourself in a Zen state of mind. Ultimately, clutter can block the flow of creativity and healing.

After you have taken the time to discard what you don't need, a simple yet quick way to organize yourself is to get yourself some shoe box size clear plastic boxes. Label them for things you are keeping such as, electronics, tax receipts, or menus. This will immediately make you feel better. Next, try rearranging your space or put up some new art around you. Even art that has been hanging on the walls for awhile needs to change every now and again. Inspiration that is powerful enough to change your life is GOOD, so my last words of advice is to get rid of what you don't want, organize what you need and love, and surround yourself with some new and inspiring fresh energy!

  Work with Sandra personally, in-office or by phone/Skype.

“Happiness is a choice.”

That is the quote I have as part of my email signature. It’s my quote; although I rest assured I am not the first person to utter those words. I wish I had a buck for every time someone commented on that quote.

I think happiness IS a choice. But I’m not talking about the Hallmark version of happiness. I know a lot of times we confuse happiness with pleasure. We focus on the externals in our life, such as “When I finish this project, then I will be happy. When I get my new car, then I will be happy. When I finish school, then I will be happy.” I know, I’ve said them all. These are the musings of the personality and the ego. The problem is there is always something more to want, when the reality crashes in that what you thought was going to make you happy, only made you happy for a short amount of time.

So…what I’m really talking about is JOY. I think joy is similar to happiness, but is a deeper and broader experience. Happiness feels a bit “me, me, me” – which is just fine, but keep in mind that “me, me, me” doesn’t take you through the tough times. And you can be sure that there are always going to be tough times in life. Happiness is emotional and is fleeting, joy is an attitude about life, your life, and can remain even when happiness seems elusive.

The experience of joy brings us out of Self and into other and a sense of something “Greater” than ourselves, God/Goddess/Source/Awareness, whatever you want to call it.

We know full well that chaos and spirit crushing events happen in life…and it is our internal reaction to these things that dictate whether we are having a joyful and peaceful life.

Therefore JOY is the deep abiding serenity and poise we experience when we are grounded in our willingness to know the good that we have and that we are, to know the Universe’s power for good.

It is our power  to choose how we feel. It is our choice to profoundly know that our Life is in complete support of us.  In making this choice, we open our hearts to Hope!

  Call (212.213.5785) or email Elizabeth to talk about your fertility challenge.

I have the special privilege of working closely, every day,  with the most incredible SuperWomen seeking to conceive a child in the midst of their SuperWoman lives.   Their challenge is not easy.  Among other things, they must re-direct some of their energy away from the behaviors that make them super successful in the world, toward behaviors that make them more fertile.  The hardest one is getting a handle on worry and control.  To enhance fertility, we want to induce the Relaxation Response. 

As mammals, we are biologically set up to not go into heat or reproduce when there is danger.  That's a hard wired safety mechanism Nature has brilliantly installed.  If your senses are reporting to your brain that you are safe, it sets the chemistry and messaging signals in play that permit reproduction.  If it receives input that you are in danger (i.e. on a daily basis you are telling yourself the story that things are not right--stressed out), it favors the chemistry of the stress response...ultimately competing with reproduction both by restricting blood flow to the reproductive organs and by allowing stress hormones to dock where reproductive hormones would.  Yikes.

You can imagine this is a snowball downhill. The more trouble you have with fertility, the more you want to control the situation and do everything you can and do it perfectly.  Yet, that worry-control-fear factor sends the internal message you are in danger, putting your goal further out of reach.

Below is an email response I sent to a SuperWoman worried and angry at herself today...because she unwittingly made a mistake. She went in for an IUI and found out she hadn't ovulated yet...meanwhile, she had taken the post-ovulation herb formula I prescribed, for just one day:

"Hi [Superwoman],

First, there is rarely a reason to be mad at oneself. Did you do your best? Did you use your very best reasoning to make your decision? Did you have your own and others' best interests at heart when you performed the action or decision? Would you be angry at someone else if they did the same thing? Treat yourself with the respect and kindness you accord others.

Second, you have nothing to worry about. Natural medicine is powerful, yet its intervention works differently than the way drugs work. Herbs are not pharmaceuticals, even though pharmaceuticals are often derived from herbs. Rather, herbs are invitations to the body to perform at a higher level. While each prescription is targeted to enhance the goals of that half of the cycle, they will not harm the other half. Simply use the follicular herbs until you clearly have ovulated.

Third, do your breathing. Find something to laugh at. Enjoy your weekend. And know that you are doing everything you need to be doing. Nothing more is required or possible....except to give your body the leg up it gets when you relax.

Fourth, buy this short, quick read of a book: The Four Agreements. That's your homework."

Do a Chart or Reading with Heather ~ 10% off in February!

The word February is from Latin februum, which means purification. We’ll need good psychic hygiene to handle this next month as we paddle about ambient pools of emotion while the Sun joins Uranus, Venus and Jupiter in Pisces.

Pisces energy is subtle, murky, and complex; it speaks of the tidewaters of the collective oceanic subconscious, an ocean that seeps into our dreams and leaves us awash in archetypal images. Uranus electrifies this inner world, Jupiter expands, it, and Venus cranks up our emotional motivation.

When we’re awash with this Piscean energy, it can get hard to tell where we end and the rest of the world begins. We’re more aware than usual that we are all interconnected by germ and by dream, economy and ecology. Most of us will just feel soft, float about in our dreams, or paddle about in memories and feelings. Some will become aware that our sense of separation is just an illusion. A few may react to this vulnerability by armoring-up or going off on what appears to be an unreasonable attack, on the belief that the best defense is a good offense.

Uranus can electrify our dreams under these circumstances, we may see renew hope for an idea that had seemed to be dead, or renewed believe in a dream. We also may be forced by some unexpected Uranian event to face our dreams and see if we can make them come alive.

Pisces reminds us of how subtle and complicated the truth really is; some people will find it easier to lie or decorate the truth with imaginary simplicity so they can streamline their politics. But we can work with this longing for magical simplicity in a more creative way and use it streamline our meditation or sweep out the flotsam in our house or soul.

Pisces is a dreamy sign, a wonderful gift when we need a moment out of time. We just have to be extra aware of the border between our imagination and consensual reality. Any work which needs an active imagination or an ability to believe in the unlikely can prosper this week. But we’re also easily distracted and can waltz off into our imagination without noticing that we’ve crossed the threshold, spend the day dreaming of what we’d do with the house we might win or imagining that our neighbor loves or hates us when all they said was ‘here’s the paper”.

And this is where the psychic purification comes in. We need to let the rivers flow in our souls but be able to direct the flow rather than drown in its waters. Be kind to the self and bring the mind back from its wandering to create the subtle beauty in the present moment. We can notice our story, but check our facts; trust in creation, but do the work.

Because we can feel unusually permeable and vulnerable, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the impact of recent events. Processing can help us feel better, and we might whine and complain or take a more passive approach, but this is the shadow side of Pisces.

We may feel lower energy than usual, possibly more sensitive to allergens, germs, and invasive people, but also potentially more aware and creative. It helps to get in the body over this weekend as the Moon enters Taurus, rest up and feed the senses to prepare for the week ahead. It will help to get more sleep than usual over the next few weeks to listen to our dreams and strengthen our immune system.

Early next week the aspects help us multi-task, but can leave us nervy and spread thin as Mercury challenges Saturn and Pluto underneath a Gemini Moon. We may need to work around sluggish or confusing communications and transportation, and remember some people just can’t help it if it takes them a while to get to the point.

Unless we keep our perspective clear, our thinking may tend to look on the dark side and miss opportunities because we aren’t looking for them. Cutbacks or surgery may be necessary. We can also cut our bad behaviors not cut out people. Later in the week the trend reverses, we get a whiff of springtime in our minds if not the weather as the Sun conjuncts Jupiter. Look for new possibilities.

Friday, Feb 19: Friendly, creative, if sensitive; an earthy Taurus Moon invites us to cuddle down or dig our heels in. Early morning face-off as the Moon squares Mars may just be resentment for getting out of bed. But if we stop pushing and start listening with our hearts, we get the flow going as the Moon trines Pluto midday. We need comfort and food for the senses tonight.

Saturday, Feb 20: Sweet morning to sleep in or move slow. If communication is a bit off as the Moon square Mercury, just make pancakes together. Some issue around financial or materiel security needs attention, not worry, midday. Moody evening; get the feelings out without dramatizing the story.

Sunday, Feb 21: A slow and spicy, quietly spiritual morning switches to a nervy, innovative day as the Moon enters Gemini midday. Easily distracted vibe, gossip flows along with revelations. Good day to gently break in to new territory. Too much information can leave us flooded or indecisive; keep the flow going but sort for relevance towards long term goals.

Monday, Feb 22: Too many words and still communications glitch; websites may flicker as Mercury forms a minor difficult aspect to Saturn and Pluto. If a co-worker is obtuse, change the subject and try again in few days. A void needs filling, a foundation needs rebuilding it. If depressive thoughts flow through, don’t attach to them. Evening brings a clearer perspective.

Tuesday, Feb 23: We can get a little twitchy; situations are at a balance point and could go really wrong or wonderfully right while the Sun sextiles Pluto. Accept our common denominators to progress on important issues. Shelter and home need attention. The emotional water table rises this afternoon as the Moon enters Cancer; reassurance and comfort needed tonight to metabolize events as the Moon squares Saturn.

Wednesday, Feb 24: We may need to let go of something important this morning even though we’re afraid of loss as the Cancer Moon opposes Pluto and trines Jupiter. This fear can make us want to pull back unnecessarily, emotionally or financially. Each person needs to weigh the risk /benefit ratio for themselves, but let’s find a balance and not deny possibility just to reduce the risk of loss. Concerns may dissolve in evening’s warmth.

Thursday, Feb 25: Gentle subjectivity helps teaching, diagnosis, healing. If our insecurities start to circle, we can either pour it into art or break the cycle by focusing on someone else or something objective. Later, edges roughen on emotionally charged relationships as the Leo Moon conjuncts Mars; be humble.