this aquarian new moon on, february 9th, 2024 (pictured below) really initiates the aquarius energy that will carry us through many changes in the next 20 years and beyond. pluto entered the sign of aquarius on january 20th, 2024 and uranus, its new ruling planet just stationed direct on january 27th, 2024.

this is the lightning bolt touching ground. this is initiation. the future is here. we can’t go back to the way things were.

especially when considering the lunar nodal ruling planets; mars and venus are finally culminating an old cycle and beginning anew with their conjunction happening on february 20th, 2024. interestingly, they both square the lunar nodes and conjunct pluto on their way towards their conjunction. this symbolism shows us that our nose dive into aquarian times, for our evolution, has everything to do with how we relate to ourselves and everyone/everything.

hence the significance of understanding our nervous system (uranus) through the cues the body gives us (uranus in the sign of taurus) as relational information (mars and venus, rulers of lunar nodes culminating and beginning a new evolutionary cycle alongside pluto). essentially, its an evolutionary necessity for humans to pay attention to the body and nervous system in order to form healthy relationships. more on that in another post.

as an introduction to these times we are diving into, i present to you, my nervous system in symbols. the nervous system has 3 states:

🚨sympathetic state (symbolized in bottom left spiral): our alarm bells go off and we engage in fight or flight responses. one of the main characteristics of this state is bursts of high energy so that we are mobilized to fight or flee, thanks to cortisol production in the body. i feel edgy, hyper vigilant, angry and tense. i crave sugar to energize me into fight or flight and don’t have an appetite for anything else. in some situations, i repress the volcanic eruption of anger inside me and try to run away as far and as fast as i can. at other times, i rise to meet my anger in healthy ways and assert my boundaries with lightning fast responses.

🧊freeze state (symbolized in bottom right spiral): this is when we enter shut down, dissociation, numbness, exhaustion and immobilization. the body is doing its job of protecting us while in this state, its main aim is to block out the trauma and preserve energy for times when we need to kick back up into the sympathetic. i feel stuck, heavy, numb, lethargic, and like my emotions are frozen/inaccessible. the blend of little appetite and the lack of motivation to cook healthy meals usually means i eat quickly made foods that lack nutrition. i self isolate and am unable to truly see myself and the world around me thanks to my dark lenses of 'nobody's home'.

💞parasympathetic state (symbolized in top spiral): often referred to as the 'rest and digest' state, where we feel safe to be our authentic selves and connect with others and the world around us. my body feels more ease, safety, lightness and engagement with my creative and playful self. i feel present and connected to the wider web of life, be it my inner parent/child relationship, other people, the earth etc. my appetite comes back and i feel motivated to cook nutritious meals and take great delight in eating and digesting. i feel in flow with my emotions, having them rise, be felt, and fall away when they naturally do so.

mapping the nervous system exercise is a page out of the book of "polyvagal practices" by deb dana. A great book for getting to know your own nervous system.

if you map your nervous system, you are welcome to send me an email and share it, i will be here to witness and support. email: brianne@soulscompasshealing.com