Pictures freak me out. Well, actually pictures of me freak me out. On my wedding day, I kept pictures to the bare minimum. I took off with my husband alone to do our 1:1 pictures because the idea of having an audience felt unbearable. After being married six years, I still haven’t made a wedding album or watched the video of my ceremony. It’s rare that you’ll see me on Facebook or Instagram without sunglasses on. And honestly, if I could do my work with the biggest impact without ever getting in front of another camera, I would be just fine with that.
I always laugh when people make jokes about how easy my life must be given that I get to do what I love for a living. Yes, I love what I do, immensely; and while most of the time it’s a roaring blast, it’s not always easy. Some aspects of owning and running my own business have me wondering why I am still not knee-deep in corporate compliance at the big four accounting firm I worked at before starting my own business.
This summer, I faced one of those challenges.
(Side note: just because things aren’t easy doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them. As a matter of fact, going into the challenge is often the very best thing we can do!)
I am revamping my website and part of this process includes updating my pictures. Knowing photography isn’t my sweet spot, I set out to find the best photographer I could.
On my first call with her, she asked me to rate my comfort level with being in front of the camera. I ranked myself a four out of ten. In the past, I would’ve been a one. One means disliking the camera so much you’d fake an illness just to not have your pictures taken at an event. I felt proud to say four like that meant major progress.
Come the day of the photo shoot, I felt gut-wrenchingly nervous. I flew to LA to meet her and brought my stylist just to have extra camaraderie and support. So. Not. My. Idea. Of. Fun.
The hours that followed my amazing photographer walking into my Santa Monica hotel room became more than pleasurable — kind of like a massive transformational spiritual cocktail surprise with a pretty umbrella.
The day began with roaring laughter. What felt like a girl gang of solid hangout time ended up being ten hours of a crazy photo shoot extravaganza. We took pictures in fancy hotels and on the side of major highways; we climbed cliffs in Malibu and witnessed pools of dolphins swimming by; we burned bundles of sage the size of a wedding bouquet; and we engaged in awesome, crazy conversation for hours. All the while, I barely noticed being on camera. Surprisingly enough, I was too busy being in my body and laughing my ass off to notice.
As the day went by, I realized that while photos may never be my sweet spot (I am a coach and astrologer after all, definitely not a model), this experience taught me new things about embodiment.
I learned that embodiment is the key to making hard easy.
To be embodied means to be simply in your body. Not in your head. Not in your inbox. Not on your social media feeds. Not in the future. Not in the past. In the now, inside of yourself, soulfully connected to your truth, your knowing, and your being. Embodiment is the access point of all of our power. And the paradox is when we are embodied, things do feel easier! (That’s exactly what happened with my photo shoot. I spent the day fully embodied and totally forgot about the camera!)
As women, it’s easy for us to have a complicated relationship with our bodies—to ignore them, obsess over them, and loathe them. And yet, our bodies are our access point to our divinity.
Full Moon in Taurus: Get Embodied
As the Moon opposes the Sun in Scorpio, we have the Venus ruled Taurus full moon. This once-a-year event offers us a precious opportunity to experience lunar charged, full-blown embodiment. Earthly, feel good, luxurious, and sensual Taurus provides us with an experience with being connected to our bodies. The moon represents the Divine Feminine in all her glory.
A full moon in Taurus?! Well, ladies. Let’s get sexy.
With the sun in “go deep” Scorpio, there’s an emphasis on connecting to our sexual sides. With the moon opposing the sun in sensual Taurus, this is a FUN full moon. Especially with spiritual Neptune making a fun angle the Sun as well as Mars at 20 degrees Virgo, activating our intentions from the September 13th new moon eclipse in Virgo.
This full moon happens at 8:05 am eastern standard time on Tuesday the 27th; yet the moon stays in Taurus until early in the morning on the 29th, providing us with two and a half days of luscious, Taurus energy to play with.
Four Ways to Celebrate this Full Moon
Get sexy. Ladies, this is the time to swoon yourself. No partner necessary. Take a sensual bath or shower. Use delicious soaps, salts, oils, or whatever pleases you. When you get out of the shower, put on your most luxurious body treatment and dress in whatever allows you to feel good.
Practice embodiment. For the period while the moon is in Taurus, try to stay in your body. Notice when you want to check out. Escape into your head. Bury your face in food. Ignore what you are feeling. Then reel yourself back in.
Eat mindfully. Slow down and chew your food. Taste what you put into your mouth. Only eat what you want. Try being extremely intentional with how you eat.
Spend time under the gorgeous moonlight. By all means ladies, fill up on the lunar love. Let it permeate your body. Penetrate your soul. Evoke within your truth. Connect you to your own embodied power.
Why Be Embodied?
What the world needs now more than anything is women rising in our power to execute our visions, stand in our strength, and face the challenges before us, head on. Our Embodiment is non-negotiable. If we want our challenges to feel fun, to alchemize our fears into power, and turn our darkness into our light, we have to be in our bodies. There’s no other way.
This full moon, I challenge you to get into your body—really into her. Love her. Nurture her. Then decide what fear or obstacle you are willing to face from this place of power. What do you have to lose?
As always I send you my love. Happy Full Moon in Taurus!
Warmly,
Jenn
P.S. I can not wait to share my new site with you. Not only will it include loads of new pictures, but also video. Eek. I am fiercely committed to stepping through my fears, and hang ups. I promise you ladies, I will never ask you to do something I haven’t done myself. Thanks for being a part of this crazy-awesome and fierce community. Here’s to being embodied, strong, and wildly devoted to our purpose even when it feels hard!
P.P.S. I now rate myself an 8 when it comes to my comfort level with the camera. #progress
Join the revolution
Download The New Rules of Success & Satisfaction for Women in Charge.
