Full Moon Season: Find Calm in Your Nervous System and Listen to Your Heart’s Intuition
As autumn settles in and the full moon illuminates the darkness, something within me calls me inward. But amid the swirling problems of everyday life, the noisy pressure to socialize, and the constant demands to be outgoing and productive, finding the calm we need can be difficult.
Perhaps you, too, feel as though your nervous system is constantly on high alert. When our bodies and minds are overwhelmed by stress, it’s easy to get caught in the digital traps of everyday life. We check Instagram, compulsively scroll through the news, or throw ourselves into the next practical task on our to-do list, trying to soothe our inner restlessness.
Yet even amid all this pressure, your quiet, tender heart can be a sacred place where you find answers and ease your stress. As a licensed clinical psychologist and expressive arts therapist, I work every day with ways to help us feel safe in our bodies, move out of survival mode, and reconnect with our sense of grounding.
A Simple Mini-Ritual to Calm Your Nervous System
When I notice the pace of everyday life taking over and feel myself losing touch with who I am, I turn to a simple somatic and creative ritual. You’re warmly invited to join me.
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Close your eyes: Gently draw your attention away from screens and the outside world.
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Breathe through your heart: Bring your awareness to the area around your chest. Breathe slowly and deeply in and out, as though your breath were flowing directly through your heart.
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Feel the light: Allow yourself to connect with a feeling of love, gratitude, or peace. Imagine these feelings bathing your heart in a warm, soothing, golden light.
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Ask your question: Whisper the question that feels most pressing in your life right now. Notice how your body responds. If your heart opens, it may feel like a yes. If it closes or tightens, it may feel like a no.
Afterward, I draw one of my Art of Self Healing Cards — reflection cards I created, inspired by expressive arts therapy and nature-based therapy. Usually, they help me find the clarity, calm, and perspective I need to move forward with my day, even when things feel difficult.
Trust your heart beneath the moon and in the soft darkness of autumn.
With love and creativity,
Karin von Daler
Get your deck: The Art of Self-Healing Cards
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