“You cannot stay away from yourself forever,
you have to return, have to come to that experiment,
to know whether you really can love.
That is the question—whether you can love yourself,
and that will be the test.”
~~Carl Gustav Jung
Greetings to all my precious people!!
Something ancient is stirring. Something that needs attention, something that requires remembering. The siren song of the cosmos is humming in our hearts and pulsing in our veins. The time for waking up has arrived.
The month of March is the bridge and the threshold for astrological shifts and changes in the Year of the Yin Wood Snake. The first Eclipse of the season occurs on Friday March 14, and it is the first South Node in Virgo eclipse since the series in Pisces/Virgo that began in March 2006 and lasted through February 2008. The South Node represents letting go, releasing and deep cathartic clearing, so take a moment to think back to that time in life. What was happening, what was being planned, what was disrupted, what has changed since then? Your body is the portal through which the Universal energetics travel. How are you feeling lately? What signals has your body sent that might be clues to show a correlation between then and now?
March is also the month that contains the “heart shake”—when Venus travels backwards in her retrograde cycle. This is a time of revisiting tender places in the memory palace, reviewing dreams waiting to be launched, releasing blockages to freedom. But this profound opening of the heart requires spaciousness to ignite the fierce spark of Love. Our heart longs for expansion in order to restructure and vibrate with easy rhythm, and only the practice of gratitude will support this undertaking. Our precious nooks are awakening in the “heart shake” as we acknowledge our lessons, as well as our sacred truths. In the midst of this opening, we pause, reflect, and review our lessons, the seasons of our lives. Deep transformation is underway.
Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac, and Aries is the first sign of the zodiac—so the month of March demonstrates the end of one sign and the beginning of another. The emphasis on endings and beginnings, openings and closings, death and rebirth will play out especially in the next few weeks, so creating space within your schedule as well as within your body can support this important transition. Pisces reminds us that surrender is the key. Listen deeply as you fill your heart with Divine inspiration. Allow the ebb and flow of your breath to guide you to your inner compass, while releasing the need to control the uncontrollable. Allow yourself to rest with a deep sense of kindness and compassion. Deep transformation is underway.
Examine your expanding perception. Are you connecting to your inner guidance and living in a way that supports independence, creativity, intuition and truth? Can you courageously walk your path of knowing and feel worthy of your needs and desires? Supporting the “heart shake” requires an opening to receive the wisdom and bring healing to the sacred spaces. And the practice of gratitude reinforces this undertaking.
Gratitude, in its essence, creates expansion. It opens the heart, shifts perception, and cultivates an inner spaciousness that allows for greater ease, clarity, and inspiration. In the Year of the Yin Wood Snake, which is associated with deep transformation, releasing, and creating space for renewal, gratitude serves as both a tool and a practice to align with this energetic shift.
The Role of Gratitude in Creating Space
Gratitude is not simply listing things to be thankful for. It is a physiological and energetic process of receiving and releasing in a balanced way. Neuroscientific research shows that practicing gratitude:
- Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and increasing a sense of well-being.
- Enhances neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to rewire itself toward optimism and resilience.
- Regulates emotions, fostering a shift from contraction (fear, scarcity) to expansion (trust, abundance).
The Lungs & Large Intestine: The Chinese Medicine Connection
In Chinese Medicine, the Lung (Fei) and Large Intestine (Da Chang) meridians govern the cycle of inspiration and release—the in-breath and the out-breath, both literally and metaphorically.
- The Lungs take in qi (life force), inspiration, and nourishment. They help us receive what is good and life-affirming.
- The Large Intestine is responsible for letting go—physically through elimination and energetically by releasing what no longer serves.
When we cultivate gratitude, we breathe in appreciation and exhale what no longer aligns. This mirrors the Yin Snake’s wisdom of shedding old skin—making room for fresh energy, clarity, and creativity.
Practical Ways to Integrate Gratitude & Transformation in the Yin Snake Year
- Morning “Receiving” Breathwork
- Before speaking, writing, or moving into the day, take 3 deep breaths and, with each inhale, visualize yourself receiving nourishment, love, and support.
- With each exhale, imagine letting go of something heavy—worries, old stories, or patterns that no longer serve you.
- Afterward, write down one thing you are grateful for receiving in your life—even if it’s as simple as the breath itself.
- Evening “Letting Go” Journaling
- Write a short reflection on what you released today (a limiting thought, an emotional burden, a physical tension).
- Follow with one thing you are grateful for experiencing today—no matter how small.
- This pairs the Lung’s receiving energy (what inspired you) with the Large Intestine’s releasing energy (what you cleared away).
- Gratitude & Movement Ritual
- Begin with gentle breathwork, focusing on slow, deep inhales through the nose and long exhales through the mouth (activating the Lungs).
- Engage in a movement practice—qigong, tai chi, stretching, or dance—to physically shed stagnation and make room for vitality.
- Close by placing hands over the heart and stating three things you are grateful for, sealing the practice with intention.
- The “Shed & Shine” Practice for Clearing Space
- Every week, choose one small area in your home or life to declutter—this mirrors the Large Intestine’s function of elimination.
- As you let go of an item, thought, or habit, replace it with a gratitude statement:
“I release what no longer serves me, making space for what inspires me.” - Notice how this shift allows more clarity, creativity, and inspiration to flow in.
Creating Tangible Transformation
- Host a “Gratitude & Letting Go” Gathering: A group breathwork, journaling, and tea ceremony to honor the balance of intake and release.
- Seasonal Practices: Align gratitude practices with the seasonal shifts—Spring (Wood) supports new inspirations; Autumn (Metal) supports deep release.
- Anchor with Aromatherapy & Herbs: Use eucalyptus or frankincense for the Lungs (enhancing clarity) and ginger or licorice root tea for digestion (supporting release).
By working with gratitude as a cyclical practice, rather than a linear one, we can create sustainable transformation—mirroring the wisdom of shedding and renewal in the Year of the Yin Wood Snake.
