How to Live Intentionally for Better Rhythm & Bigger Results

It’s 5:30 in the afternoon, the grocery line is absurdly long. What might have been a 15-minute trip to grab dinner has become 35, no, 45 minutes of mostly waiting in line. It’s a torturous hell that you didn’t want to be in when your stomach is already growling and there’s 20 minutes to drive before pulling up to your house that, like you, could use a little exterior TLC and interior attention. By the time you arrive home, you’re out of sorts and especially judgmental about who you are and how you do life.

Ah, but you meant to do some meal planning on Sunday in order to create a robust list of needed grocery items! And oh, you surely wanted to pick up the leaves before snow fell. And paint the entry door. And do some journaling about the passing of your favorite aunt.

And… and… and. The list of “I wanted to and meant to, but,” goes on. So, the rapid pace continues, words get left unsaid, emotions go unhealed, and spaces remain unclean. How and why did it go so wrong and why do we stay in the rut of being out of rhythm with the important parts of life?

This begs the question “What am I avoiding by not slowing down and finding a new rhythm?” American monk and writer Thomas Merton said, “Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.” If you let that really sink, I’m guessing you can relate.

You’ve probably experienced periods of time being in sync with life. It’s when you have the space to notice the green tips of spring’s flora popping out of the ground. It’s the several mornings in a row when you are completely available to receive the scent of your coffee and its first head-buzzing sip. Rhythm is when you are fully present and experiencing the fullness of your life.

The natural world provides the best example of tempo and rhythm. Animals know when to hide and when to seek, when to hibernate and when to gather. The Earth herself has a modulation as does the sky. Think night and stars, daytime and sunlight, and the planets that are ever-present overhead. Even Jupiter, and all others, have a cycle, a path that is followed and a cadence that is kept. All of the planets are graced with this and it’s why we can count on them to help bring us back to balance. You’ll never see Saturn rushing to get into Pisces or Mars ignoring its trip through Libra. The planets exemplify smooth, silky judgement-free rhythm.

When you think about your life and your own rhythm, are you noticing if it is in tune with nature? By starting with the bigger aspects first, you can begin to bring composure to a once frazzled life. Let’s start by identifying seasons.

Spring

This is a time of new growth. It’s a busting-out of sorts both personally and in the natural world. Energy is increasing as is the light. The Sun is gaining strength and germinating what’s been in the dark. You may feel more energy and a rise in enthusiasm in general as you break out your lawn chairs and picnic tables and dream of the future.

Summer

This is a period of nurturing and acquiring what you might need to make the future easier. Plants are of great height and breadth and may need some attention. In your life, you can play with self-care modalities and witness what else you may need to reach your full potential. Try sunbathing and toenail painting or hiking and gardening.

Autumn

With fall comes celebration and the sharing of gifts. When the farmers portion out their goods, a time of fullness is upon us. This is an occasion to share what you know and party like it’s 1995.

Winter

The shortening of days brings the slowing of pace. Gardens are put to rest, many animals settle into their beds for a long hibernation and we humans move to don our slippers a bit more quickly. We release the need to “do” and we reach for our journals and a long review of what we just went through. Reading, cooking, and hobbies are taken up along with crossword puzzles and board games.

Seasons are overarching periods of time with themes that never change. These are rhythms that we can all acknowledge and begin with, but what else can you do to amplify your sense of being in flow? A guiding question to use: What actions can I take to be in alignment with this season?

Look at the planets. In the world of astrology, planets represent consciousness. Each large and gaseous ball of light vibrates to us silent messages that we feel in our unconscious minds and either ignore or bring on board. With awareness of the planets and their messages, and especially as we notice their timing, we can begin to incorporate more intentionality into the months and weeks.

Think of the 10 planets as actors from the stories of Roman mythology. Each planet is named after a character in a play, each with its own personality and traits.

Some Planets Are on The Edges of The Stage Misbehaving Or Throwing Sign Language Your Way

You know there is something they’re saying, but you don’t fully understand their part in the story (yet). It seems they may be talking to stagehands or some other group behind the curtain. These planets are Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune and they nudge generations of people at a constant, but more subtle level.

URANUS

Represents originality, independence and an openness for all that is new, and unusual. You could call this one Mary Contrary as this planet doesn’t mind being different. Her pace is quick.

NEPTUNE

Gives us the mysterious and opens doors to mystical experience, and to the creative, intuitive, and imaginative.

PLUTO

Shows how we deal with power. It is how we meet the demonic and magical. This powerful planet would indicate movement.

There Are Mid-Level Actors (Planets) In the Play Who Are More Prominent

They have an effect on the audience as a whole, but you don’t see them often. Meet Jupiter and Saturn, the societal forces.

JUPITER

Represents purpose, optimism, hope, and justice, along with faith, and philosophy. Wealth, religion, spiritual growth, and expansion are favorite topics, too.

SATURN

Is where we meet with resistance and discover our limitations. It represents the conscience, moral convictions and structure. It also tells us about our endurance and the ability to concentrate.

And There Are the Stars of The Play

The movers and shakers keep you riveted by their constant movement and interactions. These are the inner planets whose influences you feel more readily.

SUN

Describes a general tone of being which colors everything else

MOON

Represents feelings and emotions, receptivity, intuition, imagination and basic feeling. It has a direct affect on your personal rhythm.

MERCURY

Is common sense, and that which is rational. It’s about weighing and evaluating, and the process of learning and skills.

VENUS

Gives us a sense of beauty, aesthetic awareness, love of harmony, sociability, and taking pleasure in relationships and romance.

MARS

Represents the energy and drive of a person, their courage, determination, the freedom of spontaneous impulse. It is concerned with willpower.

And now apply planetary information to rhythm. Imagine if you will, that Venus is nearby, front of stage, reading you some poetry she wrote about the way she feels watching you walk across the room. But you, in your own world, smell popcorn wafting from the concession stand, so get up and leave the theatre. Two rhythms, out of sync, but what could you have done differently?

Since Venus is the bigger energy by sheer volume alone, let’s give her authority. We then acquiesce our hunger pangs and get intentional. Venus is in the room talking passionately about relationships, so you intentionally stay present, focus, and work on what she’s talking about i.e., relationships and beauty and abundance.

When Saturn has a few lines to share from his place in the cosmic stage you again, give him his due respect and learn the lessons he’s bringing to your attention. You apply the discipline and structure he’s assigned you. You are intentional about that.

As Pluto throws darts at the stage manager from the back of the stage behind the curtains, a new authority shows up, one with more strength and vitality. Your mind bears witness to transformation in one form or another and you make a mental note of that influence.

And so on. This is the development of rhythm that comes as you pay quality attention to the energies around you.

The planets provide guidance concerning alignment. And there is yet another astrological influence you can be with for more fluidity and that is represented by the astrological houses. The date, time, and location of your birth is not happenstance. The information provided by those configurations are mapped out in your natal astrological blueprint. If you will take some time when Mercury is around (wink), you can calculate which of your houses you are currently experiencing and then live and act in accordance within the parameters of those houses.

A guiding question for you: What subtle energy is underlying this day, week, or month? Which planet might be advising me now?

The houses are broken into four life areas: personal, family, relationships, community. When you break all 12 of them down individually, they walk you through an entire cycle of growth. A shortened version of the house’s rhythm appears below:

To come into alignment with the natural house you are currently in takes some attention and intention. As an example, imagine knowing you are in the seventh house over the next few weeks. The seventh house asks that we address relationships, making an examination of who you are working with, spending time with, conjoined in business to – all relevant. It’s less important that you be deep into reinventing yourself if other forces are suggesting the time is right for dealing with companions.

Barbara had an exciting new arm of her business she wanted to launch. She picked a date to pull the trigger. She pressed herself to be ready and when the time came, nerves hit and old stories surfaced. Suddenly, Barbara was a nervous mess and had to work hard to stay out of an anxiety attack. Upon examination, she learned that the date she chose to launch her new business project was in the middle of her ninth house concerning beliefs. Her old stories about what the launch should look like had bubbled to the surface and slowed her progress. Had she used the ninth house time to up level her thoughts and instead planned to announce her new business while in the 10th house of harvest, her results could have been different. Ahhh, the lessons of rhythm!

A guiding question to use relates to astrological houses: What are my thoughts directing me to focus on? Which house could I currently

Much like Saturn Returns, which may find you instinctively doing a self-examination and calling yourself out, planets will naturally pull us back into line so that we show up when the time is right. And it all starts with intentionally applying your focus, reading the rhythm of the seasons, the planets, or the houses and moving with that flow rather than resisting.

Living with and through astrology is one way of finding rhythm. If reading your horoscope means you didn’t make your meal plan and you had to forego a grocery list, then there is still some tweaking to do in your days. But on the other hand, if knowing that the moon is pulling at you, then it’s more important than ever that you slow down and find flow.