The universe: "You need some rest."
Me: "Okay, but only if I do this and that and everything first.
The universe: …. I’ll have to give you cold symptoms then.. will you slow down then?"
On Monday 26 October 2026, at 05:12 in the morning (Netherlands time, and yes, winter time has already kicked in by then), the Moon turns full in Taurus. Soft, sensual, slow-moving, stubborn-as-a-mule Taurus. And she is not asking you to do more. She's asking whether you will finally let yourself have it. The rest. The pleasure. The soft landing. All of it. Without earning it first.
Darling.. let's talk, because I know this sign verrrrryyy well.
But first, can I get a little personal with you?
Okay, real talk (from one recovering people-pleaser to another)
The past weeks I've been travelling through Korea and Japan, soaking up inspiration, eating way too well, and spending time with my Korean family-in-law.
Even though it has been such a beautiful experience, it has also been a big mirror.
Because social pressure in Korea is high, and I really wanted to be liked by my family-in-law. I wanted to follow all the cultural rules and get it "right". And before I knew it, the old programming was back at the controls: be perfect, be polite, be productive. Make everyone comfortable. Check myself twice. Sacrifice my sleep. Suddenly consider Botox, and yes, even my own skin and weight received a 10-fold increase in self-criticism.
That's when I noticed the voice… You know the one. It sounds very reasonable. It says things like "once you've done it right, then you can relax" and "once they like you, then you can rest" and "once you're finally healed, then you can feel worthy." “Once you’ve pushed yourself to do this thing, then you can do the thing you actually need”. It's always once. Once I've earned it. Once I've fixed it. Once everyone is okay with me.
But that's the trap. Because that finish line moves. Every. Damn. Time.
And after feeling the resistance to show myself to the outside world for the 3rd time in a week. I cried. What am I doing to myself?
So let's just say I got a free practice round in taking care of my own needs, while feeling all the feels and all the pressure. And it reminded me, again, of something I teach and still have to learn daily:
My worth is never something I have to earn by being perfect, polite or productive. It's something I get to come home to. In my body.
When I take care of myself and do things in a way that feels right to me, I shine more brightly and more authentically, almost automatically. But I'll be honest with you: choosing for yourself is hard. Take it from this recovering people-pleaser 😉
I'm not telling you this because I've got it all figured out. Self-worth is my big topic. I practice yoga, I give Reiki therapy, I read Human Designs, I coach, I hold cacao ceremonies. And I am still healing this, every single day. I wish I could say "I used to struggle with this and now I'm cured". But I know I will say that one day. In the meantime, I love to see my progress in it bit by bit every week.
A few things that help me (and still do):
The Courage to Be Disliked by Fumitake Koga gave me the idea of separating tasks. The way I understand it, whether someone likes me is their task, not mine. My task is to be kind, respectful and honest with myself. Reading that a few years ago, I felt like someone opening a window in a stuffy room, and it's exactly what I needed at the family dinner table.
Brené Brown keeps reminding me that worthiness isn't something you earn by being impressive. You are worthy because you are here, and what heals shame is being seen, not being perfect. (Maybe that's why I'm sharing this with you right now with slightly sweaty palms.)
Mel Robbins' "Let Them" is basically permission to stop managing everyone else's actions and opinions. Let them think what they think. And then ask: what do I need to do for me? It’s about taking your energy back and saving it for what’s in your control, like your self-care and how you react
Tony Robbins points out how much of what we do is chasing a feeling of significance. It made me realise how often my "politeness" and "productivity" are really me asking for approval.
So here's the lesson I'm taking into this Full Moon, and I'd love for you to take it with you:
You can be a work in progress and be worthy at the same time. Healing is not the price of worth. Worth is where healing starts from.
I'm not healed, but I'm not broken either, and neither are you. We are healing, and we’re allowed to feel worthy WHILE we do it. Today, now, as you are. Not after you've lost the weight, finished the course, fixed the relationship, or answered your inbox.
Okay. That turned into a slight rant, hahah. Let’s take a deep breath. And let's finally go into this Full Moon. 🌕
Why do we call it a Hunter’s Moon?
By late October the harvest is in, the fields are bare, and the animals have fattened up on the leftovers. A bright Full Moon over empty stubble made deer, fox and turkey easier to spot, and it stretched the working day for hunters who needed to stock up before winter. In the old English tradition this moon marked the start of hunting season, which was the practical time to preserve food for the cold months. The name then travelled to North America with English settlers and stayed in the almanacs.
Hunting, in its oldest sense, wasn't about aggression. It was about provision: knowing what you need to get through the winter, and going quietly and deliberately after that. That's pure Taurus. What do I truly need to feel safe, fed and held? And what have I been dragging around that feeds me nothing?
Taurus: the friend who shows up with soup and will never, ever rush you
Do you know a Taurus? She remembers how you take your tea. She will drive across town for food when she really feels the urge for something. She's loyal, patient, sensual, and absolutely will not change the plan at the last minute. She can give you grounded mother vibes and cry like a baby the next second because a clothing tag is itching her skin. And there are essentially 2 types of Taurus’. One likes to walk barefoot in the mud and prefers cacao ceremonies under the full moon and loves herbs. The other one walks around with a designer bag and screams at the sight of anything less than a 4-star hotel and probably owns a small dog. Both bring amazing unique qualities to the table.
(Guess which Taurus I am)
Taurus is ruled by Venus: the planet of love, beauty, pleasure and value. That's why Taurus knows what she likes and isn't going to be talked out of it. She builds things that last, and she knows the body is the doorway to the present moment.
But there's a shadow, isn't there? The steadiness can harden into stubbornness. The loyalty can become clinging. The love of comfort can turn into a fear of change. And Taurus has a sneaky habit of mixing up what's familiar with what's safe, and of tying her worth to what she owns, does or provides.
That, love, is exactly what this Full Moon is here to illuminate.
What you might experience during this Taurus Full Moon
The Sun is in Scorpio (Scorpio season has only just begun), directly opposite the Moon in Taurus. Scorpio digs deep. They have deep inner worlds and are not afraid to hear about your traumas. It asks what you're gripping onto out of fear of losing it. Taurus answers with the body: slow down, feel your feet, taste your food. This Taurus–Scorpio axis is often described as the ongoing dance between creation and destruction, holding on and letting go.
And there's a lot going on around it:
Old wounds around "Who am I, and can I trust myself?" may come to the surface. Think identity, self-trust, taking up space and making your own choices. In other words: the exact stuff I wrote about above. Funny how the universe does that.
Your sense of worth and what you value is up for review. What do you want? What are you accepting? What do you believe you deserve? Relationships, money and the way you treat yourself may all ask for a second look.
A pressure-cooker feeling. Something wants to shift, transform or be released, and you may feel it as tension, restlessness, tearfulness or a shorter fuse. You don't have to force anything. Just let it move through.
Old conversations, old stories and old feelings may come back around for review, roughly from 24–25 October until 13 November. Slow down, double-check your messages, and think before you text your ex. (You're welcome.)
If you have planets or points in the early degrees of the fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius), you may feel this one a bit more strongly.
In everyday life, you might feel more tender than usual. Or snappier. You might get a sudden urge to improve your home). The old fear of not being enough, or of being left out, might show up uninvited and sit on your sofa like it pays rent.
This Full Moon can highlight themes around:
Self-worth and "enoughness": Where do you believe you have to earn rest, love or pleasure?
People-pleasing and approval: Whose "like" are you still working for?
Safety versus familiarity: What are you holding onto because it's comfortable, not because it's good for you?
Honesty: With Scorpio and Mercury retrograde, what are you hiding, omitting or softening the truth about, even to yourself?
Releasing old roles and agreements: Which roles, agreements and stories have served their purpose?
Your body's whisper
Taurus rules the throat, neck, thyroid, jaw and vocal cords. Your voice lives here, and so does everything you didn't say. (Hello, thyroid issues.)
So if your neck is tight, your jaw is clenched, your throat feels scratchy, or you've got that lump-in-the-throat feeling that seems to persist a bit longer than your normal cold: that's not random. Your body keeps score, and Taurus is where it keeps the receipts.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the throat is a meeting place for several meridians. The Stomach meridian runs along the front of the neck and throat, and it's linked to how we "digest" life, including worry and overthinking. The Kidney meridian also travels up to the throat and is linked to fear and our deepest energy reserves. And since this moon is hanging out in Scorpio season, it's a lovely time to give your kidneys some TLC: warm food, warm feet, early nights.
Where in my body am I holding back my voice? And what would it feel like to say it, without apology?
A Taurus Full Moon ritual
This Full Moon is powerful for releasing the belief that you have to earn your rest and for embracing what truly nourishes you. Scarcity lives in the head. Worth lives in the body. So we don't think our way into worth. We feel our way into it. I have two ways for you to do that.
Together: In Her Worth, a Taurus Full Moon Cacao Ceremony
On Sunday 25 October, the day before the Full Moon peaks, I'm hosting In Her Worth: an extra-long cacao ceremony that almost feels like a half-day retreat. It's for the woman who always feels one more task away from deserving a break. Who finds it easier to give than to receive. Who's ready to stop earning her rest, and start receiving. (Hi. It's me-time.)
We'll slow down together with:
A slow, sensory cacao ritual to land in your body and set your intention
A small movement journey to follow your own rhythm, inspired by a Shake the Dust workshop I fell in love with. No one watching, no need to look good, no rules. Pure feelings.
A deep guided meditation with Reiki, plus journaling prompts inspired by the Taurus Full Moon
A gentle women's circle, with a small closing gift
📅 Sunday 25 October 2026 | ⏰ 12:30–16:00 📍 The Mind Gym @ Hotel The Usual, Westblaak 10, Rotterdam. Small group. Held in English.
For the last-minute deciders: your spot awaits here. Or join the waitlist to get updates on the next ceremonies.
One-on-one: Reiki, the path of the heart
If I had to pick the one thing that has made the biggest difference in my life, it's Reiki. And it's the piece I see in the progress of nearly every client who goes through real change.
In Reiki we talk about the path of the heart. The way I understand it, and the way I feel it, is that Reiki brings you back into contact with your own heart. And your heart is where the life source is driven from. When you're back in touch with it, you start to feel that you matter. And when a person feels their own worth, something shifts: they have the motivation to take better care of themselves, and the courage to make the changes they need in life to actually be happy. Not because someone told them to, but because they finally feel they're worth the effort.
That's why I see Reiki as such an essential part of the process. You can't think your way into worth, but you can lie down, breathe, and let your body remember it. (Taurus approves 😉)
So this time I’d like to invite you to come feel what reiki can do for you too! Use TAURUSMOON at checkout to receive a special discount on your Reiki therapy session, available until the next New Moon on Monday 9th. Book your session here.
Can't make it to this ceremony? Here's a mini ritual to meet this moon at home
Do this on Sunday evening, when the Moon rises almost full:
Close the day. Phone on airplane mode. Cancel or soften one plan. Tell yourself: nothing is required of me tonight.
Make it soft. Dim the lights, grab a blanket, light a candle. Taurus wants alllll the comfort.
Warm bath or foot soak, with Epsom salt if you have it. Let your shoulders drop away from your ears.
Eat something warm, slowly, sitting down. Then have something sweet. Yes, you heard me.. enjoy!
Write your permission slip. "I, ___, give myself permission to…" (rest without a reason, say no, eat the dessert, take up space.) Put it somewhere you'll see it every day.
Go to bed early and let the Moon do her work while you sleep. She peaks at 05:12, so you really don't have to be awake for it.
What to focus on during yoga?
On the mat, this moon isn't asking for performance. It's asking for presence. Stay a little longer than is comfortable. Let the breath lead. Taurus loves sensation, so notice instead of fixing. The body parts to work with: neck, throat, jaw, shoulders and upper chest, plus your feet and sitting bones for that grounded, "I'm held" feeling.
1. Matsyasana (Fish Pose) Lie on your back, slide your hands under your hips and lift your chest, letting the crown of your head rest lightly on the floor (or put a block or bolster under your upper back, no shame, I do it too). Let your throat open and your heart lift. Notice if you want to swallow, or if anything feels vulnerable. Theme: speaking your truth.
2. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) Lie on your back with your knees bent, press into your feet and lift your hips. Roll your shoulders under and let the back of your neck lengthen. Bridge gently wakes up the thyroid area and strengthens the legs, your roots. Breathe into your throat. Theme: building safety and stability from the inside.
3. Simhasana (Lion's Pose) Kneel or sit comfortably, inhale deeply through the nose, then open your mouth wide, stick your tongue out towards your chin and exhale with a big "haaaah." Yes, you will feel ridiculous. Do it anyway. It releases the jaw, the throat, the face, and every word you swallowed this month. Theme: releasing what you haven't said.
4. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclined Bound Angle Pose) Lie on your back, soles of your feet together, knees falling open (support them with pillows if needed). One hand on your belly, one on your heart. Nothing to do here. Just practise receiving the floor beneath you. If you notice an urge to "use the time wisely": that's the voice. Breathe with it. Theme: receiving without earning.
5. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)
Kneel with your knees hip-width apart, hands on your lower back, and lift your chest towards the sky. Keep your chin soft and your throat long (no need to drop your head back, I promise). Notice what happens in your chest. Camel opens the front of the body, the part we usually protect when we’re trying to be perfect, polite or productive. Stay for a few breaths, then come out slowly and fold into Child’s Pose. Theme: opening your heart to receive.
For my yoga teachers: Invite your students to notice what adjustments their bodies would like to make so a pose feels more comfortable. Sometimes they are so busy with what a pose should look like, they forget to check and feel how the pose looks like for their unique bodies.
Reflective journal prompts
Where in my life do I believe there is "not enough" (time, money, love, energy, me)? Who taught me that?
Whose approval am I still working for, and what is my task in that situation (and what isn't)?
What do I make myself earn before I allow myself to enjoy it?
When I take care of myself in a way that feels right to me, what changes in how I show up for the people around me?
What is one small way I'm choosing to receive, starting today?
Taurus’ parting words would be…
Taurus leans back in her armchair, takes a slow sip of something warm, and looks at you with great patience.
"You are not behind, dear. You are not too much, and you are not too little. You can stop proving it. What is truly yours cannot be lost, and what leaves was only ever passing through. You're allowed to want the things you want, and you are worthy of chasing them."
My personal wish for you during this Full Moon: Have a rest. Do the thing that brings you joy or a sense of peace. Do it before you've earned it. I wish that you choose the thing that feels right for you, even when it's hard. That you treat yourself like someone you'd show up with soup for.
And if the old voice comes back (it probably will, it does for me too), you don't have to fight it. Just say hi, and keep walking.
I am safe. I am enough. I am healing, and I am worthy while I do. And I'm allowed to enjoy it.
Happy Hunter's Moon! ♉🌕
With love & worth
Mariska | Amapola Healing
