Moving Beyond "Just Feel Your Feelings" with Trauma-Informed Yoga and the Power of Lunar Energy
I pulled a tarot card for November and got The Moon.
Perfect timing, honestly. Because lunar energy is exactly what so many of us need right now.
If you’re not familiar with tarot, The Moon card represents intuition, instinct, emotionality, and fluidity. It’s about what can’t be seen but can definitely be felt. One of my yoga teachers says this all the time in her classes: “Notice what can’t be seen but can be felt—pay attention to the sensations that are present in your body and mind.”
That’s lunar energy in a nutshell. The unseen.
And here’s the thing: the unseen is really hard for most of us. It can be difficult to become aware of what is present within us, especially when it comes to subtle feelings or sensations.
Why Feeling Is So Hard (And Why That Makes Sense)
Our culture doesn’t encourage feeling. It celebrates what we can explicitly talk about and what we DO. We’re more comfortable with solar energy (think action, productivity, visibility) than lunar energy (think emotion, intuition, the stuff that’s harder to name).
Maybe in your upbringing, feeling wasn’t just discouraged. It wasn’t allowed. Cultural or familial beliefs about emotions can shape our willingness to feel, sometimes teaching us to suppress or minimize certain feelings.
So it makes complete sense that so many of us struggle to identify and express emotion. It makes sense that you might say, “It’s really hard to get into my body and notice what I’m even feeling in there.” Many people ignore their feelings as a coping mechanism, which can make it even harder to connect with what’s really going on inside.
And if trauma is part of your story? That disconnection goes even deeper. You may even feel ashamed for having certain emotions or for struggling to feel at all.
How Trauma-Informed Yoga Actually Works
Here’s what trauma-informed yoga doesn’t do: it doesn’t say “feel your emotions” and then leave you drowning in your body for 20 minutes.
That’s not helpful. That’s actually retraumatizing for a lot of people.
Instead, trauma-informed yoga uses something called titration. If you remember those titrators from chemistry class, you’ll get this. We’re not pouring the entire solution into the cup. We’re adding one drop at a time. Small doses. No explosions. Just subtle transformation.
In practice, this looks like moving into a hip opener, noticing for a moment (“Do you notice any difference from side to side in the backs of your legs? Maybe one feels more grounded?”), and then moving on to plank pose. As you move, notice how your body may respond to these shifts, whether through changes in breath, muscle tension, or emotional cues.
You’re not forced to stay in the feeling. You’re building capacity to notice your internal landscape, one movement at a time. This includes listening to your body and emotions with a gentle, curious attitude, allowing insight and supporting healing.
The Role of Environment in Healing
When it comes to healing—whether from trauma, stress, or the everyday pressures of life—the environment around us matters more than we often realize. The spaces we inhabit can either amplify our anxiety and sadness or help us feel calm, safe, and supported. For real estate investors and property owners, this is more than just a design choice; it’s an opportunity to create properties that truly support mental health and emotional well-being.
Imagine walking into a property filled with natural light, surrounded by green spaces, and painted in soothing colors. These aren’t just aesthetic choices—they’re powerful tools for helping tenants feel more at ease, especially those navigating feelings of fear, anger, or sadness. In high-stress cities like San Francisco, where the cost of living and the pace of life can be overwhelming, these calming elements become even more essential. By intentionally designing spaces that promote relaxation and connection, property owners can help tenants process their emotions in a healthy way, reducing stress and supporting overall mental health.
But creating a healing environment isn’t just about what you can see. It’s also about the energy that powers the space. The Lunar System, with its next-generation clean energy technology and American manufacturing, offers a way to bring sustainable, reliable power to properties. For tenants, knowing their home is powered by clean energy can provide a sense of control and security—two things that are often in short supply when anxiety or uncertainty takes hold. The Lunar System’s ability to store energy and reduce reliance on the grid means tenants can feel safe and supported, even when the world outside feels unpredictable.
For real estate investors, these choices aren’t just about doing good—they’re also smart business. Properties that incorporate clean energy solutions like the Lunar System can attract tenants who are willing to pay a premium for sustainability and peace of mind. This can improve the property’s gross rent multiplier and overall investment value, especially when other factors like location, amenities, and the local rental market are considered. In a competitive market like San Francisco, offering next-generation features can set a property apart and create long-term value.
Ultimately, the environment we create—both physically and energetically—shapes how we feel, how we heal, and how we move through the world. By investing in spaces that honor both the seen and unseen, property owners can help tenants feel more grounded, more in control, and more able to express and process their emotions. Whether it’s through the calming presence of nature, the security of clean energy, or the thoughtful design of a rental property, every choice matters. The Lunar System is just one example of how technology and intention can come together to create environments that support healing, happiness, and a better quality of life for everyone involved.
The 1% Rule: Why Slow Actually Works
When I look back at my own yoga practice over the years, I can see that subtle internal transformation. It was a very slow burn, unfolding as a course—a structured path of gradual progress. I built 1% more capacity to notice what was happening inside me, one class at a time. These changes happen gradually over time, as each small step accumulates.
Those percentages add up.
This might not sound sexy in a world of automation, instant gratification, and AI that can spit out answers in seconds. But the slower processes? They're the ones that actually create lasting change.
You can't ChatGPT your way into feeling safe in your body.
Practicing Lunar Energy Through Movement
This is why I love incorporating lunar energy into yoga practice. Shapes like half moon pose and sugar cane aren’t just pretty Instagram moments. They’re invitations to embody something softer, more fluid, more feeling—a gentle ray of lunar energy that brings lightness and renewal.
Not through forcing. Through practicing.
When we take on these lunar forms, especially when accompanied by music, we deepen our connection to our feelings and values. Practicing in this way can bring feelings of joy and help us feel good, as we honor the unseen and allow positive emotions to arise naturally. We’re giving our nervous systems permission to notice without demanding they perform.
I hope you’ll join me by signing up for my free yoga class centered around working with the energy of the moon this month!
Your Invitation to Practice
If you’ve been told to “just feel your feelings” and it hasn’t worked, you’re not doing it wrong.
Maybe you just need a different entry point. One that’s slower. One that’s structured. One that doesn’t ask you to dive into the deep end before you’ve learned to float.
Trauma-informed yoga can be that entry point. Not because it’s magic, but because it respects where you are and builds from there. As you practice, emotions like sad or disappointment may arise—these feelings are valid and important to acknowledge. Join me for a FREE yoga class, and have access to all of my pre-recorded classes here, or sign up for my weekly wind down class here.
One breath. One shape. One percent at a time. Remember to allow yourself rest as needed after practicing.Maybe you just need a different entry point. One that's slower. One that's structured. One that doesn't ask you to dive into the deep end before you've learned to float.
🧡,
Learn more about therapeutic yoga in Horsham, PA and working with Abby on our blog!
I pulled a tarot card for November and got The Moon.
Perfect timing, honestly. Because lunar energy is exactly what so many of us need right now.