FIG Bites

May 2026: Cycles

Welcome to May!

This month's theme is "Cycles" because if you've been living as long as I have (or longer), you know that we're surrounded by cycles - the seasons, our lives (from one birthday to the next), our biorhythms, the list goes on.

This past month I led a Moon Cycles workshop for women to learn more about their bodies and the moon. I don't know about you, but every night I look up at the night sky and see what phase the moon is in and the full moon has got to be my favorite because it lights up the sky and it's a wonderful time to take a night walk - very peaceful with great horned owls sometimes making a guest appearance.

Be sure to check out the only Blue Moon in 2026 that is happening on May 31; the next Blue Moon won't happen again until December 31, 2028.

If you're adventurous, try making moon water and see what you think! Here's a handy moon water "how to" - Enjoy!

Healthy Habit

It's Springtime and the warm weather is getting some hot spikes where I'm at which means that Summer is slowly peeking around the corner.

Seasonal Support: Eating with the Seasons

When the seasons change, it's a great reminder to eat the food that is currently growing in your area. Seasonal eating doesn’t have to be complicated.

Eat with nature's cycles, support what your body is asking for and let food be one of your daily medicines. One of my Ayurveda teachers would tell us that our spice cabinet is our medicine cabinet - don't forget your spices as you're eating your seasonal food.

Here are some tasty foods for May / June shared by one of my teachers:

Peaches — light and juicy, offering sweetness without too much heaviness
Cilantro — bright and cleansing, wonderful for supporting your digestion and reducing heat
Cherries — slightly astringent and drying, helping clear excess moisture
Radishes — sharp and pungent, great for waking up your digestive + creative fire and moving sluggishness
Fresh mint — cooling and uplifting, helping balance rising physical and/or emotional heat
Chard + bitter greens — excellent for gently detoxifying and supporting your liver
Artichoke — supportive for healthy bile flow and moving stagnation within your liver
Celery — light and hydrating, ideal for gentle cleansing
Kiwi — tangy and light, helping stimulate digestion and keep things moving (aka regular elimination)
Red leaf lettuce — soft, cooling, and easy to digest this time of year
Broccoli — light and slightly drying, helping reduce excess heaviness
Carrots — grounding, but still light enough to support healthy digestion
Pears — cooling and hydrating as the weather begins to warm
Strawberries — light, seasonal, and slightly astringent
Dill — aromatic and especially supportive if you’re feeling bloated

Happy Seasonal Eating!

Source: The Shakti School Newsletter

“A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can't go anywhere unless you change it.”

~ Unknown

Have you ever found your job uninspiring or maybe there's a task you need to take care of that you absolutely DON'T want to do.

Here is a mindful solution and accompanying tips from a special edition of the Yoga Journal.

Mindful Solution: Adopt a yogic perspective to find meaning in even the most unpleasant tasks.

Attitude Adjustment in Four Steps

Practice Skill in Action: Do whatever you do impeccably, with full attention, and for its own sake. Approach your work with your full presence and highest quality of attention. This helps you overcome resistance and manage distraction.
Surrender the Outcome: When you're doing the work for the sake of the work itself, rather than for a desired result, you're much less likely to suffer from anxiety over outcomes - or disappointment when something doesn't go as planned.
Consider Yourself a Servant: To serve means that you do something not just for your own profit or self-esteem but for the sake of being helpful. Shifting your inner attitude from "What am I not getting to?" to "What can I give?" is an instant mood elevator.
Make Your Work an Offering: Bring an attitude of devotion to your actions. Your devotion might be a wish for the well-being of the planet or a commitment to truth. The important thing is to instill your actions with a significance that goes beyond yourself.

If none of the above tips help, then consider listening to music that brings you joy - that always helps get me out of a funk and focused on what needs to get done.

Source: Yoga Journal, Special Edition

Breathwork Technique: Victorious Breath (Ujjayi Pranayama)

Ujjayi (ooo-jie-ee) Pranayama (aka Victorious Breath) is a breath used in most yoga classes and it sounds like the ocean. Ujjayi breath can activate your parasympathetic nervous system - your rest-and-digest system.

In his book, A Life Worth Breathing, Max Strom notes that "ocean breathing enlivens and expands the lungs, dynamically pulling in fresh air and expelling stale air and stress."

Other Ujjayi benefits include:

Building heat within your body
Calming your nervous system
Improving your concentration and focus
Soothing anxiety and depression (if you're experiencing these emotions)

How to Practice Ujjayi

Here's a short YouTube video that describes how to practice Ujjayi breath.

Practice Ujjayi for 5-10 cycles (count to 4 as you inhale and count to 4 as you exhale).

Experiment with this breathing technique anytime and see how it feels for you!

Book of the Month!

I'm still reading this book and absolutely love it! Sharon weaves in her story of being misaligned with her career in addition to how she found herself by connecting to her Celtic roots. Mixed in are Celtic myths that tie to different points of her life. I see a lot of where I'm at reflected in her story and I love learning more about the myths and history of my Celtic roots. We hear a lot about the Hero's Journey; however, the Heroine's Journey looks and feels different and it's nice to read about this type of journey for a change.

If Women Rose Rooted: A Life-Changing Journey to Authenticity & Belonging by Sharon Blackie

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Join Me at my Upcoming Events!

Reiki Healing Yin @ True North: Tuesdays at 7:30pm

This class weaves in breathwork, slow movement, and meditation. Reiki healing is a Japanese energy healing found in alternative medicine. Crystal Moore leads this class and I'll be providing hands-on healing assistance, that encourages one's natural healing through the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual body.

Yin & Sound @ The Portal: Wednesdays at 7pm

We'll move through a gentle Yin practice, holding poses long enough to release deep layers of tension and give your body time to truly soften. After our slow movement, you'll be guided into a long, restful savasana with a sound bath. I've had students fall asleep during this portion of the class.

See you next month!

Angela