Rest as Resistance | Somatic Healing Under the Leo Full Moon

Rest as Resistance: Somatic Healing Under the Leo Full Moon

Before we get started, I want to acknowledge the heaviness we are all feeling in the world right now. Between the constant moments of disbelief from current events and the staggering weight of collective trauma, many of us entering February might be experiencing overwhelm or despair. We might feel a deep, soul-level exhaustion or a sense of moral injury and abandonment from our leaders as we witness an ongoing assault on basic human rights.
When the “outer home” of our society feels fractured and leadership feels absent, our nervous systems can become activated. As a somatic practitioner, I see this often, bodies braced for the next blow, carrying a tension that sleep alone cannot reach.
But as the Leo Full Moon peaks on February 1st, 2026, she brings a potent reminder: Your softness is a sacred resource, and your rest is an act of resistance.

Why Rest is Resistance

This past week, during the national walkout and economic blackout, many in our community chose a different path. We moved beyond performative action into the practice of Rest as Resistance.
In a culture that measures worth through productivity and consumption, choosing to stop is a powerful display of rebellion. To refuse to accept “business as usual” while the heart is breaking is how we regain our humanity. It is a way of declaring: “My soul is not for sale, and my peace is a priority.”

Nervous System Sovereignty

Our bodies were not designed to process trauma on a 24-hour loop. Tending to your own vitality is not “checking out”—it is an act of nervous system regulation.

Acknowledge the Load: Validating your grief reduces the “threat” response in the brain.

Set Sacred Boundaries: Protecting your energy allows you to show up with more authenticity later.

Practice Rest: Even five minutes of intentional stillness and connection to the breath can reset a stressed nervous system.

Tending the Inner Hearth

Leo is the sign of the heart, ruled by the Sun. A fire sign, it represents the stable comfort of the hearth. It’s a fire that warms, feeds, and provides a center to return to to find comfort from the bitter cold.
As we move through this Leo full moon, you might feel the pressure to “do more.” But the highest vibration of Leo is simplicity. Ask yourself: If I chose the simplest path toward peace today, what would it look like?

Somatic Ritual for the Leo Full Moon

To honor the Goddess Vesta (keeper of the hearth) and the spirit of the recent walkout, try this grounding practice:

The Threshold: Lie down and feel the Earth holding you. Remind yourself: “I am a living being, not a resource.”

Naming the Burden: Place your hands on your heart. Breathe into the collective pain without trying to “fix” it.

The Clearing: Using your hands or a clearing stone (like selenite), “brush” the energy of the news off your torso.

The Sound: Let out a low, soothing hum to settle your internal vibration.

The Threshold of Eclipse Season

This Full Moon is our final “deep breath” before our upcoming New Moon Solar Eclipse. Use this time to nourish yourself.

If the pressure of current events is overwhelming, I am here to help. I offer one-to-one somatic coaching and vibrational sound therapy to provide a safe, private container for your nervous system to find its way back home. I am also offering a weekly Rest as Resistance Virtual Meditation Group beginning February 11. It’s donation-based, but registration is required.