It Has To Be Me Episode

Lessons from the moon

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Episode #65: July 31st, 2025

THE GOLD FROM THIS EPISODE

“The Native American understanding of Grandmother Moon teaches us quality of life. When she's empty, she fills, and when she's full, she empties. We always have enough.”

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“It’s comforting to look at the moon. She’s constantly moving and changing, and is a little bit different every night. It reminds us that nothing stays the same. So, I don’t have to be worried about getting stuck.”

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“The moon teaching anchored me to contentment and trust in the cycles of life. It reoriented my relationship to time, productivity, achievement, and success. There is beauty right where I am, and even if it feels hard, I will get another chance to shine.”   

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“The dark phase can be uncomfortable because it feels like a void. The moon is still there. We just can't see her because of the way she's orbiting the earth. She's not gone, she’s just in shadow. This is an opportunity to slow down, rest, take a look around, and let things settle. We can't be discerning about what’s next unless we give ourselves the grace of sitting in the quiet.”

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“The hyper focus on constant motion and achievement is internalized capitalism. We've taken an outward system and internalized it to the degree that we think this is how we're supposed to be. Work harder, produce more, and don't stop or you're gonna slide backwards."

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“The moon doesn’t burst out of the dark immediately full and bright. She gradually emerges from the fallow resting phase as just a little sliver. She doesn't rush, teaching us the value of steady, disciplined growth, and taking our time to get to the next thing. If we go too fast, we can’t move forward as our best selves.”

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“We want to be in the full moon phase all the time. But, if we stay in peak fullness, there is no room for change, growth or anything new, and we will burst. That is burnout.”

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

“The waning phase can feel like a crash. But, we’re gently peeling off layers. There’s a resonance of the fullness that lingers, allowing us to reflect, savor and celebrate our experiences, and integrate the lessons. We can only notice what lingers if we slowly transition."

Elizabeth Jurgensen

Somatic Educator

in THIS EPISODE

  • Somatic educator Elizabeth Jurgensen shares her interpretation of Native American moon teachings about patience and quality of life. Through the lens of her personal story, she walks us through the lessons we can glean from lunar cycles.

  • In midlife, a car accident left her navigating menopause with serious physical injuries. Confronted by her inability to work and further her career as an educator, she found wisdom in the Grandmother Moon teaching. This tradition prompted a reexamination of Elizabeth’s beliefs about success, productivity, and purpose, and illuminated the traps of internalized capitalism. 

  • In our conversation, we explore the moon as a mirror for feminine growth—the quiet power of the dark phase, the discovery and discernment of waxing energy, the brilliance and weight of fullness, and the necessary softening, reflection, and integration of waning back to the new moon. 

  • Elizabeth invites us to embrace the contentment, trust, and pace of the moon—the slow and steady filling and emptying that allows us to savor every phase of the journey. Follow the moon’s lead, she says. Welcome change, bask in the dark and light of the moment, and celebrate the possibilities that come with each state.

  • The moon reminds us that we are whole at every phase. We’re only seeing a sliver of the story. There’s more to come.

TESS'S TAKEAWAYS

  • The moon gives us holistic perspectives on time and productivity.

  • Constantly moving and changing, the moon shows beauty in change.

  • The dark phase offers time to rest, ground, reflect, and recharge.

  • Waxing is an opportunity to check in and explore alternate possibilities.

  • The moon moves steadily to full. Embrace the slow and rhythmic reveal.

  • The temporary intensity of fullness offers growth and then clarity.

  • Rather than crashing from a high, waning invites us to savor, integrate, and celebrate.

  • Wanting more is not to be exiled. It’s an energy that carries us.

ABOUT ELIZABETH

With a thirst for learning and achieving, Elizabeth has had multiple careers applying herself to education, research, and disciplined practice.   

Her post-college years were focused on the performing arts, as an actress and dancer. Moving to the corporate world, she got a business degree and worked in finance. Her next pivot was to work as a fitness instructor and wellness coach.   

Discovering her love for academics, she went back to school, getting a Master’s degree in a new field and teaching college students. 

Debilitating injuries from a car accident and ten years’ rehabilitation, made her work impossible, and brought Elizabeth to the next major phase of her life. She embraced somatics, exploring trauma healing, relational dynamics, and embodied awareness. 

The values of slowing down and turning inward, and the gifts of deep presence and self-care became central to her philosophy. She pursues them as ends in themselves, not toward goal-oriented pursuits, nor in a commercial practice.   

 A certified somatic educator, Elizabeth integrates insights from ancient archetypes, women’s wisdom traditions, and the interplay of masculine and feminine energies. She shares what she knows in adaptive and informal ways to guide others.