New Moon in Libra, 10th October, 2007

Hi everyone,

I don’t have loads of time for this one, unfortunately, so unfortunately it’s a bit of a short one.

New Yorkers, just a reminder that we’re meeting up in one week – Wednesday, 17th, 8pm (ish), details in your email – I can’t wait! If anyone needs to know where we are meeting, please email me.

Calling the circle
So…as we contemplate this new moon, the last new moon before Samhain, our earth’s new year and the celebration of the wise woman, imagine that we are together as we summon the spirits of the East, spirits of Springtime, new beginnings, new starts. Element of air, first breath, cool dawn. The power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East.

We call now to the spirits of the South, these last spirits of power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, bright fires lit at midday. The power of light, illuminating us. The fire that now warms us as the chill of winter approaches. We call the spirits of the South.

And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of deep feelings, strong emotions, a sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, power of love, true love. Our deepest reserves of true empathy and finding the truth of our intuition. We call to the spirits of the West.

Now we call the spirits of the North. Spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North.

And we call to those spirits above us, angels, starts, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above.

And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below.

Finally, we call to the spirits of the center, where all the directions meet and merge and where they meet and merge in each one of us. The central flame. The sacred spirit. This circle is closed, a safe and sacred circle where everyone is welcome and free to express themselves.

Where is the Moon?
Here we are again at the last new moon before Samhain, which for me is always a time of reflection and going inward – but with the moon in Libra there is a big focus on two things: balance and relationships. For me, the relationship that is most on my mind is the one that I have with myself – but I think it would apply to all relationships in our lives. It is a great time to invite love into our lives and hearts, regardless of the nature of the love we would seek.

Talking stick
I have gone through a period of intense self-realisation this month, but unfortunately I can’t share the details of it here. It feels odd to say that because I try to be open about all the things in my life but this one is simply too private. So instead, I want to tell you how it has made me feel. For years, I have worked on certain parts of myself in an effort to change those things that I think were destructive – mainly around perfectionism, etc., lots of which I’ve lamented about in this blog. This month I feel quite sure that I have unlocked the door to understanding that part of myself as well as having a clear view of a few other long-standing issues, and the relief I feel as a result is simply indescribable. It isn’t just the relief, it is also the sheer empowerment that has come from knowing, once and for all, quite certainly and definitely, who I am to the core. This is an immense blessing and I am so grateful.

For this new moon my intention is to once again start anew, as my fully acknowledged and known self. The truth really is the key to freedom!

Meditation
Imagine yourself lying on the ground in the centre of a meadow under an apple tree – on a clear, crisp autumn night. As you breathe in and out feel that you are breathing in time with the gentle breeze around you, that you are a part of the setting that surrounds you. Then allow yourself to imagine that you are getting smaller – smaller and smaller until you are so small that you can stand up and walk into the tree that you were lying underneath. Walking into the tree, looking up, note the vast branch system, how tall and high it is, looking down, note the vast root system, reaching down into the earth farther than you can see. Then, notice that one of the roots is larger than the others, and resembles a spiral staircase. Imagine then stepping onto the 13th step, the step of transformation, then spiraling down and around and inward to the 12th step, then down and around to the 11th and the 10th, spiraling down and around and inward to the 9th, then the 8th, then around and inward to the 7th and the 6th step. Then, pausing on the sixth step, note that as you look up you can no longer see the top, and looking down, that you can no longer see the bottom. You are standing in the middle of the spiral, in a moment of infinite perfection. If there is anything that you are carrying that you don’t want to take with you on your journey, you can leave it on this step. Continuing then to the 5th step and the 4th, spiraling around to the 3rd and the 2nd and then finally the 1st step, then stepping into a clearing with four doorways, each pointing in one of the four directions. Imagine yourself walking down the pathway that heads west.

When you step through the doorway, you step out into the sky – flying into a beautiful twilight sky. You spread yourself out into the air, enjoying the weightlessness and appreciating the view from where you are. You can see clearly the landscape below – places that you know, that you need to see, and from this distance you are able to see things about them that you couldn’t see on the ground. In the distance, at the top of a cliff, you are drawn to a dwelling – ancient and familiar and so you fly toward it, with the wind behind you, making the journey effortless. When you get closer you realize that you have arrived at the house of your wise woman and you touch down at her door.

As you are about to knock, the door swings open and you are greeted by your wise woman. She leads you to the kitchen where she is cooking for you, and the two of you sit and chat for a few moments, catching up about anything that is going on in your life, including anything that may have some up in your flight.

When you are ready, she leads you away from the kitchen, down a hallway with many doors. You see a door at the end that appeals to you, and you open the door, once again stepping out into the sky. This time, however, rather than flying, you can just imagine yourself being in a place, and you arrive. You let your intuition take you where you need to go in order to receive love. When you arrive – you are aware that you are exactly where you need to be. If there is anyone else who needs to be in this place with you, you invite them to join you here. As you experience this place either alone or with another or others, you feel yourself being bathed in love – the love filling you completely. When you are ready, you imagine that love taking you anywhere else that you need to go, to receive love, to give love, to open your heart, to open to the world. As you journey you are brought to all the places that you need to be – until finally, you return back to your wise woman’s house. Weightless, floating in the sky, your wise woman hands you a gift, one that will represent this journey and help you to remember these places when you return. If you have any questions for her, she answers them. Finally, when you are ready, you fly through the door back into her house, but knowing this is a place to which you can always return.

With you gift in hand, your wise woman leads you back to the front of the house. She says goodbye, offering you one word or phrase to repeat for this month as you remember your intentions. You give her a big hug, then open the door, flying again, back over the landscape that you passed to come this way, back to the doorway that led to the west. When you are ready, you step back through the door and into the tree.

Stepping back up onto the first step, spiraling upward and outward to the second step and the third, and upward and outward to the fourth step and the fifth. Then spiraling around to the sixth step, and pausing now on the sixth step, retrieving anything that you left behind before, or just leaving it behind in that perfect moment in infinity. Climbing now to the seventh and upward to the eighth, upward and outward to the ninth, then the tenth, and around to the eleventh and the twelfth and then finally to the thirteenth step, the step of transformation, then back into to the tree. Stepping out of the tree, you find your place beneath it, again enjoying the sweet night air. Then feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready opening your eyes.

Prayers for our circle
Lots of love and energy to Sacha, yet another lovely traveling priestess off to India. Tiziana, if you make your way to India, think about meeting up with Sacha!!

Love, healing and energy to Michelle as she goes through her gall bladder surgery.

Love, healing and energy to Tricia’s dad – hope that all is well.

Prayers for our circle and for the world!

Much love,

Tara