Happy happy first new moon of spring – what a great time for new starts! I hope you are all feeling the courage, optimism and faith renewal that this moon can bring!
Calling the circle
As we contemplate this new moon, we call to the spirits of our season, the spirits of the East. New beginnings, new starts. Element of air, first breath – the power of life, springing forth. We call the spirits of the East and ask them to join our circle.
We call now to the spirits of the South, spirits of strength, power, warmth, clarity, motivation, energy, movement. Element of fire, the power of light, bright and powerful. The fire that is our passion, burning deeply within us always. We call the spirits of the South and ask them to join our circle.
And we call to the Spirits of the West. Spirits of our deepest feelings, our strongest emotions, our truest love. A sunset over a calm ocean, a still lake reflecting back the sky, the still waters that run deep, deep within. Element of water, emanating the power of love. We call to the spirits of the West and ask them to join our circle.
Now we call to the spirits of the North. Spirits of midnight, dark moonless skies in winter, places where truths are told, where laws are made. Element of earth, grounding us. Power of law, karma, ancestral wisdom, we call to the spirits of the North and we ask them to join our circle.
And we call to those spirits above us, angels, stars, heavens, light beings everywhere, those souls not yet incarnate. Children of our children. We call the spirits above and ask them to join us.
And we call to the spirits below us, to the earth that grounds us and keeps us steady, the green kingdom with its deep roots and to the lava beneath the crust that impassions us. We call the spirits below and ask them to join us.
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 herself.
Where is the Moon?
This new moon lands in Aries, joining the sun, focusing on our own individual goals and abilities to manifest our will in the world. This is the biggest and best new moons for raising some energy and making things happen. It is also the moon about belief in yourself and your own abilities – remembering the part of you that knows you can create magic and miracles!
Talking stick
Yesterday Owen came home and was telling me that he was out in the playground playing rounders (English baseball) and I asked how it was and he said, “Fine, once I used my magic to move this giant gray raincloud from one side of the sky to the other.” That is the perfect image for the Aries new moon. And he is an Aries, his birthday only days away, and so perhaps he is profoundly affected by this particular brand of creative energy; the kind of energy that says that you can do anything that you want – all you have to do is believe that you can.
I sometimes find that hard to reconcile with things that I wanted that didn’t happen and I know I’ve written about this before, the idea that I did really want certain things, I did believe and they still didn’t happen. Is it that the universe/God/dess knows better for me? Is it that I didn’t want it enough? I think I prefer to think the former, but perhaps with a twist. I think that perhaps the part of me that is a part of everything knows what is best for me and perhaps prevents me from taking too many wrong turns. Maybe. Or maybe enough time hasn’t passed and one day this will be more clear why things play out as they do.
What is exceedingly clear to me is that miracles occur when I least expect them and all the things that I really want in this life I have: I love my husband, my son, my family, my friends, my home, my work, my community. There is so much beauty and I’m grateful for that. There is so much goodness and generosity.
But – I want to have the courage to try to manifest moving a raincloud from one side of the sky to the other again. And so my task for this moon will be to dare to dream the biggest dream and not be afraid it won’t come true.
Meditation
Imagine yourself lying beneath a fragrant apple tree, on a warm, clear spring evening. You are surrounded by flowers, lying on soft earth, breathing in and out in time with the breeze, in time with the stars. As you breathe, you feel yourself getting smaller and smaller, until you are so small that you are able to walk right into the tree. As you look up, you note the vast branch system, how tall and high it is, looking down, you 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 that you can walk down. 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 east.
The time of day is early morning, and the earth warm and light, the sun shimmers and everything is just buzzing with life. You are struck by the intensity of animation of the animals, insects, plants all vibrantly glowing in the light of morning. You listen to their sounds as you walk, listening for anything that you need to hear. As the path winds deeper into the meadow, you become aware of a dwelling in the distance, one that you know well. You move toward it, knowing that you have reached the home of your wise woman.
As you are about to knock, the door opens and your wise woman greets you, welcoming you in. Her home is as completely comfortable and safe for you, and she leads you to the kitchen where she is cooking. She offers you whatever it is that she has cooked for you, and you sit and eat or drink with her, asking any questions that you may have, or asking for any wisdom that she might wish to share with you.
When you are ready, she leads you down a hallway, with many doors. You walk to the doorway at the end of the hall, noticing anything in particular about the door as you walk through. You step through and you are standing in front of your biggest dream. The dream that you would make happen with all your heart and that would bring you ultimate fulfillment. You are able to walk around it, talk to it, ask questions – anything that will be helpful for making this dream real. Then, joined by your wise woman, you imagine your dream moving into your life. It is your life now – and you are able to see it integrated into your every day, in all the ways that it will be when it happens. You are able to feel the deep gratitude that comes with the realization that your biggest dream has come true.
When you are ready, you step back through the door but knowing that the change you create here is reflected in your life. Your dream is already true.
You head back toward the kitchen, sharing any last minute thoughts, asking any last minute questions. As you reach the door of the house you say your goodbyes, and while in her embrace, she whispers one word or phrase and presses an object into your hand that will help you to remember your dream. You thank her then you return to the path that runs along side the stream, listening again to any of the sounds of the water, or just noticing anything else that you need to see. When you are ready, you walk through the doorway.
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 cold night air. Then, feeling your consciousness return to the space you are in, and, when ready opening your eyes.
Prayers for our circle
Sacha, I can’t believe you’ve been gone nearly a year. I miss you dearly and hope that your life is going well. And I will try to call again later!
For Rochelle – lots of love and light today during her surgery. That it go perfectly and easily and she is quickly restored to perfect health.
For Nina – continued prayers for Nina’s healing post-surgery.
Also, a big welcome for my new niece Holly!!
Much love to everyone,
1 comments:
sometimes things we want come so much later than we had planned (and sometimes we have already changed our 'lower' minds about it). Like, I always wanted to live in a shack on the beach- envisioning a blissful life of making shell jewelry. Now I live in a shack on the bay (albeit in a welfare town w/sex offenders abundant, wishing for that heat switch- the thermostat that doesn't exist w/a wood burning stove set-up., and praying every now and again really hard that we don't flood again). But, I got my wish! Even if it is so many years later. That's the secret to The Secret- you'll get it, it just depends on HOW or to what degree or when. Be careful what you wish for!
Post a Comment