St. Nicholas Day and Full Cold Moon

Today is St. Nicholas Day, and tonight is the Full Cold Moon. The full moon is my monthly time for action and release: I look again at the “seeds of intention” I planted 2 weeks ago at the new moon and decide on my next steps to take, I take those steps, then I release my expectations in order to clear space for new ideas and new intentions.

For obvious reasons, the full moon of December is called the Cold Moon. Nature is resting now in preparation for the growing season, and so should I be! No matter how busy I feel, I can slow down, rest more, and pay better attention to the inner growing going on.

Agenda:
1. Altar:
Each month at the full moon I put a motto or quote on my altar, to ponder. This month:

“If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it." 

—Lucy Larcom 

I also add new candles, in colors that symbolize what I want to focus on. Today I add a purple candle for kindness.

2. Journal:
Review the intentions I set 2 weeks ago, at the new moon. Review also the goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Do these aims all still seem vital? 
What new steps might I take in  2015?
How can I best bring some of my goals to completion?

3. Practice at my theme:
My theme this month is kindness. Kindness is simple, honest, peaceful, joyful, and strong... everything that Advent is about. Kindness leads to generosity, patience, integrity, and unity. When I commit to being kind, I give my life greater meaning and depth.

My intentions-

• Spend a few minutes each morning in quiet meditation and re-affirm my intention to be kind today, to others and to myself.
• Practice holding my tongue (including inside-my-head-talk); less snapping at people!
• Try to follow through with any strong, generous impulse that comes into my heart- if it is mostly reasonable.
• When I am impatient, cruel, or clumsy, just take a breathe, accept myself as I am, apologize, and gather my resolve to begin again.
• Take a moment each evening to think about how I was kind. (I'm hoping this practice will encourage me to look for more ways!)

4. Take Action:
The full moon is a time to celebrate life, stay up late, see friends, exercise harder, and be more creative and outgoing. The crazy full moon energy builds and builds; it’s best to acknowledge it so it doesn’t throw me off balance. This surge of energy allows me to take action on intentions I set two weeks ago.