New White Moon

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year. This season puts limits on our lives. Chinese philosophy says the winter season is a time of conservation and storage; the night, the feminine, water, and cold is dominant. We slow down, go inward, and spend more time on quiet, yin activities.

Luckily, advent is four weeks long, allowing us to grow slowly and steadily towards the light. This is the darkest night of the month: Let yourself go inward now - be like the bear in her cave, saving your strength and relishing the darkness. Don't celebrate Christmas too soon; allow yourself to experience the darkness of winter, against which it shines.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

Agenda Today:

1. New moon journal brainstorm

2. Prayer for the Light

3. Pick a theme

4. Goals and intentions

5. New moon altar and meditation

6. Creativity retreat

1. New moon journal brainstorm:

The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose. This is the last new moon before the new year, so I have a lot to consider. Today I will look forward (with a feeling of hope) and write about the next 30 day, which will carry me into the new year.

This exercise has three parts:

Part One - collect information. Brainstorm goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next month without judgement - including at least a few crazy, improbable notions.

• Start with a list of seasonal themes - advent, returning Light, gift-giving, and so on - and seasonal celebrations, vacations, and other events;
• Next, write a list for each of my top priorities - anything that that comes to mind that I want to do or need to do, as long as it fits with my priorities;
• Also, read back through my journal and circle any ideas and goals that make me feel the most excited and energized right now, and add these to the list.

Part 2 - reflect. Next, I have a little chat with myself on paper about the next month of my life, and what my best month would look like, moving me in the direction of my most important reasons for living:

• Write about my biggest priorities this next 30 days, into the start of January, how they might fit into my life, and how they connect to my values and principles.
• Write about possible obstacles and factors such as the weather, upcoming schedule changes, or money problems.
• Write about the parts that excite me and the parts that might be hard to find motivation for.

Part 3 - weigh the possibilities. I will take a break for a few minutes - get a fresh cup of coffee or go outside to look at the sky, then come back and read what I wrote. Write a very brief synopsis of the next month of my life.

What is my inner Guide leading me towards?

 

2. Prayer for the Light:

As the earth grows colder,
the winds blow faster,
the fire dwindles smaller,
and the rains fall harder,
let the light of the sun
find its way home.

3. Pick a theme:

At the new moon I choose a theme, and begin to give attention to it. My theme this month is joy -- that's contentment, serenity, harmony, and living with a wide-open, unbiased attitude of appreciation for life. 

Because of the anguish and worry I am carrying for a friend in critical condition in the hospital, I did wonder about this theme, but it still seems like the correct one. I'm going to access my spontaneous, innovative, creative spirit, and dig deep for the calming roots of joy.

Joy goals might be to experience more harmony and happiness in my life, to increase my creativity and self-expression, or to explore and develop my playful and imaginative qualities.

Like compassion, joy is a limitless quality. I train in it by noticing the moment it arrives and the moment when I shift away, into disapproval or sorrow. When that happens, I just notice the shift without acting on it or repressing it; I hold my feelings of "not joy" softly so that the barriers to joy might come down.

Besides attention, two other supports for a joyful mind are curiosity and humor. When I am in a joyful mood, I feel relaxed, expansive, and spontaneous.

My joy practices this month:

• Hold my worry and grief in the light of Love.
• Offer generous support: Serve as a love and communication conduit.
• Enjoy playful and creative advent practices with my grandson.
• Daily creative gift-crafting practice.
• Daily joyful equanimity journal and practice.
• Cherish the earth and my family, seek unity with all people, and listen for the grace of God.

4. Goals and intentions:

I have a two-fold task today: Plan some new goals, and set some intentions for the days ahead. Though lots of writers use these terms interchangeably, I am clear about the differences:

Goals are a plan for the future that help us stay on track with who we are becoming. 

Intentions are a pledge for action in the present; they remind us of who we are now, and our deepest, most essential, most passionate reasons for living. I write my intentions in this model: action + deepest reason.

 

Today I choose my top goals for the next 30 days, that fit with my current priorities, and with the "taste" of this month of my life. Then I'm ready to set some intentions for action. This is a very time-consuming but important process. I'm going to choose a few to write today - those I might act on today - then work on a few more each day this week.

I intend to embrace joy and contentment, and live with harmony and appreciation, because a joyful attitude supports my creative spirit and nourishes my relationships.

 

I intend to celebrate Advent with attention on Earthcare, on Love, and on Equanimity, because these are values that sustain me, carry me through all the stresses, and open my heart to the grace and transformation of the season.

 I intend to continue to write about Getting Ducks in a Row, and find a new group to help me edit and finish this book, because this is my witness to the world. 

5. New moon altar and meditation:

It's time to clear my altar, and discern what to put on it for December. (For my thoughts on altars see About Altars). I generally keep it simple and choose only things that speak to me and feed me, and reveal what I believe in. I ask, what quality of Spirit do I want to invoke? Today I cleared everything except my straw doll - for luck and protection - and added:

• an orange candle - for joy and creativity
• pine cones - for potential growth and enlightenment
• a kaleidoscope - to remind me to look at life from new angles
• A straw star - 

I will light a small white candle on my altar, center and give attention to each of my intentions, and picture each one accomplished. Then I'll let go of expectations, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

6. Creativity Retreat:

If at all possible, I schedule a day of retreat on the new moon, or near to it: I do less talking, less business, and more personal thought and action. Tonight, when my grandson goes home and W is at work, I will settle into the silence and start a retreat for creativity, which I will continue tomorrow morning:

1. Look through books for inspiration and write about my gift ideas.
2. Start a handwork sewing project that I can do in the evenings.
3. Practice creative journaling ideas.
4. Spend a couple hours working on Christmas gifts!