New Dragon Moon

Tonight is the new moon; the Chinese call the fifth new moon the Dragon Moon. Chinese dragons are a symbol of cosmic Chi, good fortune, and new beginnings, but the time around the Dragon Moon is strongly yang, with bright sunlight and moist heat. The Chinese consider this to be a dangerous and unhealthy season and have many customs to help to protect against the excessive yang energy. 

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.

I feel strong and effective when I am able to harness my yang energy to get stuff done, but I like to remember that yang's best aim is to protect yin, and yin's best function is to nurture yang; life is good when I have each in a kind of dynamic balance. 

This week I will make an effort to bring a balance of restorative yin energy to my life: Slow down, rest well, drink more water, and practice ‘discipline of purpose’.

Agenda:

1. Retreat Day

2. Choose a month theme

3. Goals and intentions

4. New moon altar and meditation

5. Read "Repacking Your Bags"

6. Blessings Walk

1. Retreat Day

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. I had my retreat over the weekend, with lots of quiet time, writing, and rest, so I'm ready for a week that promises to be full of toddler energy, committee meetings, and possibly a day of jury duty.

2. Choose a month theme:

Today, at the New Moon, I choose abundance as my theme for the next month. Abundance is like a gentle wind of blessings blowing with determination into my life. The wind is all the fortunate influences that shape my life - my friends, family, society, and outside forces and situations. 

Abundance blows steadily, and over time will influence and shape me. I need to maintain integrity and awareness to avoid being swayed or blown in the wrong direction, but I achieve the greatest success by yielding to prospects brought on the wind. 

My abundance goals might be to become more open and accepting of opportunities and alternative ways to proceed, to find ways to draw in more cash and other less tangible kinds of wealth, to become clearer about my finances and what I value in my life, to be more generous and giving of my time and resources, or to better show thankfulness for the flow of blessings and prosperity in my life.

My abundance practices this month are:

• Blessings walks (see below);
• Steady garden work to grow an abundance of food and flowers;
• Generous community service: Committee work and climate action;
• Seek a balance of abundance (of activity, people, stuff) and simple living (spontaneous summer freedom);
• Study the book "Repacking your Bags; Lighten your Load for the Good Life".

3. Set intentions:

Last week I brainstormed some wild and crazy ideas for June, and today it's time to narrow it down a little, to the priority items that I could possibly focus on this next month. This isn't a list of the practical things I need to do this month; rather it's my top actions, studies, and growth goals that fit with the "taste" of this month of my life.

After I list my top 10-20 goals for the next 30 days, I'm ready to set some intentions for action. This is a 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 plan, prepare, and serve (generously) with First Day School, with projects, stories, and conversation, because it is essential to nurture the children of the Meeting, and their growth in Spirit, and build a community of Young Friends.

 

I intend to create an outdoor toddler crafts station, with a bin full of entertaining supplies and tools, so that I can share crafting, nature play, and games with my grandson, because growing a creative and playful soul is my calling.

 

I intend to provide daily abundant garden care - weeding, watering, and planting for lush abundance - because our garden is our sanctuary and a gift to our family and neighbors, and also my connection to the Earth and her Spirit.

  

4. New moon altar and meditation:

It's time to discern what to put on my altar for the next 30 days or so. (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 clear my altar and add-

• a purple candle - for abundance and gratitude
• a dragon - for good fortune
• a sun - for clarity and yang energy
• a flower - for the earth's generosity

Today I will light a small white candle on my altar. I will 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.

5. Read "Repacking Your Bags":

This month I'm going to study the book "Repacking your Bags; Lighten your Load for the Good Life", by Richard Leider and David Shapiro, third edition. They define the Good Life as "living in the place you belong, with the people you love, doing the right work, on purpose," and they say that repacking is a navigational imperative and a lifelong process, "so as to stay vital, fully alive in the present, and hopeful for the future".

Unpacking is the process of taking a long, hard look at what you are carrying (possessions, relationships, work, and purposes) and why. "To unpack is to awaken; to see something different; to ask new questions. ... Great breakthroughs result from a single moment when a person lets go of their usual assumptions and looks at things from a new point of view."

Repacking is the ongoing activity of choosing and rearranging your priorities and reframing your vision. (Hallelujah! This is exactly what I do with intention setting.)

This book is filled with "postcard exercises", which are designed to get a conversation going about the journey we are on. I'm supposed to write postcards and send them off to one or a few Postcard Penpals... Will you be my postcard penpal?

6. Blessings Walk:

This is my Blessings Walk Practice, as I walk my dog some mornings:

1. Blessings: Begin my walk, and concentrate on my blessings: The fresh morning air, my health, my family, my friends…. Continue this for 1-2 blocks.

2. Intentions: Turn a corner, and focus on what blessings I hope for now. Create a clear picture in my mind of what I intend to do today, how I want to live, how I want my home to look, what adventures I want to have... Continue this for 1-2 blocks.

3. Service: Turn another corner, and envision what I can do to be of service today to my family, friends, my community, the world... Continue this for 1-2 blocks.

4. Prayer: Turn the last corner, and speak a prayer out loud as I’m moving; feel the power and energy move through me. Say “Spirit of the Universe, I am open and receptive to blessings from expected and unexpected sources. I am a limitless being, accepting from a limitless source, in an infinite way. I am incredibly blessed.”