First Quarter Moon of February

Photo by Alan Gillespie

At the First Quarter Moon we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - getting larger - until it's full again. Now is the time to show full effort for priorities.

• First quarter (half moon) - Full effort, obstacles, flexibility

Agenda today:

1. Journal queries

2. Make a full effort plan

3. Explore the Spark

4. Find balance

1. Journal queries:

Today, at the first quarter moon, I prepare to give full effort to my priorities. I will certainly face obstacles but I will remain flexible and use my obstacles as fuel for growth. 

Which of my priorities am I having the most trouble acting on this month?

What potential challenges and obstacles do I face this week and month (things I don’t enjoy, don’t know how to do, or feel blocked on)? How can I best meet these challenges?

How will I find the inspiration that will spark full effort for my priorities, every day, over and over?

2. Make a full effort plan: 

Full effort requires attention (remembering what it is you want to do and your deepest reasons why), a spark of energy and determination (connecting to your excitement for life each day and each moment, and sustaining it long enough to accomplish your priorities), and balance (holding your intentions lightly in the complexity of life).

Because this Lent I'm reconnecting to a sense of wonder and discovery, I'll give attention today to ignorance, which is the main challenge to awareness, and I will practice seeing clearly. My full effort plan this week is:

 

1. Look over my list of priorities each morning and remind myself of my deepest reasons for wanting to do each thing ... 

Remember that I want to take a long walk each day because it helps my body to stay strong (for my grandson), and also helps me to connect to the season and to this land I live on. 

Remember that I want to visit each of my children, to see their faces and tell them I love them, because seeing each other fills our hearts with peace and strengthens our connection.

Remember that I express myself with art because my creativity is from and of God, and is the voice of my soul. 

2. If I feel resistance ("I'm just not in the mood") or hit a snag ("I can't find the exercise mat"), I breathe through it, stay with it, and build energy. I lean in to the discomfort or complexity of the moment - put my shoulder to it with gentle persistence and tenacity. I will look at the resistance with a clear eye and see it's place in my life.

3. Explore the Spark:

This Lent I'm 

exploring Wonder practices, and today I'm going to explore the spark that ignites my excitement

 for life each day and each moment. What can I do to add even more excitement, passion, and enjoyment to my life, and make life fresh and fascinating? 

My spark comes from awareness in the moment. When I slow down enough to see the beauty around me - a texture of paint or moss, or a color combination that takes my breath away - I am enlivened.

Today I will take time to photograph my garden.

4. Find Balance:

The third step towards giving full effort for your priorities is balance, meaning that you want to hold your intentions lightly in the complexity of life. If you are driven to complete everything on your list at all costs, you may miss an opportunity to open your heart, or to grow, or find peace within (or you might feel frustration when you miss the mark).

So, even though I'm leaning in and using full effort, I need to remember that this is not a race; I want to savor each part of the process! I don’t need to feel guilty for how slowly things are progressing, or for the roadblocks I'm encountering - I just need to love myself, and my life, and do the work with energy and honor.

When life offers you choices, pause a moment and touch in with your Inner Guide. Ask: "Am I being true to my priorities?"