New Harvest Moon

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call this eighth new moon the Harvest Moon, for obvious reasons!

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 for today:
1. Journal queries

2. Retreat Day

3. Pick a theme

4. Goals and intentions

5. New moon altar and Harvest meditation

1. Journal queries:
What are the foggy areas in my life that need clarifying?

What new paths are calling to me?

Where do I need inspiration or a helping hand?

What skills and insights do I have to offer as a team member?

From my journal: As I take on more active roles in my community, and in my role as grandmother, I find I have less and less energy for artwork. And the less energy - less time -less artistic progress, is a spiral that I'm familiar with. I know that if I want to paint satisfactory paintings I have to put in the time. I sometimes feel like the dabbling I'm doing now is just a waste of paint... this is a foggy area I need to clarify.

2. 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 took my retreat day on Sunday, with a lovely slow pace, reading and writing, an on-line worship time with my Quaker community (and my Mother!), a long walk and a 3-hour nap.

3. Pick a theme:

I pick a new theme each month at the new moon - this month it's synergy, the ability to seek unity, embrace teamwork, live holistically, and work tirelessly towards a better end. 

Synergy is the eternally active primal force of creation: No matter what the conditions are, they will change. You create synergy in your life when you make the effort to see clearly, stay open-minded, and take persistent right action. Synergy will allow you to experience the people in your life as angels, and the places you live, work, and play as paradise.

I think we are in great need of angels right now, and I see it happening: My friends, who (like myself) are shy people, have a fire lit under them. We are finding new roles as leaders and teammates with the earth and our community.

Engagement photo- 1978

I was struggling a few years ago to think of a meaningful symbol for synergy for my altar, and it came to me that the place I consistently experience synergy is in my marriage. And now, as we are caretakers for our grandson four days a week, we are experiencing that in a whole new way.
I chose a photo from our youth to remind me that the hard work of being part of a team is ultimately worth the effort.

Another aspect of synergy is wholistic living: Seeing all the roles and aspects of my life as an interconnected system, and creating connections that yield exponentially greater results.

Synergy goals might be to better understand different perspectives, become a  better teammate, ask for and accept help, have more persistence, or be more open to new paths and changes.

My intentions this month:

• Get clear on my goals with painting, how it is interconnected to my other roles, and with my future.
• Continue to work at discerning my roles and skills with my three committee / activist groups, and how the synergy and teamwork is functioning.
• Seek people interested in helping wit my book project.
• Engage all of myself (physical, mental, spiritual) in my priorities so that I create an explosion of power!
• Grand-parenting teamwork, and adventures!

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 present tense, and I use this model: action + deepest reason.

After I list my top 10 goals for the next 30 days, 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 focus my Climate Revolutions efforts and energy on discernment, organization, writing, and artwork (and push my limits a little) because those are my strongest skills, and fill the biggest need for the hub team; and this is how I can best impact and reverse climate change.

I intend to take my grandson on longer adventure walks and bike rides to new parts of town because this is our Year of Discovery, and I want to share in his excitement.

I intend to set up a safe toddler arts and crafts space and plan, prepare, and lead some creativity with my grandson every week, because growing a creative soul is my calling.

5. New moon altar and Harvest meditation:

It's time to discern what to put on my altar for the next four weeks. (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? I will keep from last month:

• a silver candle - for synergy
• a God's eye - to watch over us
• dried corn - for the harvest
• an angel - to remind me to look for helpful people
• an early photo of me and W - as a symbol of synergy

Next I light a small white candle on my altar, and picture each of my intentions accomplished. Then I let go of expectations, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

• Light a small white candle. 
• Center and reflect on all I have harvested this year- friendships, knowledge, and experiences. 
• Feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life. 
• Repeat this every morning until the candle is burned down.