Waning Gibbous Moon of late September

Now the moon is waning - getting smaller - until it is new again. During the waning moon, the moon's energy changes, and we move gradually into the yin phase - slow down, go within, and focus on inner work. I back off a bit on actively pursuing my goals, and allow the ease of being a loving, thoughtful person to carry me towards my dreams.

The waning gibbous moon is a time to practice opening to receive blessings, feeling and expressing gratitude, and generosity with giving (towards others AND with myself).

Agenda today:

1. Journal queries

2. Generosity practices

3. Gratitude journal

4. Inner synergy plan

1. Journal queries:

During the waning moon, journaling takes on a new importance. I'm engaged in inner work, and journalling is one way I access my Inner Guide. I especially want to focus on my theme for the month, which is synergy, so I ask myself today:

What would heaven on earth look like?

Who are the angels in my life?

What new paths can I explore?

2. Generosity practices: 

Every month after the full moon I take some time to plan ways I can be more generous with my time and attention. I start with ideas for being generous with myself, then my household, my family, my neighborhood, community, and the earth. I might decide to give money or a gift, or simple acts of helping and sharing my time. This week I plan to:

1. Volunteer at the beach clean-up day!
2. Finish Directory work
3. Make First Day School plans
4. Start an online curriculum
5. Sew a bluebird
6. Finish my grandson's busy board toy

When I'm motivated by the desire to give, just the intention to offer my help, and my willingness to listen, will begin to lessen suffering in the world.

3. Gratitude journal:

The work of intentional Being, rather than Doing, is life changing! When I slow down I can see what my hard work has produced in the world and in myself, and I have the leisure to notice, absorb, and expand. I have not been able to keep a gratitude journal with any continuity - I get bored and it becomes a chore. But I CAN remind myself once a month of all I feel grateful for. Today I will write a few new entries (probably focused on my grandson!) When I remember to feel grateful for my blessings, my days take on a different tone: I have more vigor, optimism, compassion, and peace. By noticing how I am blessed, my impatience decreases and I realize how satisfied and fulfilled I really am.

4. Create Inner Synergy:

"Fulfilling the four needs [spiritual, mental, physical, social] in an integrated way is like combining elements in chemistry. When we reach a "critical mass" of integration, we experience spontaneous combustion-- an explosion of inner synergy that ignites the fire within and gives vision, passion, and a spirit of adventure to life."
~Stephen Covey

I love Stephen Covey's advise, and I've experienced that passion, but I've been pondering how to purposefully create synergy within myself. How do I go about engaging my heart, mind, body, and soul in a way that will give me an explosion of passion? Can I build it intentionally, for a particular project? 

Here's my experimental plan:

1. Choose a project that relates to my life's mission.
2. Engage my mind: Create a clear vision. Write about the project in my journal, and why it's important. Make a beautiful chart and color code it!
3. Engage my heart: Find the love component. Write about who this project is for, and the people skills I might need to develop for this project.
4. Engage my spirit: Choose a mantra, the word or phrase that will remind me of the deepest importance of the project. Light a candle and repeat my mantra, and carry the words with me all day.
5. Engage my body: Be prepared. Schedule time to physically do the project, and gather all the supplies and information I need. When the time arrives, stop everything.
6. Start a fire: Mentally review my vision, repeat my mantra, remember the love, and give my body full attention as I move forward with action.