Prepare for the New Moon

January is winding down and so is the lunar month. The next new moon, on Monday, is the Holiday Moon - the eve of the Chinese New Year.

I try to clear one day a month for this preparation work, and today's the day!

Agenda:

1. Evaluation House

2. Monthly journal brainstorm

3. Surrender, rest, recuperate

1. Evaluation House:

Today I get to reflect back on the whole lunar cycle that I've just passed through. I review the intentions I set at the start of the cycle and draw a house with 2 rooms: 

• A celebration room for things I have accomplished and completed
• A ?? room for things I haven't finished 

Some of these I will decide to finish in the next couple days, some I will save for next month, and some I will release because they became irrelevant or didn't go as planned.

2. Monthly journal brainstorm:

At the new moon next week I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. Today I will write down my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days. This exercise has three parts:

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

-Start with a list of seasonal themes and celebrations, vacations, and other events (Imbalc, Chinese New Year, Youth Climate March, Memorial Meeting, apple tree removal day, Annual Friends Retreat, Valentines Day, Lantern Festival, Pea Planting Day, and Maslenitsa!)

-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, circle ideas that make me feel the excited and energized right now, and add these to the list.

Part 2 - reflect. 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 month, 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. 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.

3. Surrender, rest, recuperate: 

This next few days is a time to be empty; the time for striving is past. As the moon’s light fades into darkness I get to relax and surrender to the universe. 

Some things will always be out of my control. As the moon's appearance dwindles, I let go of useless beliefs, unreasonable expectations, grudges, defensiveness, projects that don't fit into my life, and anything else that isn't working for me. I turn these all over to the Divine and give thanks, my way of opening to receive new intentions in the new month.

Then I give myself permission to rest!