New White Moon

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call the eleventh new moon the White Moon, perhaps because it brings the snow, or perhaps because it's a yin time of year

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 Today:

1. Retreat Day

2. Choose a month theme

3. Set intentions

4. New moon altar and meditation

5. Plant paper white bulbs

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. My retreat starts tomorrow, beginning with a Thanksgiving Day Retreat, and followed by a Gift-Making Retreat!

2. Choose a month theme:

At the new moon I choose a new theme to begin to give attention to. My theme this month is Grace: Grace is a state of being - at peace, free, filled with love & light.

In researching grace I found lots of different definitions. In the Christian tradition, grace is a gift from God, freely given to us at birth. Grace is the nudges God gives us that compel us to take action in our lives to put God first, and it's a process, influence, or power, that works in us to transform us into the likeness of the Christ.

One key component of grace according to Christian writers is that we can't earn it - it is "unmerited" and given freely. All we can DO to participate in the process of receiving grace is to make room for the Light of Truth to work in our hearts and lives. (Some theologians even went so far as to say that Good Deeds were hurtful to the Christian life since they could foster a doctrine of justification by works and not by faith alone.)

Wikipedia says, "The question of the means of grace has been called 'the watershed that divides ... modern [theological] liberalism from [theological] conservatism.'" Modern liberal theology "gives an exaggerated place to the abilities of people to decide their own fate and to effect their own salvation entirely apart from God's grace." Ah-HA! Damn humanists.

After all the nit-picky distinctions are set aside, I'm left with my old understanding: Grace is a state of being - at peace, free, filled with love & light. Grace goals, then, might be to simplify our lives, make time for prayer and expectant worship, weed out distractions and addictions, forgive ourselves for being imperfect, and to notice the grace we receive and give thanks for it.

My grace practices this month:

• Daily Grace-Notes journal, to record nudges from God.
• Continue my daily gratitude practices with a shift towards noticing grace.
• Hold my imperfections in the light of Love.
• Extend grace to others: Be generous with forgiveness and understanding.

3. Set intentions:

Last week I brainstormed some wild and crazy ideas for December, 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 goals for the next 30 days, I'm ready to set some intentions for action. I've written just two intentions, the ones I might act on today, and will write more later.

I intend to honor and nurture my close friends in tangible ways, showing my thankfulness for their friendship with a card or a phone call, at least every month, to check in and touch base, because these close friends are essential to my health and well-being, as I am to theirs, and I want each one of my friendships to deepen and grow stronger over the years we have left on earth.

 

I intend to celebrate Advent with attention on Unity, Love, Equanimity, and Grace, because these are principles that sustain me, carry me through all the stresses, and open my heart to the transformation of the season.

4. New moon altar and meditation:

It's time to clear my altar, and discern what to put on it for December. (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 cleared everything except my straw doll - for luck and protection - and added:

• a white candle - for grace, Truth, and transformation
• pine cones - for potential growth and enlightenment
• a straw star - for destiny and for hope
• an angel- to remind me to be giving and loving

I will light a small white candle on my altar, 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. Plant Paper-white Bulbs

At the November new moon, a dark time of the year and month, we retreat inward, like the bulbs in the ground. Today I will plant Paper-white bulbs to bloom to (hopefully) indoors at Christmas (about 4-6 weeks).

Supplies: Paper-white bulbs, a bowl, pebbles and rocks, newspapers, and a paper bag

1. Collect pretty rocks and glass pebbles of different sizes, and clean them.

2.  Fill a bowl partway with the rocks and nestle the bulbs on top, close together but not touching each other, with their tips just below the rim of the bowl.

3. Add water to the bowl, up to the bottom of the bulbs. 

4. Wrap the bowl in newspapers, and a paper bag, and put it in a dark, cold place, like the cellar or refrigerator.

5.Water the bulbs every week if needed, and check for top growth.

6.When the roots begin to take hold and the shoots are 2 to 4 inches tall, take the bowl into a cool room with indirect light.

7. When the leaves are well formed and the flower buds are showing, move the bowl to a warm, brightly lit room to encourage the buds to open.

As we grow in grace, we learn to trust the nurturing darkness. Like the bulbs in the ground and all of nature in the winter, let your energy gradually grow within you so it may be born anew when the time is right.