November Third Quarter Moon

Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care.

Agenda today:

1. Renewal plan for next month

2. Evaluation House

3. Read "The Earth Path"

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Surrender, rest, recuperate

1. Renewal plan for next month:

I try to renew all four dimensions of my life (body, mind, heart, and spirit), as Stephen Covey taught: I spend about an hour each day on a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual regeneration activities, plus work to improve my social skills and relationships. Today's waning half moon is my opportunity to review how I'm doing, and make note of new ideas for the month ahead.

From my journal: I want to re-commit to being a creative force, take action with my art and in the world; at the same time, I know I need to simplify my expectations, cut back on commitments, and pay attention to my health. Cold season is upon us, and I have a cold for the first time in a few years!

2. Evaluation House:

Today I get to reflect back on the first 3/4 of the Kindly lunar cycle that I'm passing through. I review the intentions I set at the new moon and draw a house with 2 rooms: 

• A room for celebration of all I have accomplished already this month.
• A room for discerning what to do with the unfinished parts (Some of these I will finish in the next couple days, some I will save for next month, and some I will release because they have become irrelevant or didn't go as planned.)

3. Read "The Earth Path":

I'm (still) reading Starhawk's book, The Earth Path (2004), which is all about how to connect to nature. I'm into Chapter 6: The Circle of Life - "In the Goddess tradition, all ritual takes place within a magic circle. We ground and then create a sacred space, calling the four elements of air, fire, water, and earth, and that sacred transformative spirit of the center".

She goes on to describe how many indigenous cultures use the pattern of the sacred circle with the four elements and the four directions, each corresponding to the qualities of particular places. For example, in her tradition, the West brings rain (as it does in both Britain and here on the west coast), so the West is associated with water, emotion, twilight, and autumn, when the rains return.

She also describes the Elements of Decision-Making; how to use the elements, the directions, and the symbolic "great natural cycles and life processes each element reflects" to consider all the parts of any issue. "The magic circle, because it represents wholeness, is a pattern we can use for examining the whole of any subject".

She then describes how to cast a circle, as a way to "create an energetic form of protection around yourself ... Casting a circle creates an anchor, a set of physical, verbal, and visual associations that over time facilitates your transition into and out of particular states of consciousness". 

I've cast many circles with children, during my very popular Wizard Camps, so I'm familiar with the concept. And I have friends who use a similar qigong related practice. I think what I find difficult about her process it the assumed need to protect against negative energies; that is not something I find necessary. I could, however, embrace a way to transition to a calm and open state of being.

4. Monthly journal brainstorm:

At the new moon (next week) I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. This week I'll take time to 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.

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.

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.

5. Surrender, rest, recuperate: 
The next few days are 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!