June Third Quarter Moon

Photo by Alan Gillespie

Today is the Third Quarter Moon: This waning 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 and self-care.

Agenda today:

1. Read "Happier at Home"

2. Renewal plan

3. Evaluation House

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Surrender, rest, recuperate

1. Read "Happier at Home":

I'm reading Happier at Home, by Gretchen Rubin (2012). The first chapter is Possessions. I've been engaged with making shrines, and have been so inthralled by this idea that it's been hard to move forward in this book. But it's time.

In the second part of this chapter Gretchen says to go shelf by shelf, then drawer by drawer, and closet by closet, to clear out whatever I don't use, or don't love. That's pretty obvious advise. A couple of tips I find useful:

• Clear as much as possible before you allow yourself to organize what's left.
• Choose a few mementos to keep and give the rest away (it will make the kept things even more special).
• Surfaces should be clear for activities, not used for storage.
• Appearance matters, so use pretty baskets or decorated boxes to contain things.
• Fix or replace broken items as soon as possible.

My plan for this next week is to clear the storage shelves in our laundry area. 

2. Renewal plan:

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.

My plan: In the summer months I want to renew my attention to stretching and exercising (that has slipped in the last couple of weeks - and I feel it in my neck); I have a good vision now of what I want to express with writing and artwork, so I just need to be persistent; and I have a plan for an exciting daily routine for earth-devotion renewal for the summer.  

That leaves social renewal: I want to make a plan for seeing my friends, and also for studying my communication with my grandson.

3. Evaluation House:

Today I get to reflect back on the first 3/4 of the Peony Moon lunar cycle that I'm passing through. My theme has been Synergy. 

I reviewed the intentions I set at the new moon and drew 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. 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 1 - 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.

4. 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!