Third Quarter Moon Sabbath (for Art and Garden)

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.

It's also my sabbath, and I'm giving gentle attention to my art and my garden.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Renewal plan

3. Evaluation House

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Do the smallest thing

6. Surrender, rest, recuperate

1. Read the Creativity Book:

A few years ago I started but didn't finish this book by Eric Maisel (one of my favorite writers). The subtitle is "A Year's Worth of Inspiration and Guidance." Who doesn't want that?

I'm on to Week 16: Innovate.

"An everyday creative person innovates. She innovates because she is thinking, and trains of thought inevitably lead to new destinations. She innovates because she has the desire to put her fingerprints on every subject ... She innovates because she's hit a dead end but refuses to stay trapped there."

Maisel instructs me to innovate this week in these ways:

• Do something I've always done but in a new way.
• Next, change one procedure.
• Next, start a radically new project - do something frighteningly different for at least a few days.

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 next month I want to continue to give attention to stretching and movement with a yoga and qigong practice; I want to be persistent with writing and artwork (tiny steps); and I'm going to review and move forward on my "transformative leadings".

3. Evaluation House:

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

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.)

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 brainstorm my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days, without judgement - including at least a few crazy, improbable notions - and write a very brief synopsis of the next month of my life.

5. Do the smallest thing:

This month I set an intention to work with attention and tenacity on many creative projects and to finish things I start.

Doing the smallest thing helps me to succeed - I make a list of small things I need to do for my current projects, print it, and assign one or two per day.

Some of my small tasks this week:

• 
  Chickadee collage: Photos and post online.
• Sun collage: Seal and add more paint. Make stars.
• Visualize the essence of "forest".
• Paint underpainting for Good Fortune for Forests collage.
• Sew trees on a Small Forest appliqué.
• Cut background and frame for Small Forest appliqué, and begin to stitch together.
• Make mobiles with my grandsons using beads, yarn, sticks, and pinecones.
• Collect fortunes, images and papers for Forest collage.
• Write craftivism tag for forests.

6. 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!