First Quarter Moon of September

The first quarter moon is today; we are one-quarter of the way through the moon cycle. The moon is waxing - growing in light and energy, creating a time for decisive action. 

I use this September quarter moon's energy to make a transition to autumn zeal: A little wild, and focused on gathering-in, tying up loose ends, and building resilience.

Agenda Today:

1. Journal queries
2. Read the Power of Now

3. Choose awareness practices

4. Make a full effort plan

1. Journal queries:

At the first quarter moon I prepare to give full effort to my priorities. I remember that for each opportunity in life there is a challenge, and the challenge to balance is obsession. If I am consumed by one part of my life or being, I can’t be centered. Practice slowing down and gathering chi to find my equilibrium.

 

How well am I responding to the challenges I am facing this month? In what areas is my endurance fraying? What could build my resilience? 

When upsetting events and illness take me out of balance and into obsession, how can I bring myself back to equilibrium?  

Picture my Highest Self: Healthy, fulfilled, full of energy, and happy - what shift do I need to take me there?

Consider the Great Ultimate, where all energy is replenished; How have I learned to draw from that well of peace and renewal? How can I better connect to both my roots and my spiritual self?

 

From my journal: Autumn is a time of obsession, but I don't want to run around like a squirrel; I can finish my tasks with calm, focused energy. First I choose the essential projects, then I complete them, one at a time. At the same time, I practice staying centered with my morning and Beingness routines.

2. Read "The Power of Now":

I'm reading from Eckhart Tolle's book which has the subtitle, "A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment". The overlaying theme is to free myself from obsessive thinking, from the voice in my head that constantly "comments, speculates, judges, compares, complains, likes, dislikes, and so on." This voice belongs to my conditioned mind - the result of my history and my inherited cultural mind-set. It creates a distorted view of life and it cannot be trusted.

I can free myself by becoming a witnessing presence; listen and notice the repetitive thought patterns and judgements, but don't identify with them or pass judgement on them, and don't give them energy. Get to know my deeper self as the listener. "This is the beginning of your natural state of felt oneness with Being."

3. Choose Awareness Practices:
September is a good time to make a plan to renew and nurture my spirit or soul - that inner voice of my true nature. My spirit is not my brain and it's not my emotions; it's my Better Self, or moral compass, and my Essential Self - the part of me that longs for purpose.


My Better Self allows me to be responsible and honorable, and to reach beyond selfishness in order to serve others. Aristotle said that virtue is a habit like any other, and that we gain integrity by doing virtuous things. Every time I practice the virtue habit, I settle my soul in a nobler direction.

But my soul is also my Essential Self, which thrives on understanding my purpose and intentions. It’s like a rheostat of consciousness: As my level of awareness grows I am lit up ever more brightly, and can see and understand aspects of myself and the universe more clearly.

Spiritual growth is the basis for a better and more harmonious life, a life of calmness, clarity, courage, and inner strength. It has (at least) four parts: 

-Awareness practices, such as meditation or journaling, or any practice that keeps you in the present moment or brings greater clarity to your daily life.

-Virtue habits, those little and big behaviors and characteristics of your personality that can improve with practice.

-Soul searching, which is the ongoing quest to understand your purpose and intentions.

-and opening to God or a higher power.

 

Today I'll make a plan to nurture my spiritual self with awareness practices. Awareness is a huge topic - I can choose to practice awareness of the mind, body, and/or the emotions, with practices that are private or part of a community, or are done while sitting or moving. My goal is to practice awareness every day, throughout the day, in whatever way suits me best. The important thing to remember while choosing awareness practices is - will they fill me and nurture me, and will I practice them? Some ideas: 

• Add to my morning journaling the queries: What is essential today? What is blocking or hijacking me?
• Study some stoic philosophy
• Practice Tolle's Power of Now throughout the day
• Afternoon Beingness Routine with shibashi, and a mantra: Being Me: Mindful, loving, and present.

4. Make a full effort plan:

At any point in my life I will always have some things to pause and think about, and other things I'm ready to act decisively on. I have several projects this month that have been dragging on - now is when to finish the things I've started: Specifically, finish my new curtains, get my web page online, and paint all the window frames.

All of these projects will require my Full Effort: I'll need to connect to my excitement for life, and sustain it long enough to accomplish my goals. Full effort requires attention; I remember my intentions - what it is I want to do and my deepest reasons why - and also notice my emotions, energy, challenges, etc.

My website has the most parts, so I will write a full effort plan for that today.

I intend to create a website that is a space for me to connect to others who are also acting to create the change that Nature needs: a place for me to witness, share my ideas and projects, share links, invite input, offer classes and writing and artwork (some for sale and some for free) - because my purpose is to be a creative force in the world.

My plan:

1. Plan two classes to offer this fall: Felted bees and watercolor butterflies. 
1. Write a lesson plan for each
2. Gather supplies, estimate cost
3. Create events. List these on Dragonfly Studio Facebook page and on the new website. Make these live.
2. Finish Artwork page: Upload some photos of artwork and the bee project steps (pdf).
3. Finish writing page: Add essay on Unity Art for Pollinators.