Third Quarter Moon of July

Today is the third Quarter moon. This 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. This isn’t a moment for starting new projects but for finishing up old ones, making peace with the past, and preparing for a fresh start at the next new moon.

Agenda Today:

1. 

Read 

"Brainstorm"

2. 

Review my passion plan

3. Five days of passion

4. Meditation and Evaluation Journal

5. Monthly journal brainstorm

1. 

Read

 "Brainstorm":

I got this book called "Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsession" (2010), by my favorite writing and art guru, Eric Maisel, several years ago, and started but never got far. This seems like the right time to dive in!

Chapter 13 is Risk. He warns that the biggest challenge is to learn to take a risk on my project: To really dive in, I need to let go of the nagging doubt about success and embrace the idea of myself as an expert on Nature-Culture (since I invented it) that people will want to read. I need to seriously invest the time it takes to make a really big, really meaningful gift to the world.

"Factor in the danger, nominate yourself as the hero of your story, and mount your steed. ... Take the risk that it will prove exactly as important as you had hoped, taxing you with its difficulty, and troubling you with its felt significance."

I don't think I am experiencing this phase of my work as risky, but the risky part will come eventually - best to admit it now!

2. Review my passion plan:

Drive: I intend to manifest my courage, harness the power of productive obsession, and engage slow passion, a kind of simmering energy that keeps me focused on my priorities; 

Commitment: I intend to let go of caution and involve myself wholeheartedly (brain, body, and soul) to the service of this project that I love; take a vacation from my usual way of being, stretch (my whole self) beyond the way I’ve always done things;

Concentration: I intend to strategize about how to self-regulate and manage my emotions, and learn how to extinguish distractions (such as phone games and worrying) so I can concentrate; simplify my thinking, and conserve the use of my neural resources;

Clarity: I intend to maintain clarity of purpose, keep the end in mind, monitor my energy level and feeling of successful meaning-making, and recommit often to my ideals, intentions, and efforts (I'm doing this, damn it!).

Flow: And I intend to work the parts of this project into the flow of my day (flow in and out of it easily and smoothly), plan when to say yes and when to say no, and let it reach into all my roles - teacher, grandma, activist, writer, artist, home and garden - take it slow and let it grow organically.

3. Five days of passion: 
The next five days (Thursday through Monday) are the best block of time I have to obsess. My last week of passion was truncated with Annual Session and family visits, so here is a repeat of that plan - my Nature-Culture themes are plastics and butterflies:

• 
  Draw a butterfly, following parameters, and place it on mock up page.
• Write about how to plan a butterfly garden, natural living habits and plastic use;
• Garden: Mulch new butterfly beds and draw up a plan, start a new hugelkulture. 
• Plan summer themes, projects, and skills for teaching nature-culture to kids
• Post plastics recycling news
• Practice creative summer awareness exercises - bee buzzing, tree hugging, water sitting;
• Connect with Habitat Haven and make a pollinator page for outreach to neighbors
   

4. Meditation and Evaluation Journal:

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 Slow Passion and Courage. I ask myself, What lessons have I learned in the last weeks? What has been completed? What has shifted? and what can I set aside?

I sit with these queries and write in my journal in a reflective way: My insights, emotions, and the clarity I’ve gained during the last lunar month and how I’ve grown. 

I review the intentions I set at the new moon, and write about what I've accomplished. I also write about 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.

This reflection will prepare me for moving forward with grace and purpose.

5. 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, including at least a few crazy, improbable notions. 

-Start with a list of seasonal themes and celebrations, vacations, and other events.

-Write about my biggest priorities this month, how they might fit into my life, and how they connect to my values and principles.

-Write about possible obstacles and factors such as the weather, upcoming schedule changes, or money problems.

-Write about the parts that excite me and the parts that might be hard to find motivation for.