Full Squirrel Moon

The squirrels are creating great entertainment these days

Today is my sabbath - when I step out of the fray and regroup. We are nearing the end of October, winding deeper in to Autumn, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit. I want to open to awareness, wisdom, and courage.

And tonight is the full moon called the Squirrel Moon, because now the squirrels are busily gathering nuts for the winter. And this moon is called Atchalankuaik, the "start getting sagittair roots" moon, by the Kalapuya of our area (sagittair is a potato like tuber). 

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, the time to harvest what was planted and nurtured. The squirrel moon is a good time to gather my forces inward, for a final burst of energy before winter.

Agenda for today:

1. Full moon shift

2. Full moon queries
3. Celebrate synergy

4. Read "Your Heart Was Made for This"

5. 

Spiritual growth plan

1. Full moon shift:

The full moon shines a bright light on everything, and I might experience intuitive and creative breakthroughs. I might be shocked by the clarity of my insights. I might see some ugliness - the full moon illuminates all the things I've left in the shadows, some heavy truths and some embarrassing mistakes.

This month, as I have explored synergy, I've looked again at the importance of my teams, leadership, problem-solving, and holistic living.

Today I access a shift of my spirit: I begin by reviewing my progress on the intentions I set at the new moon, asking "why?" and "why not?". Do I need to clear or release something (emotions, beliefs, junk?) in order to open space for the new?

Then I settle into silence and access my intuitive mind - my connection to the Creator and the Inner Guide - by putting myself into a relaxed, trance-like state, and seeking a leading of the spirit with an open mind and heart, and perhaps writing a new intention.

Full moon journal: I've been in flow and very focused this month - it feels good. I'm accomplishing my priorities, and managing my moods. Some days I feel like a spider gathering all the threads, and some days like a diligent squirrel.

Full moon intention: The shifts I'm working on are towards healthier eating habits, and

2. Full Moon Queries:

On the Sabbath nearest the full moon I take a deeper dive into my month's theme with meditation and inquiry. My theme this month is synergy and holistic living: Synergy is the eternally active primal force of creation: No matter what the conditions are, they will change. You create synergy in your life when you make the effort to see clearly, stay open-minded, and take persistent right action. Synergy will allow you to experience the people in your life as angels, and the places you live, work, and play as paradise.

Another aspect of synergy is holistic living: Seeing all the roles and aspects of my life as an interconnected system, and creating connections that yield exponentially greater results. Holism is taking care of all the dimensions of my life: Mental, spiritual, physical, social, environmental, and financial. That's where simplicity teams up with synergy - to help me to hone in on the most effective way of living. 

Today I call on the Spirit of Light to guide me, bring me clarity and open my eyes. What is the Truth that is coming into focus for me now? 

Queries:

How is the force of creation working in my life? How are things changing or transitioning? Is it a gentle, flowing change or a bumpy ride? How do I remain flexible and open to changes? 

What is the right action I'm taking to move in the direction of paradise?

What is the unity I am seeking? What connections am I making? What is the wholeness I am inviting? 

3. Celebrate synergy:

Today I remind myself of my intentions for the month, and then celebrate how far I've come, give thanks for the lessons learned and the blessings received, and reaffirm this theme for the next two weeks. Each month I choose a different way to celebrate the full moon, and I am ready to celebrate synergy today in these ways:

1. Communicate with my EC team with a new agenda
2. Clerk a calm business meeting
3. Share with my Moon Zoom crew

4. Read "Your Heart Was Made for This":

I'm reading this book by Oren Jay Sofer (2023), with the subtitle, "Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love". It has 26 short chapters on innate qualities we each have, that we can cultivate and develop as inner and external expression, meant to be read and practiced in order, one every 1-2 weeks.

I'm on to Chapter 9, Renunciation. about letting go. Renunciation is an inner resource of simplicity, restraint, and freedom from craving and addiction. It can help me to clarify my priorities, slow down, engage with challenges, adapt to crisis, and honor the natural limits of our planet. Its aim is fulfillment, not deprivation. "When we long for what we don't have, we overlook what we do have and rob ourselves of contentment." 

Renunciation opens my mind to a wider perspective, and creates the possibility of holding multiple or even conflicting perspectives at the same time. "Being convinced that we are right or know 'the truth' blocks dialogue and learning. ... To meaningfully collaborate, we must honor our differences..." 

5. Letting-go habit:

Renunciation is my work this fall: It helps with my home projects, my earthcare focus, and with anger and distraction. I want to frame it as release, simplicity, and fulfillment.

What I want to release: 

1. Anger / need to control people and chaos
2. Need for constant reassurance and praise 
3. Over-spending
4. Sweets and junk food
5. Over-accumulation of papers and other stuff
6. Self-criticism

I know I can never fully have freedom from any of these cravings, but I can release them in-the-moment by standing "in the flood of sense desire, feel its pressure, and resist the urgency to act on it." 

I've been working on letting go of harsh outbursts and control of chaos by being steady and strong, noticing my discomfort and watching it fade. I'm also working on my desire to pig out on candy and crackers, by calorie counting as an awareness exercise.  This is difficult work, so take it one little thing at a time, and ALLOW letting go rather than forcing or denying myself. "

Wise renunciation develops slowly, with layers of subtlety. Don't go towards with yourself. ... Whenever you encounter fixation or over-identification, investigate what this energy of clinging protects."

6. Spiritual growth goals:

Spiritual growth is the basis for a better and more harmonious life, a life of calmness, courage, and inner strength. My goals for spiritual growth change and flow with the season. And I need to develop practices that help me grow.

I ask, "What is keeping me from living fully for Love and for the earth? What spiritual discipline might help me to find greater Light?"

This month I set the intention to practice a simpler daily flow, settle into intentional time, live with immediacy, intuition, flexibility - and love life as it is, because the Authentic Me needs to balance the Integrity of Doing with the Truth of Being, or the stress will create outbursts.

Plan this week:

1. Continue to practice my morning and afternoon flow plans, moving through tasks with focus and flexibility.
2. Continue my anger and calm journal with particular curiosity about my need to control chaos.
3. Plan four separate times to tune-in with the boys - a nature walk, drawing meditation, craft project, and lego play.