23.8.10

Artful Life Moon Circle - Harness the Power and Magic of the Full Moon

the artful life moon circle - what to do on the full moon
Are we really affected by the phases of the moon? Does the moon exert some magical pull on our watery bodies or our primitive minds? Maybe. What I do know for sure is that to flourish, we need to feel connected to the world around us. The practice of patterning our lives, even in small, symbolic ways, on the patterns of nature can be very affirming. For me, the cycle of the moon is a beautiful reflection of the cycles of increase and decrease in my own life.

 

Hello Beautiful Artful Women!
It's moon circle time again! Here on the Artful Life we meet at each New and Full Moon to share inspiration and intentions, and to align our energies with the lunar cycles.
 How to Work With the Full Moon Energy
I live for those moments when the beauty of the world takes my breath away - moments like seeing a big yellow moon rising over lavender grey water at sunset. The full moon is the high point of the lunar cycle, equivalent to that little moment after we take a deep breath, before we exhale... now is the time to stop mindfully, and look around you to see what is coming to maturity in your life. Are there some creative successes for which you need to acknowledge yourself? Are there any bad habits that have crept up on you & taken hold? What is ripening? What is gaining momentum? What has become of that intention you set at the New Moon? Some things may need some nurturing to grow further. Some things may need to be weeded out so those good things can grow! Full moon energy lasts for three days - maybe take some time during these three days to sit down with your journal (at twilight?) and ask yourself that question "what is coming to fruition in my life?" Include the good and the not so good. What are your next steps? The energy of completion (fullness) is followed immediately by the energy of decrease (waning - a cosmic exhale) - so use the next two weeks for shedding what doesn't work. Clean closets, break habits, start a diet, be less busy, undo tangles of all kinds. Look honestly at what needs to go - and you'll be ready for the freshness of the next New Moon!

Last but not least, anytime during the three days of the full moon is a great time to meet with friends, celebrate, share, and set intentions. What could be lovelier than a circle of women and friends meeting under the full moon?

What's Special About This August Full Moon
The August 2010 full moon is in Pisces;  watery, creative, dreamy, deep - playing the line between deep truth and dangerous delusion. So, a dreamy and dramatic full moon. Go for a night swim, make love, write poetry, confess your deepest desires to someone you trust. Remember and record your dreams. Engage in spiritual pursuits. Don't dangerously overindulge in... anything! Surrender, enjoy, but be cautious and try to keep the frontier between discovery and delusion in your sights!

What I Did to Celebrate
It was well on into the evening when I finished putting together all of the above post. I'd been sitting at the computer for most of the day, even skipping my (and Chloe's) daily walk, choosing work instead. I poured a glass of wine and sat down with my sweetie for some dinner (raw "lasagne" and roasted sweet potatoes - YUM!!!). After, we cuddled up in our bed-sanctuary with another glass of wine and turned on the TV. Outside, the gorgeous northern summer evening was in full swing, complete with pink-amber twilight clouds and the cry of Canada geese. "Do you want to walk down to the beach?" he said. Well, I didn't, really. I was tired, and comfortable. The evening looked perfectly pretty from the window. But I'm learning - I'm learning what works, and what is good in life, so I said yes.

At the beach, the twilight was stretching out gloriously (here above the 49th parallel the dawns and twilights are magically, deliciously long and slow...). Silver pinky grey clouds were strewn about the sky, their smoky yellow edges in the southeast suggested the hidden Lady Moon. It was quiet, and warm, with just a few small black birds celebrating by skimming low over the glossy silver barely undulating water. The tide was full and the beach was empty.  We were alone. We walked quietly north, listening to the gentle swish of the softly moving swell. The sea looked delectable. It was still light enough to see through the clear water to the pebbled bottom; it was warm, it was still. I couldn't resist. Off came sweater, jeans, and skivvies, and I ran into the embrace of mother ocean. I revelled. I floated. I breathed in the briny air and watched the moonwashed clouds. Exquisite! And one big reason it was SOOO exquisite is, I wasn't always that woman. I just wasn't always the woman who would throw off her clothes and run into the sea. I was uncertain, and nervous, and cold; I was embarassed, and worried, and shy. I was scared of jellyfish, and the dark, and of my own self. I longed to be that woman, but I just wasn't her. These days are different. These days, somehow, I am finding it so easy to be her - to be that woman who feels safe enough and free enough to drop everything and run into the warm ocean, that woman who knows the world is there for her, there to rise up to meet her eager joy. So this full moon, I celebrate being that woman. My wish for you is that you, too, can find yourself becoming the woman you always wanted to be, and that whatever your version of running freely into the sea is, you will do it, and celebrate.

How You Can Join the Moon Circle
Anyone is welcome to join the Moon Circle! If this is your first Moon Circle, read this Moon Circle post to find out what it's all about. I've made a gift for you, a printable (and pretty) guide to the moon phases. Check out all the Artful Life Moon Circles here. To participate in the Moon Circle, just check in on the comments below. Tell us what you are doing this full moon. How are you celebrating? What are you dreaming of? What is coming to fruition in your life? What would you like to release and let go of in the time of the waning moon? What support would you like from the circle? We would love to hear your voice.







P.S. Something exciting is coming soon... more moon circle magic... stay tuned....

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