To the Moon and Back

Here we are at the blooming time of summer, a season of ripe richness. The energy of Nature is fertile and expansive. Yet here in my tiny town where we are usually abuzz with tourists, a strange yet comfortable quiet prevails. There is a strong energy within the spaciousness, a sense of watchful waiting, of pregnant potential.

Which is so New Moonish, and even more so when we're in the sign of Cancer, the sign of the Cosmic Womb, and the Great Mother. New Moons mark the end of a cycle and always provide the opportunity to make a fresh start, to plant new seeds of possibility into the infinite field of creation.

The larger picture is that we are undergoing a metamorphosis. We are, consciously or not, co-creating the destruction of the old order. The dissatisfaction we feel about the way things are is manifesting in the wider world. What we see externally is but a reflection of a dissolution process that is happening within as we make this transition to a new level of awareness.

Truth Seeking

And I love that we can turn to the stars and the heavens to deepen our understanding about "what's really going on" down here at ground zero, so to speak. This questioning, probing for deeper spiritual truths that can be found in Nature, 'tracking' the energies underlying the manifest reality, is at the heart of the shamanic path. (Which makes shamanism and astrology so akin to each other.)

The astrology of this time, in this year, is that of an evolutionary quantum leap.

We are flooded by cosmic energies that are changing the energetic fields of all life. The good news is that it is so much easier to connect and move into a greater field of unified heart coherence right now. And especially so when we connect with others who carry the same intention. Warriors, there is work to do.

A Retrograde/New Moon Time for Reflection Multiple planets in retrograde, (Mercury, Pluto, Saturn and Jupiter), and the dark phase of the Moon invites inner exploration and excavation. The falling apart we are experiencing involves the disclosure of hidden truths. Including the secrets we keep even from ourselves. We project what we don't own out onto others. Some questions to explore to see what shows up: (Hint, notice what and who has been triggering you lately.)

The dark is not a comfortable place to be. It may bring up anxiety, turmoil, conflict and confusion. Change is not easy. It is a challenge, a test of fortitude. It requires patience and determination to look deeper, to question everything you thought you knew. This is spiritual awakening and initiation at its best.

The Cancer New Moon

So our New Moon is in watery Cancer (the heart of the Feminine) and it is squared by Saturn (the Lord of restriction and limitation).  And we have Mars (the Warrior) in its home of Aries. We are still under the influence of the Eclipse portal energy we just emerged from, as well as all the powerhouse planets in retrograde. Indeed it makes for very powerful tension within and without. In her poem Spring, Mary Oliver says "There is only one question: How to love this world." This is the question this Cancer New Moon asks us to consider as the longing for a 'new home' awakens within us. You may feel it as a desire for spiritual community, to foster a deeper connection to Nature, or even to be in a new place that feeds your soul. For sure, something new is emerging now. What that will look like depends on our collective intention and effort. If we want a better world, it is up to us to call it in.

This is where we get to show up. To create the path our feet want to walk upon. To allow the new way to open up before us.

Find your Hero Within

It is imperative now for us to go beyond our current circumstances and what is happening in the external world, and exercise the only power we truly have, which is the way we respond.

We can resist change, or we can choose to attempt what seems impossible. You have enormous spiritual abundance available for transformation now. You can channel the warrior energy into your inner growth or into a new project that makes your soul sing and puts you on a path of purpose. At this New Moon, choose a mission, large or small. Let it be something that empowers you with your greatest passion, courage and focus. What you do now will set the tone for the rest of this year, and beyond.

As the astrologer Pam Gregory says, this is the time to find your Hero within. You are needed now. You came at just this time on the Earth for just this reason. It is critical now to dream and energize a different evolutionary trajectory for yourself, and for the planet.

Guess How Much I Love You

Raise your emotional frequency by the simple practice of choosing positive emotions. How great is your love for life, for the Earth? In my play therapy days I often read a picture storybook called Guess How Much I Love You. The child is us needs to be reminded that we are created by love. It is our essence. I am reminding you that you are loved beyond your imagining.

Use the energy of love and gratitude to quickly shift your inner state . If you don't know it already, check out the work of Dr. Emoto. His research demonstrated the power of emotion to change the structure of water. (70% of the Earth's surface and 60% of your body is water, so this is a powerful practice.)

A Simple Gratitude Practice: 

Bring your attention to your heart, and begin to breathe rhythmically in and out from your heart space. (It helps to place your hand on your heart.) Bring to mind someone or something that softens and opens you, that you appreciate and feel thankful for. Focus on this one thing, and allow that feeling to expand and grow with each breath.

Take time before bed and upon waking to do this simple practice. Even a few minutes will shift and improve the quality of your sleep, and your waking life. Do it as often as needed to lift your vibration throughout your day.

Your Invitation to Circle And I invite you join me under the Cancer Moon to plant the seeds of your dreams and prayers into the collective field of creation. We work with the regenerative and life sustaining power of water which is the great connector and source from which all life emerges. I will guide us in a ritual of cleansing and planting the seeds of our intentions for the coming cycle. Ritual restores our relationship with the forces of creation and the Great Spirit that unites us all, bringing us back into right relationship with the sacred. Our presence and appreciation is our gift back to our Earth Mother and benefits of all our Relations and those who will come after us.

May the Cancer New Moon feed your soul with the comfort, beauty and belonging of Home. May you discover your Warrior within ready to serve your highest dream with courage, passion and unwavering commitment to life. May we lift each other up as we evolve with ease and grace into our greatest potential, together.

Here's to the power of love and the impossible dream. I look forward to seeing you in the Circle.

Alison