The darkness increases, stealing our daylight day by day. I am tired. I am too busy to be tired. We put up lights, pushing back the darkness and adding to the magic of the season. With our cultural New Year just two weeks away, now is a time of reflection and setting intentions for the coming year.
We are now just a few days shy of Yule, the Winter Solstice. As the Summer Solstice is associated with the full moon and high noon, this time of year is associated with the new moon and midnight. The final New Moon for this year occurred last Tuesday, December 12th, and the silver arc of the waxing crescent moon visible in the clear evening skies last week was magnificent. A waxing moon draws my attention as though it’s pulling me upwards; seeing it hanging above the dazzling display of Wild Lights at the Columbus Zoo on Friday was magical. It also reminded me that one of my intentions for the coming year is to mark the phases of the moon in my new calendar to help me pay better attention to the changing energy of our nearest celestial body and build awareness of how it affects the tides of my own body. The moon, with its softer glow, its monthly cycles, and its association with the water element, is closely associated with women, feminine energy, and the Divine Feminine. It is also associated with magic and mystery, especially at the new moon, when its light is fully concealed behind the earth’s shadow.
Just as the sun is reborn at the Winter Solstice, so is the moon reborn at each New Moon. Month after month we watch her grow to maturity and then lapse into old age before being born again. Following the energy of the moon can help with intention setting, which is particularly important at this pivotal time of year. Aurora Kane, author of Moon Magic: A Handbook of Lunar Cycles, Lore, and Mystical Energies, writes:
By definition, an intention is a determination to act in a certain way. The Upanishads, ancient Sanskrit texts contained in the Vedas, tell us: “You are what your deepest desire is. As your desire is, so is your intention. As your intention is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny.”1
The eight phases of the moon are:
New Moon. This is a time for cleansing, starting over, setting new intentions. Fiona Cook and Jessica Roux, authors of The Wheel of the Year: An Illustrated Guide to Nature’s Rhythms, say: “Embrace the darkness. Reflect in your journal. Sleep. Set intentions. Light candles…Affirmation: I learn; I grow; I release what I do not need.”2
Waxing Crescent. This is a time for acting on your intentions as the growing light of the moon increases your energy and ability to see what it is that you desire. Cook and Roux call it: “A time of increase. Plant seeds. Voice your needs…Affirmation: I am open to receive.”
First Quarter. As your intentions come into focus you will be better able to channel your energy most effectively. Cook and Roux call this: “The Equinox of the Moon cycle, halfway between New and Full. Tend your goals. Consider balance…Affirmation: I am patient.”
Waxing Gibbous. Excitement builds as you see your efforts beginning to bear fruit. You’re nearly there! Cook and Roux say: “Prepare for Fullness. Build your strength…Affirmation: I am ready.”
Full Moon. You did it! Celebrate what you have accomplished. Express gratitude, to yourself and others. Bask in the fullness of the lunar energy. Make moon water3 to drink or bathe in. Mourn and let go of disappointments. Cook and Roux say: “Manifest your dreams. Trust your instincts. Harvest, eat, and enjoy…Affirmation: I am full; I am whole; I am seen; I have what I need.”
Waning Gibbous. This is a time for turning inward. Reflect on your New Moon intentions. What went well and what was a struggle? For any intentions that did not manifest, is there a better way you can approach them next cycle or do you need to let go, at least for now? What possessions/habits/relationships need to be cut back or shed to make you lighter and brighter? Cook and Roux’s affirmation for this time is: “I am generous.”
Last or Third Quarter. The light is decreasing, and so is your energy. But you have enough. You are enough. Cook and Roux call this: “Another Equinox, halfway between Full and New. Organize your belongings. Make room…Affirmation: I am protected.”
Waning Crescent or Balsamic. Let the darkness come. Let it bring dreams, reflection, rest, and renewal. The cycle is about to begin anew. What might the next moon cycle bring you? Who will you be by this time next month? Cook and Roux call it: “A time of decrease. Say your goodbyes. Clean. Let go…Affirmation: I am free.”
Yesterday was the first quarter, so we are now in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with the Full Moon (called the “cold moon”) coming on the 27th. What are you building towards in this season? What excites you? What goals have you set, and how is the work going? With the Full Moon coming two days after Christmas, which is a major deadline for so many projects this month, the answers might be easier and more concrete than at other times; which means that, if you’re interested in following the moon cycles, this is a great time to start! In case you are interested in adding them to your calendar for ease of reference, here are the dates for each phase of the moon for next year (Note: times are listed for my area, central Ohio, and might be different where you live. Check online using your address if you want exact times relevant to your area):
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