New & Full Moon Magic
There are eight distinct phases of the Moon. Each phase contributes an essential component of the overall cycle. When we fall out of sync, these two phases can help us get back on track and re-connect to the rest of the cycle.
Here’s how:
The new moon invites us into the new and unknown, giving us a push into the new cycle and creating momentum towards the goals we’ve stablished. It is also the dark moon phase, so the mirror also reflects in that this isn’t a time to go out and take all the action.
What is it? Astronomically, the new or dark moon phase occurs when moon comes directly between the Sun and Earth, rendering it invisible in the night sky.
Archetypal influence of this phase: The new moon marks the beginning of every lunar cycle. Now is the time to we set our intentions and write down any goals that we want to accomplish in the coming month. The new moon offers us a chance to really feel into the possibility that comes with new beginnings. It is a reminder every month that we have an opportunity to begin again, to start over if we need. The new moon is a cleansing energy, that can bring a fresh and vital energy to the intentions we’ve set. The key of this phase is: It's never too late to begin.
The full moon, which occurs weeks after every full moon phase, reflects in many ways a time for rest and release. It is also a time of connection, of bounteousness. We may even find ourselves gravitating towards connecting or gathering with others to share in community and celebrate.
What is it? During this time, The earth is between the sun and the moon, which results in the moon appearing brighter than ever.
Archetypal influence of this phase: This lunar phase represents clarity, transparency, and is a time of truth revealing itself. When fully lit up, the moon brings forth anything that was previously hidden. Just as we experience the light of our own inner clarity, we can utilize this phase to remind us to move based on our intuition, to move towards emotional clarity within, and remove any rose-colored glasses. This is when we can see things for how they truly are. The full moon is a time of release and letting go. But we really have to let go, not just kind of… What we experience in this phase is a culmination of everything we’ve done since the new moon. We need to rest, to breathe deeply into that fulfillment that comes in the completion of that cycle’s hard efforts. The key of this phase to me has a deeply sacred meaning - revealed within the words of the prayer bestowed upon all students of yoga, “Avira Virma Yeti” (Oh Self-revealing One, reveal Thyself in me).
One thing about working with the moon phases is that we are seeking to be more open to (enter whatever your intention it is). It's about receiving, surrendering, embracing, allowing...but in order to receive something from the Universe we need to resonate at that frequency. When we find ourselves asking for something, we need to also ask whether we resonate at that same frequency? Am I what I seek?
When pressure arises, mind's approach to protecting us is to close us off from feeling the pain of that experience. Don't resist the feeling of change during this phase. Breathe through the pressure as it arises, and assess what you can do to shift either your perspective/relation to that thing, or how you can shift your approach?
