Last night we were blessed with a rare blood moon lunar eclipse! If you were unable to see the eclipse last evening, I'm sure many of our friends and followers to Erstwhile's page will be posting their gorgeous photographs. Have no fear; tonight, however, is when the moon is at its fullest.
Using the moon and her cycles can help us move along in our spiritual journey. For example, during a new moon is the perfect time to set intentions for starting a new adventure. This adventure can be a new job, a new relationship, or a new travel destination. Working with the phase of the new moon helps bring in an abundance of positive and building energy to boost your intention through the month. If you want a real boost, set this intention during every new moon until your goals come to fruition. The new moon is also a great time to plant a garden to allow the moon's natural energy to help with your plants' growth.
Another phase of the moon cycle is the waxing moon. During this phase, the illumination of the moon's surface is starting to build. The waxing phase is a great time to boost your own energy or add energy to any already-laid intentions. During the waxing moon is also a great time to re-evaluate the course you've set for yourself with your energy work and intentions. Now is when obstacles to the plan with start to appear, and it is important that you take time to sort through those obstacles. Do you go around them, through them, or avoid them altogether by altering the plan?
The light of the moon when it is at its fullest is very cleansing energizing. Use this time to rejuvenate yourself by sitting outside in the moonlight and soaking up the peaceful ambient light to recharge your energy stores. You can also set your crystals out to cleanse and charge in the moonlight. The benefit to charging your crystals in the moonlight versus the sunlight is that the crystals are less likely to lose their vibrant colors or fade in the moonlight. One word of caution, it's not uncommon to have a rain shower or a heavy dew at night and certain stones like malachite and selenite should not get wet. A friend of mine charges her crystals in a Ziplock bag to prevent moisture from seeping into the stone. Another great exercise is to write your intention on a piece of paper and burn it. Let the smoke and the energy of the moon carry that intention to the universe.
The waning moon occurs when the light illuminating the moon's surface appears to shrink. The waning moon is a great time to consider ending those relationships, connections, practices, etc. that have been weighing you down. This is a good time to achieve closure in your life. Work on balancing what is necessary with what is cumbersome and shed those burdens like a snake sheds its skin. There is amazing power in the ability to provide closure for oneself, especially when we were not afforded that opportunity by others. Use this time to close out a harsh break-up or divorce, consider leaving that job that's been causing you so much misery, or end that dangerous and harmful self-talk you've found yourself using. The waning moon has powerful releasing ability.
Probably most importantly to me is keeping in touch and balancing my femininity. The moon has always had very strong female energy for me, and quite often, I find myself caught up in a world that celebrates toxic masculinity. If you know me at all, that's just not my gig. I like to use the moon to remind myself that I do not have to be masculine or feminine to belong; I can simply just be me. I often use the energy of the moon to remind myself how powerful we are when we put labels aside. For example, the moon is, at least scientifically, a large satellite made of space rock revolving around the Earth, but this satellite is directly responsible for the entire ebbing and flowing of Earth's largest oceans, seas, and lakes. It also responsible for the ebbing and flowing of our lives. Learning to work with this celestial body can have amazing and profound changes on our spirituality. I encourage you all to stay up a bit late tonight, grab a lawn chair or a blanket, set out your crystals or a jar of moon water, and enjoy the beautiful life-sustaining lunar energy that mother moon provides to all of us.