We don’t have local moon temples anymore. Yet it’s still possible to cultivate a deep practice in the lunar mysteries. An auspicious way to begin 2022 is to connect with the first full moon of the new year. All you need is you, the moon, and a simple prayer–to cast a moon spell on your whole year.
Shortly after sunset, go someplace with a nice view of the eastern horizon. This can be somewhere special or just your driveway or backyard. The moon is everywhere. Choose a place where you can feel safe enough to be vulnerable. If the moon hasn’t risen yet, wait comfortably until she does. (To hedge your bets, you can Google for the full moon rise in your area at timeanddate.com).
After moonrise, gradually shift out of the churning of your thoughts by increasing your awareness of the natural world. Even in the city, there is nature. Observe the weather. Look for signs of the current season. Was it warm or cold today? Is the air now windy or calm? In what growth stage are the surrounding plants and trees? Are they barren? Rich with leaves, blossoms, and fruit? As you relax into this great womb of living energies, notice how you too belong in nature’s family, here alongside the trees, insects, stones, and birds.
Now refine your attention. Specifically notice the relationship between land and sky. Observe how the natural world is responding to the energy of this full moon. Notice how the bright, mystical quality of this light permeates everything, including you. Observe the moonlight on your skin. Listen too for the sounds of the night. Perhaps there’s a chorus of voices, insects buzzing, cars on the road, a mother calling to her child, silence. Let the energy of the time penetrate you. Can you think of a word that perfectly describes the mood in the atmosphere? Trust your perceptions.
Now go inward. Feel into the beating of your own heart. Breathe into this space. Relax. Perhaps you’ll notice a spontaneous sigh as your lungs and heart gently come into a natural rhythm. It will feel primal and comforting when they do. A sound may begin murmuring inside you, an ancient “Hrum,” “Ohm” or “Haiyeeee.” You may be arrested by a profound silence. If your mind is still active, dial it down to a whisper. Feel instead for the animal in your body. How is it responding to the moon?
If you are so moved, you can now enter the organic temple of the moon and pledge yourself to follow her cycles for 2022. You can recite, with sincerity, this simple prayer:
I attune my outer life and my inner soul
to the infallible rhythm of the moon,
who monthly empties, is reborn, and grows full.
Oh Great Goddess, who tills the garden of the Earth
Oh Wise Weaver of Time
Oh Star of Life
Oh Mother of the World
Bestow upon me your generous life and light.
Make me more loving this year.
Make me caring, calm, prosperous and bright.
Hold me in your heart in 2022.
I’ll hold you in mine.
Let’s nourish each other.
Let’s keep meeting this way
you and me
in the wild and wonderful
days ahead.
So be it! Ah! Ho! Hrum! Haiyeeee!
Make 2022 the year of the Moon! Enter the Moon’s Temple and support yourself with Dana’s monthly Moon workshop. It’s filled with goodies that can keep you focused, connected, and joyful in the months ahead. Enroll here.
Thank you, Dana!
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