Wide Awake on a Full Moon

Here’s a lovely indoor Moon practice that begins as you drift off to sleep.  Sleep is a neglected feminine art.  The researchers all tell us that we need more than what we’re getting.   But researchers speak to us like we’re logical machines. We’re not.  We’re a chaos or a symphony of energy–especially during Full Moons.  It’s not unusual to have a little Full Moon insomnia. Many people–especially sensitives–feel like they’re being kept awake by the Moon.

Alas, this is not true. The Moon of course is not just that round orb in the sky, she’s the Great Mother. She lives within us always. She lives to nourish, comfort, and soothe–not to keep us awake. She sends us our dreams for goodness sake!  With each of her changing phases, she also sends us messages. During her Full Moons she reveals to us the balance (or imbalance) of Sun and Moon energy in our system. If we’re feeling wide awake, this is telling us there’s too much SUN in our system. There’s too much active masculine energy circulating.  The sky gives us a teaching. When the Full Moon rises, the Sun always sets.  If you’re wide awake during a Full Moon, it’s because your inner Sun hasn’t yet set.  Your nervous system is still wired in “active” mode.

For such a condition, the best remedy I know of is to ground.  This captures your excess shakti and sends it into the earth. The simplest and most powerful way to ground is to lie with your back on the ground–though at night, the floor will do. This is a simple but profoundly magical position. I often recommend it to clients. Supported this way, your spine begins to trust and release its tensions. The kidneys and the back of the heart have someone to lean on. You can enhance your experience by gently breathing the length of your spine. Gently notice the internal landscape, from the back of your skull to the tip of your sacrum. Some areas may seem blocked or dead. No worries, just keep breathing.  Nurture yourself this way for 20-30 minutes before slipping into bed (about the same time you might spend watching a sunset). Your nervous system will be calmer.

Next, appeal the to Moon herself.  Ask for some comfort and soothing.  I like to spray a little jasmine into the area of my third eye, receiving the scent as a gift from the Great Mother.  The third eyes of sensitives are often overly active. At night especially, we need this chakra calmed and cleared for the precious dream work ahead.  Essential oils are nice. Most important is to relax the eyes and jaw.  Empaths tend to send their third eyes out like telescopes. Once you know to look for this, it’s easy to discover and correct. Your third eye will be stretched one to three feet ahead of you. Gently retract it. Find the best way for you to draw it back in.

Pictured above is the Sleeping Goddess of Malta, about whom history knows little, but likely your subconscious has already met her many times.  After your inner Sun has set, your third eye is quiet, you can surrender into the body of this Great Goddess as you begin drifting towards sleep. Collect the remaining excited shakti  and let it gently assume the form the sleeping goddess, rising and falling with the world breath. If you lie on your right side as the Goddess of Malta does, you’ll energize your Moon channel, empowering it to do the Moon’s nightly chores.  When sunrise comes, notice how you feel.

If general sluggishness is your Full Moon problem rather than insomnia, you may not be getting enough Sun during the day. Full Moons are revealing. These times represent the flowering of the Moon’s 28-day growth cycle. Yogis and other adepts get their greatest insights at these times. Yet others become werewolves and lunatics. But don’t blame the Moon. It’s all about your own energetic balance. The Moon is showing you, you.

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