I just got finished reading Moon Daughter's GORGEOUS description of her New Moon ritual, and I have to say it left me feeling both inspired and deflated. Inspired because it was such a personal, thoughtful process for her and deflated because I didn't have an experience like that.
This New Moon left me feeling...silent. Brooding. Worried. I'm not sure the cause of it; I'm still trying to puzzle it out.
Part of it, I think, is because it's brown widow season here and I've been finding a lot around: in my compost heap and at the homes of two of my Meals On Wheels clients. I am used to finding them this time of year and I shouldn't be as freaked out as I am by now, but this year, they felt like a portent--a warning to be careful and watchful and wait. I feel a strong sense of the need to harvest and plan for the future, but not in a refreshing kind of Autumn, New Moon way.
This is tied, I'm pretty sure, to the growing dismay I have over the behavior of some of my fellow Americans. The rage that many people feel toward Muslims of all type feels dangerous to me, like a fever that might kill you if you aren't careful. I can't help but feel, as the wheel turns toward the time of year that is most sacred to me, a sense of danger from those people. I wrote about it on I'm Not Hannah, from a primarily political perspective, but I'm wondering if any of YOU have those same feelings.
Another part of it is that I'm starting to think about creating and selling charms and charm-related items. This feels great to me on one hand and kind of weird on the other. I love to share my charms with people, but I am anxious about selling them. Perhaps I should do a Tarot reading to sort of figure it out?
Add to it the sort of nerve-wracking work I'm trying to do for the new Divining Women site and there's a whole lot of creative snarlings-up in my brain.
Anyway, all of this together meant that on the New Moon, I felt so spiritually overloaded that I just couldn't come to the Water. I'm not sure that I would have been able to release anything good and I don't want to ask for anything, as I'm asking already for clarity.
So I was silent. I didn't recharge my travel charm, I didn't get naked in the backyard, I didn't even take a ritual shower. I was mindful all day of the New Moon, feeling it heavy inside me, where I usually feel a sense of purpose and beginnings.
I'm not sure how to take this. I don't feel guilty about not participating, but I do feel sad about missing out on companionship, and I hate the idea of the movement languishing away. I think I'll work some sort of building ritual or make a charm as the Moon waxes to try to focus more on my goals and then work with a divination practice on the Full Moon?
Did you celebrate the New Moon? Did you Meet at the Water? I'd love to hear about it...
OH! I almost forgot! Today is the last day to comment and enter the drawing for the Ellen Dugan Mabon book. Go here to enter if you haven't already.
Also, I'm heading up NaBloWriMo this year. Basically, it's a challenge for the month of October to blog every day for the month. As of yet, there aren't any prizes going on (I might offer a blog makeover for the fun of it), but the challenge itself is a prize. I've met sooo many wonderful people through NaBloWriMo, people who I consider my friends. If you'd like to join us, you can visit the NaBloWriMo site here.
Have lovely days, my friends...
We had a very intimate, quiet New Moon ritual. Just the grands, Shel and I. I brought out our vessel, the kids filled it with charged water, Shelley led us in a visualization of cleansing and we closed and shared thoughts. Simple, to the point, easy for the kiddos. It is now very familiar and comfortable like an old pair of comfy slippers. The grands are always excited to lead the procession to the altar. It is very heart warming to have this added New Moon ritual. I still am very grateful for your thoughts at the time of the Gulf spill and the "opportunity", my 2010 word, to continue this on every New Moon. We feel very connected because of your intuition and sharing. Thanks and Blessings, The Olde Bagg
ReplyDeleteThanks for your words, Linda. I love that it's become something you all can share. I hope that next month, some mental housekeeping will let me Meet with you again!
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling antsy too- maybe it's the whole retrograde thing. I'm reposting your not hannah blog today- OKAY? giving you full credit, of course. It just needs to be said, and you said it a whole heck of a lot better than I ever could.
ReplyDeleteK may have something on the retrograde thing. Sometimes it affects me and sometimes I said through Mercury's craziness. But the New Moon's a time of building energy - starting with very little - so perhaps there's just not alot for you to tap into right now. Plan something for the full moon instead. You can't be on top of your game all the time.
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed a rather strange New Moon... I didn't think I was going to go to the beach I've been going to, as my partner worked that night, but we ended up going on her lunch break. I was in my PJ pants, and got cold rather quickly, but I was upset, because once we were there, all I could think about was leaving. I didn't want to be there. It didn't feel right. It was weird & a bit upsetting.
ReplyDeleteI went back this evening, though, and spent some time on the floating dock that's there. I felt calm envelop me. I felt peace. Serenity. It was amazing.
Listen to what your intuition is telling you. Don't shrug off the feelings you're having. A tarot reading may be just what's needed to help you see things more clearly. ^-^
Have patience. Keep poking at it, and it will resolve itself & you'll know what to do. ^-^
*hugs*
xoxo
This month's new moon was in Virgo. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteI don't have ritual every New Moon, Full Moon, Sabbat....if I'm not feeling it I don't do it. At first I felt guilty, but then I realized "faking it" in Ritual is just as bad as faking it in bed (thank Goddess I stopped that shit when I met my hubby and figured out how to not have to fake it anymore)....bad things come of it (pun intended).
The Goddess is always with us, whether we are naked outside or curled up in bed with a book. It's our heart, not our body that matters.
I'm so glad that you liked what I did for the New Moon, but I'm sorry that it made you feel bad. I hope that what people have said here helps... because I don't think it's bad at all that you didn't do anything this month. New moons are about beginnings, but it didn't really sound in your post like you were resonating with the idea of beginnings... more like you're processing... in the middle of...
ReplyDeleteI also don't think you missed out on any companionship... you may have been in a different energy at the new moon, but we are fond of you all the same, and we'll still be here, whether the new moon ritual sounds good to you or not! ;)
Blessings!